Friends of Sturbridge Parks and Recreation

Douty Road: Sturbridge's Recreation Future

The donated land at Douty Road has the potential to solve Sturbridge's field crisis, interconnect our trail systems, provide outdoor recreation, and conserve over 200 acres of land.

Join SPARCSee the Master Plan
2 + 1multipurpose fields + a practice flex field
200+acres permanently reserved for conservation
ZEROTown-owned multipurpose fields today
One site, every generation

Fields, trails, and open space in one place

The land has the potential to provide multisport sports fields, interconnect our trail systems, provide various outdoor recreation opportunities, and conserve land for the environment.

FIELDS

Room for our kids to play

Two natural multipurpose fields and a practice flex field for youth soccer, lacrosse, flag football and more, with Town-controlled access.

TRAILS

A connected Trail System

A critical link between the Riverlands and Heins Farm trail systems, with accessible paths and trailheads for walkers, bikers and families.

OPEN SPACE

Land protected for good

Over 200 acres of conservation land, meadow restoration with pollinator gardens, and habitat restoration.

Douty Road Land Use Master Plan

The Master Plan: 222 acres, balanced by design

A community recreation destination that supports multiple stakeholders. Only a relatively small portion of the site is proposed for active recreation; most of it stays natural.

Douty Road Master Plan concept figure showing proposed fields, trails, parking, and conservation areas on an aerial map

Concept figure selected by the Town. Source: Douty Road Land Use Master Plan (Pare, August 2026). The concept guides future design; it is not a construction plan. Final uses will be set through design, permitting, and public input.

222acres across two parcels at 14 and 50 Douty Road
2 + 1multipurpose fields plus a practice flex field
3Interconnection of Sturbridge's three trail systems
200+acres permanently reserved for conservation
ACTIVE RECREATION

Fields and play

  • Two natural, multipurpose fields for youth soccer, lacrosse and flag football
  • A flex field for practices and Recreation Department programs
  • Two areas for community-requested courts, such as basketball, tennis and pickleball
  • Up to three playgrounds for Sturbridge families
  • About 175 parking spaces
TRAILS

Connected by foot and bike

  • A critical connection between the Riverlands and Heins Farm trail systems
  • Walking and biking trails, with ADA-accessible paths and trailheads
  • A bicycle “pump” track for mountain bikers to learn and attempt new skills
  • Emergency access routes to ensure hiker safety
CONSERVATION

Protected open space

  • Over 200 acres of conservation land
  • Meadow restoration with pollinator gardens
  • Pavilions with lawn space
  • Habitat restoration and invasive species removal
  • Six stormwater management areas
A closer look at fields

Youth sports are growing; field supply has not

Several field-sport programs are expanding at the same time, causing a crisis for field access. Field space forcing leagues to turn kids away and limited practice time has our teams showing up to games at a competitive disadvantage.

38.7%SYFL total participation, 2021–2026
40.7%SYFL flag football, 2021–2026
38.6%TRYLAX lacrosse, 2021–2026
20.8%SSGL girls' soccer, 2021–2026
28%Sturbridge population, 2000–2026

SYFL participants by program, 2019–2026

Flag footballTackle footballCheer

Source: league self-reports (SYFL, TRYLAX, SSGL) compiled October 2026; Sturbridge Housing Production Plan (population). TRYLAX 2021 and 2026 are reported figures; interim years were not reported.

Today's fields put our teams at a disadvantage

Our lack of sports fields is leaving our kids on the sidelines, and playing from behind.

Zero multipurpose fields

Town Barn: one softball and one Little League field. Turner Field: one Legion-size baseball field. Their outfields double as soccer, football, lacrosse and cheer space.

Inconsistent access

TRYLAX reported not a single week all season without a disrupted practice. Little League cannot schedule games and practices on the same day.

Significant cost

Field access is among the largest costs for volunteer-run leagues. For TRYLAX, field fees were its largest single expense.

No control at schools

Union 61 controls the Burgess and Tantasqua fields, with limited access for a fee. High school field access may now be restricted before 6pm.

Playing from behind

Off-season space is scarce. TRYLAX got fields just two weeks before its first game, and U14 soccer cannot match other towns' practice time.

Programs capped

Leagues travel for most games. TRYLAX cannot add teams, and soccer's U12 teams could not find practice space in town.

How we got here

A long road to Douty Road

Sturbridge has pursued new fields for more than two decades while the field crisis grew. Douty Road shines on the factors that stalled other plans.

2015

Plimpton Community Forest

Voters approved the purchase, with 15 acres reserved for fields. Natural species detection halted the project.

2016

Town Barn fields

Substantial ledge dramatically increased the project cost, and the limited field area did not fully solve the town's challenges.

2018–19

Cedar Street study

Town Meeting funded a study of a multipurpose field and parking at 60 Cedar Street near Burgess Elementary and Cedar Rec.

2021

Race Track Field Proposal

A field complex at no cost to the Town was defeated 325/449 on October 28 due to concerns over horse racing.

2021

Cedar Lake Recreation Area

Town Meeting did not approve the $5.41M field proposal that followed, due to concerns over traffic on Cedar and surrounding streets.

2025–26

Douty Road Master Plan

The Town launched a plan for about 222 acres; the report was completed in August 2026.

Donations and fundraising

How Douty Road gets built

The Master Plan recommends a phased approach so the Town can build as funding allows. SPARC is raising private and grant support to complement the Town's work, not replace it.

SPARC Formation

Community residents formed SPARC to help fund this critical project with town support.

25% Design

Town Meeting will vote on $350K in CPC funding for 25% design, MEPA, and cost estimating.

“Friend”raising

SPARC seeks friends, foundations, and government support to finance this critical project.

Full Design

Funding will be required to fund the full project design.

Construction

Final construction of this critical community space and solution for the regional field crisis.

INDIVIDUALS

Become a friend of SPARC

Consider donating to SPARC, or introduce us to neighbors, businesses and families who care about Douty Road.

FOUNDATIONS AND BUSINESSES

Sponsor a piece of the plan

Gifts, grants, and sponsorships supplement, not replace, municipal resources.

GOVERNMENT

Public partnerships

SPARC will pursue government support alongside the Town. Voice your support to your elected officials.

SPARC is a pending 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit. Contact us through the list below to learn how to give once formation is complete.

Who we are

SPARC: a community partner for the Town

Friends of Sturbridge Parks & Recreation will help turn community ideas into well-planned recreation.

SPARC is a pending 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit community organization dedicated to expanding and improving recreation for people of all ages and abilities. It complements the Town, its Recreation Department, and its boards and committees; it does not replace them.

Mobilize volunteers and partners

Bring together residents, youth leagues, schools, and Town departments around practical projects.

Raise private and grant funding

Pursue gifts, grants, and sponsorships that supplement, not replace, municipal resources.

Connect the whole system

Link fields, parks, playgrounds, trails, and open space in support of the Town's 2025 Open Space and Recreation Plan.

SPARC hopes to help this project succeed where others have failed.Our kids and community are waiting.
Get involved

Douty Road is for everyone. Join the SPARC contact list.

Join the SPARC contact list. We will keep you posted on Town Meeting, volunteer needs and ways to give.

Attend Town MeetingMonday, November 16 at 7:00 PM, Tantasqua High School Auditorium
Join SPARCShare your time, ideas, or professional expertise
Spread the wordTell neighbors about the critical Town Meeting votes, and voice your support to your elected officials
Support the projectConsider donating to SPARC or introducing us to potential donors
Stay in touchJon Weaver, jon@sturbridgesparc.org
Jeff Burdick, jeff@sturbridgesparc.org
I'm interested in