Building Fields of Dreams In an almost synchronous event, the first day of spring and the sound of bulldozers and other heavy machinery kicked off. Walking on campus during the second half of the second semester, the quiet rumble of machinery in the distance has been ever present. The noise was not disruptive; in fact, it signified forward progress of some of the many much-anticipated facilities improvements taking place on campus. The project, which will be completed in two phases, begins with the replacement of the Simosa Field and Track, construction of a new multipurpose turf field in the back fields, and three new tennis courts adjacent to the six that make up the Markin Tennis Center. And with the proper approvals received from the town of Cheshire, work is now underway in the back fields, with plans to have all of Phase I completed by the start of the 2022-2023 academic year for the varsity sports teams’ preseason. The first change made was the removal of the antiquated tennis courts adjacent to the softball field near the back pond. Having reached the end of their useful life, the tennis courts were ripped up and converted to greenspace.
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the magazine of cheshire academy
The new turf complex, located to the north of the pond, will double as a state-of-the-art softball field and multi-sport turf field for training and competitions for the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse and soccer programs, and football practices. Just a bit farther north from there is the home of the three new tennis courts, adjacent to the existing courts at Markin Tennis Center. Due to the positive relationship between Cheshire Academy and the local community, the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams were able to practice and compete at the Copper Valley Tennis and Social Club just a few miles away from campus, and use some of the municipally owned tennis courts around town. At Simosa, the turf and track are just about 11 years old, meaning the complex has exceeded the end of its expected use. Over the years, the facility has garnered the normal wear and tear expected of such a highdemand space with the number of teams that use the complex on a daily basis. With the new turf and track installed, the center of the new field will have the new Cat’s Eye logo, representative of CA’s athletics and student activities sub-brand. This work is planned to be completed during the summer, beginning after Commencement.
