Barrington High School is getting a new Victory Field athletic complex.

During a meeting on Thursday night, July 18, members of the Barrington School Committee voted 5-0 to renovate the stadium field into a multi-use synthetic turf surface and construct a new track oval. 

The district will spend no more than $4.5 million on the work — officials will pay for the project with money from the capital reserve account, which was compiled from budget surpluses over the years. 

A second vote was to issue an RFP (request for proposals) for the design and engineering associated with the construction of the athletic complex improvements. 

And a third vote by the School Committee called for the establishment of a private funding campaign to off-set the cost of the project. 

Committee members received plenty of encouragement from those attending the meeting — more than 50 Barrington High School student-athletes and dozens of parents and coaches showed up to support the athletic complex improvements. 

Bobby Wind, a rising senior at BHS, was the first to speak. Wind, a standout on the boys track team, told Committee members about the poor condition of the track at the high school. He offered a quick story: Wind said he had been helping coach some middle school runners at the track recently when one of them asked why weeds were growing through the track. 

Ellie Donato is a member of the BHS girls soccer team. Donato told School Committee members that an investment in a new athletic complex was an investment in Barrington High School student-athletes. 

Roxanna Mohammadi is a member of the field hockey and track teams. She said the current condition of the athletic facilities is deplorable. 

One by one, BHS students and other community members offered reasons for approving the Victory Field athletic complex improvements. Some shared first-hand experiences about playing (and getting injured) on the current field. Others spoke about the money student-athletes and their families spend to practice on synthetic turf fields at other schools. 

Tom Rimoshytus, a member of the Barrington Park and Recreation Commission, said his group supported the improvements. 

Rob Humm, a member of the Barrington Town Council, said he fully supported the improvements. 

Barrington High School coaches Anne Gasbarro and Selina Dacey said they supported the improvements.

Audrey McClelland, president of the Barrington Boosters, said she supported the improvements. 

After listening to the dozens of speakers, School Committee member TJ Peck shared a brief presentation about the plan to improve the facilities. He also detailed the amount of money currently in the district's capital reserve account ($6.45 million). 

Peck eventually made a motion to make improvements to the Victory Field athletic complex and to pay for the work with money from the capital reserve account. Frazier Bell seconded the motion, which passed 5-0. 

That vote was met with a round of applause from the crowd inside the presentation room at the middle school.