Barrington Financial Town Meeting voters will face another important decision when they are asked to authorize up to $5 million in long-term borrowing, the bulk of it to create an artificial turf complex at Barrington Middle School.

A “yes” vote would be step one in the process — approving the money. Step two would be a November referendum on whether Barrington residents will allow artificial turf in their community.

As has been well documented for many years, Barrington has a woeful collection of outdoor sports fields. They are overused, in lousy condition, and frequently unavailable because of water and weather. We contend they are the most underwhelming collection of fields in any Rhode Island community, even though Barrington is home to the densest concentration of children in this state.

Barrington has an obligation to provide basic recreational facilities for its residents, who are predominantly family-age households with sports-loving children. Hopefully voters will support this bond question, which is decades overdue.