The City of Newton began planning the renovation of the Albemarle fields in 2020 to include new features, including turf, courts, and trails that will significantly benefit Newton North student-athletes by providing more space and better athletic conditions.
Newton Director of Parks and Open Spaces, Luis Perez Demorizi, has worked hard with his office alongside North, F.A. Day Middle School, the Newton Early Childhood Program, and in collaboration with the Department of Public Works, the Public Buildings Department, the Charles River Watershed Association, the Newton Conservation Commission, the Newton Community Preservation Committee, the Parks and Recreation Commission, various state agencies, and support from the mayor’s office to complete the project by the fall of 2026.
Demorizi said, “One of the major benefits of synthetic turf is that it provides maximum playability when grass fields are closed without damaging the field or increasing athlete injury potential.”
Although the turf renovation is the main focus, according to Demorizi, there will be pickleball and basketball courts, new trail paths, and seating options available. These amenities will be used during the school day for physical education classes at Day Middle School, North sports practices, and Newton recreational leagues.
According to Demorizi, the Albemarle renovation is one aspect of the athletic fields improvement plan to benefit athletes and members of Newton.
Freshman Willa Hanson, a member of girls’ field hockey, said, “I think this new turf will help to give teams a good amount of playing space without overlapping with others and creating chaos.”
The turf being installed in Albemarle is the same model as the turf used during the NorthStadium renovation, which is favorable due to its quality, said Demorizi.
According to Demorizi, goals of the Albemarle turf renovation vary. Still, the main goals are rearranging the rectangular and diamond field to make sports games more efficient, installing new sports lights that will replace the old ones, and integrating flood controls.
Senior Sophia Mitchell, a member of girls’ soccer, said that in the fall, the team usually had two morning practices per week from 6:00-8:15 am. “If we had after-school practice we would have to split with boys soccer or play on the grass if football was using the turf,” she added.
Because the intention of adding a turf field is for North athletics to use, functionality for all teams is important, according to Demorizi. The field will have permanent lines for football, ultimate frisbee, and soccer. Demorizi added that lines can be painted for lacrosse and field hockey if necessary.
According to Fig City News, the field will be renovated in two separate parts to minimize town disruption— first the northern half, followed by the southern area after Newton’s annual Fourth of July celebration.
The turf, along with providing more space to practice, will also serve as a reliable area for all sports to practice through the winter and rainy season compared to grass fields. “We had practice and game cancellations during the season due to weather and most of our home games were played on the grass, so those would always be cancelled if it rained,” said Mitchell.
According to Demorizi, Newton Parks and Open Spaces hopes that the Albemarle turf renovation will impact the town positively and improve field space available for all athletes.
