The Proposed Killingworth Recreation Center The proposed Killingworth Recreation Center, A.K.A. the Bosco Property, is a 133-acre parcel of wooded land purchased by the Town in November 2000 for $670,000. Used for many different purposes prior to the Town's purchase (including a farm), the property abuts Cockaponset State Forest to the east, the middle school property to the south, Route 81 to the west and private property to the north. It contains a few small pastures, a farmhouse (circa 1810) in remarkably good shape, a few crumbling outbuildings, a few watercourses, and many steep slopes and ledges. The property is mostly forested with mildly sloping ground, but in some areas the ledge outcroppings resemble ravines. The Town proposes to construct a recreation center upon the property, to consist of three all-purpose (aligned for soccer) fields, three baseball fields, a softball field, a child's "T" ball field, playgrounds, picnic areas, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, community gardens, passive recreation areas, plumbed bathroom facilities, stabilization of the farmhouse as necessary, and, if possible, preservation of at least one existing barn. The project is budgeted at $5.25 million dollars, and includes all of the above work, as well as all design, engineering, permitting and other "soft" costs such as financing. The full cost of the project would be raised through the sale of municipal bonds. Bonding has been authorized by the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance. Town Meeting approval is required to finalize the authorization, and a referendum has been called for Saturday, November 20 at the Killingworth Elementary School to decide whether to issue bonds and proceed with construction plans. If approved, the estimated mil rate impact for this project is approximayely.60 mils or less, annualized over 20 years, meaning a home with a market value of $500,000 would see an increase of approx. 60 cents per day; a home with a market value of $350,000 would see an increase of approx. 40 cents per day; and, a home valued at $125,000 would see their tax bill increase by approx. 14 cents per day. If approved, construction would commence sometime in the Spring of '05. The project would be constructed all at once and would take approx. one year to complete. The fields could then be used no earlier than the Fall of '06 or the Spring of '07, as they must lie fallow for two growing seasons (Spring and Summer; Summer and Fall, etc.) before use. All fields would be irrigated. Maintenance cost in excess of present would be assumed, and are estimated to be as much as $20-$25,000 annually. The Town presently has one employee in the Highway Department hired to devote at least two-thirds of his time to recreation maintenance. He would be shifted to full-time (seasonal) work at the new complex.
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