by Justin Skinner, InsideToronto.com

There is finally light at the end of the tunnel for those who have worked to fix the field at Northern Secondary School.

With over $1 million raised by students and alumni of the school and members of the local community, the long-anticipated project may become a reality in the coming months, with work on the new play area expected to start by August at the latest.

The Clarke Pulford Field, named after one-time Northern physical education teacher, has long been in need of an overhaul. The shoddy playing surface has become a major issue for students and local groups looking to use the field, and it has become nearly unusable due to playing conditions and safety concerns.

The new field will consist of a 400-metre, four-lane running track and a full football and soccer field built to CFL standards. The patchy grass will be replaced by high-quality artificial turf and bike racks and fencing will also be installed.

While a group of local stakeholders, including local residents and representatives from Northern and the Toronto District School Board, have agreed on many issues to be hashed out, there are still some details that must be addressed before work on the field can begin in earnest, said local TDSB trustee Josh Matlow.

"Obviously, we need to get the process going between the city and school board staff," he said. "We have to negotiate the city's need for public access."

The field rejuvenation process has been a refreshing change from the vitriol spewed when a previous proposal for the field, which consisted of an inflatable, weather-resistant bubble covering a third of the field, was tabled.

Many residents felt the plan had been given the go-ahead without adequate consultation and were concerned over traffic, parking and esthetic appeal.

Matlow said the new proposal benefited from local residents' input from the get-go, adding that they will continue to be part of the process.

"We're not going to sign anything without their direct involvement," he said.

North Toronto Secondary School Foundation president Dale Callender said construction is almost certain to begin by August, provided no more obstacles are presented. If the project is delayed beyond that point, construction would run into the school year and interfere with school sports and gym classes.

"There is no other window," he said. "If we don't get started by then, we'll have to wait another year, and that's really not an option we want to consider."

Callender said excitement is mounting as the process comes nearer to completion.

"It's been a long haul for us," he said. "Field of Dreams was a nightmare, but it seems like everyone's on the same page for this."

While the project has yet to go to tender, the biggest negotiations at this point appear to be concerning a timetable for use of the field. Callender said Northern will likely get priority over the field from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, with the playing area open at other times to groups who obtain a city permit to use the area.

For Matlow, the biggest beneficiaries will be those who worked hard to raise the money to make the new field a reality.

"It feels so good that the students who are going to (Northern) now, who were so active in the fundraising, will be able to see it happen," he said.

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