Two decades after developer built it, Northampton's promised soccer field remains dormant
Two decades after a developer built the field on Bridge Road as part of a housing deal, the city has not made it a public recreation facility.
In 2005, a real estate developer agreed to build a soccer field on his property in exchange for permission to construct denser housing than zoning normally allowed. Two decades later, the field sits largely unused and unmarked, raising questions about why the city never activated the promised recreational space.
John Chakalos, a developer from Windsor, Connecticut, was completing Bear Hill Estates, a luxury retirement community on Bridge Road, when the city required him to set aside land as public open space. Originally intended as community gardens, the plan shifted after school officials raised concerns about parking. Joseph Misterka, then associate superintendent of schools, suggested a soccer field and sledding hill instead, and Chakalos agreed.
The developer built the field and promised goals and permanent signage. Today, only small wooden posts marked "conservation restriction" identify the site, and the field isn't listed on the city's website. No goals exist, and most residents don't know the field is there.
City officials say the barrier to opening it as a public facility involves costs and logistics. Carolyn Misch, director of the Office of Planning and Sustainability, said the city would need to ensure the field meets Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards, install fencing for safety, and conduct a full assessment. "Frankly, we just haven't looked at engineering a potential solution," Misch said. She noted that the city must weigh recreation priorities against other budget demands.
Ann-Marie Moggio, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, wrote in an email that "there are many factors that would need to be addressed before the site could be suitable for organized recreational programming or organized soccer use." She cited accessibility challenges, the field's condition, and maintenance requirements.
Both officials pointed out that Northampton acquired land on Meadow Street that became Florence Recreation Fields, which opened in 2016 with five regulation-sized soccer fields. "Currently, Bear Hill is not available for organized play and is not considered an appropriate athletic facility," Moggio wrote. Some athletes have used the field informally, though it remains unavailable for league play.