Letters

I love this community. But in recent weeks I have been deeply disappointed to see so much disinformation spread regarding the proposed Marsden Street property purchase and shocked by the seeming disdain displayed toward the needs of our children.

As many local families and readers of this newspaper can attest, our community has been blessed with many gifted and dedicated student-athletes who spend countless hours each week practicing — and driving — to pursue their passions. Whether they travel farther afield or merely to neighboring Southampton or East Hampton, they can’t help but notice the disparities among the athletic facilities at Pierson and those at other schools.

I would like to think that every community does all that it can for its children. Of course, we all appreciate that Sag Harbor is a special and historical place with limited space, and that we have a local gem in Mashashimuet Park.

But we now have a one-time-only opportunity to give our children one additional field (hardly a “sports complex”) on the only land left next to their school. Imagine if they could compete less for space, cross fewer streets, travel less, have more time for homework and family dinners, and feel a renewed sense of Pierson pride in their value to the community.

My children have asked, incredulously, why anyone would vote against the proposal. I truly don’t know what to tell them.

Will it cost money to create the field? Of course. But I’ve seen no basis for the scaremongering suggestion that it will cost anywhere near $26 million.

Will there be environmental impacts? Probably. But as someone with a degree in environmental science and public policy, I’m dismayed to see so much effort spent looking for reasons not to build a field for kids and the community on land that will otherwise host four gigantic houses. Do any of our homes or businesses not have some environmental impact?

We owe it to our community to find ways to mitigate any negative impacts and, while we’re at it, to at least educate ourselves regarding technological and environmental advances in artificial turf, outdoor lighting and sound, and any other relevant features last considered back in 2016. How can we expect our kids to embrace learning and be open to new ideas if we don’t ourselves?

Will there be lights, cars and noise on occasion? Undoubtedly, yes, and what else should we expect — it’s a school.

If we let this one-time-only opportunity pass, it will be a terrible shame that we, as a community, will live to regret (and to whose benefit, really?).

So I’m voting yes for the proposal and a new field that reflects respect for the concerns of all community members.

Kerry Perri

North Haven