Under the five-year agreement, the city will upgrade the fields' irrigation system, mow the grass, pick up trash and cover utility costs generated by city use of the fields.
The city, the developmental center and the state will create a master plan for the site that could include permanent lighting, a playground and picnic area, training facilities for the Special Olympics and permanent restrooms. Temporary lights and restroom facilities will be provided in the meantime.
It could initially cost the city at least $217,000 to improve and maintain the fields. To ensure security at the center, Fairview officials put a number of stipulations on the city's use of the fields: Only sports groups with players age 15 and under can use the fields; up to four teams can play at one time; and the field will be for practice only rather than matches.
The fields could be ready as early as October and will be available on weekday evenings and Saturdays.
The city and state still must hammer out a long-term lease, and that bureaucracy may take some time, but there's enthusiasm for the deal all around, city recreation manager Jana Ransom said.
The city gets more athletic fields, and the developmental center gets upgrades to the space its clients can use, such as the playground and picnic area.
"I think that everybody involved in it has in mind that this is pretty much a slam dunk," Ransom said before Tuesday's meeting.
QUESTION
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