Allan Appel Photo
Looking from Downing Street toward location of the proposed soccer field.
Clinton Avenue Field, a vast square of green adjacent to the eponymous school, is busy, especially on weekends with baseballers and even cricketers.
To all that sports activity may soon be added some serious soccer as well.
That’s because the Fair Haven Community Management Team (FHCMT) has voted unanimously to endorse the prospect, laid out by the city’s new landscape architect, to mark off a piece of that expanse as a full-sized soccer field, chalking it for futbol, and putting up some serious goals as well.
Jacobs, on right, with Monique Stefanou, a community health educator from Smilow Cancer Center, at the management team meeting.
“We’ve been getting more requests for soccer fields,” said Katherine Jacobs, the city’s new landscape architect, in her presentation to 40 neighbors who gathered this past Thursday night at the Fair Haven Branch Library for a monthly Fair Haven Community Management Team meeting.
Jacobs is replacing the city’s much loved landscape architect David Moser, who died in 2018.
“We wanted to read the temperature of the community,” he said.
That temperature was hot.
“It’d be a great addition,” said Mary Ann Moran, a longtime neighbor who has helped run a community garden and tutoring groups at Clinton Avenue School.
“We have a lot who play in the gym of the school in the winter,” she added.
Moran also pointed out that in addition to the busy baseball fields at the northwest and southeast ends of what amounts to a huge green square, the central area is occupied by a field that draws cricketers not only from New Haven but from throughout the region.
Another longtime Fair Havener, Cindy Calvert agreed. “I know our league at St. Francis is always looking for space,” she said.
Moran added that in the absence of a proper soccer field, over the years parents, bring out their little kids on Saturdays and set up soccer-playing areas with cones. A full-sized soccer field will accommodate them, as well as bring other groups.
Jacobs said the baseball and soccer areas will remain as they are. She did not reference any serious infrastructure changes or upgrades.
Looking north at the field, from Clinton and Peck.
The soccer field would be laid out on the eastern side of the green adjacent to Downing Street.
Not everyone praised the idea. David Steinhardt suggested instead a large area that no one is using at all.
“What’s wrong with the old Hess [Oil Co.] fields?” he asked. That’s the ten-acre site along River Street, at the base of Blatchley.
“It’s contaminated,” replied the FHCMT Vice Chair Lee Cruz.
Cruz said that the Clinton Avenue Field, an immense playing area from the avenue to Downing Street on the east and from Peck Street on the south all the way up to Baily Street on the north, is already a known destination as well. “People are always using it. It’s a matter of striping it.”
“And getting some goals,” Jacobs added.
“I make a motion to make a soccer field there,” Moran said.
Fair Haven Alder Jose Crespo pointed out that it’s not within the authority of a management team to create fields or parks, but to recommend approval of the city’s plan to do that.
Not missing a beat, Moran said, “I amend my motion that the team write a letter to support and to recommend to the parks department.
The motion passed unanimously.