Plans call for the installation of turf and two softball fields on Ritzer Field, behind Columbia High School.
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Several coaches and officials have praised the Maplewood and South Orange Board of Education’s July approval of the installation of turf for Ritzer Field, replacing the grass surface.
Situated behind Columbia High School in Maplewood, Ritzer Field is used for various events involving soccer, lacrosse and ultimate frisbee.
The plan calls for two softball fields to be used by the CHS varsity softball team, which has been playing home games at Meadowland Park in South Orange. Under longtime head coach Cliff Smith, the softball team has enjoyed a great run of success, reaching the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s state sectional finals in each of the past three seasons.
The plan has met with opposition from some residents who cited environmental issues, including plastic draining into the water supply, a lack of permeability contributing to local flooding, loss of natural green space and the need to replace a turf field at the end of its lifespan.
Smith, however, is wholeheartedly in favor of the Ritzer Field upgrades.
“I think turf is a must when it comes to Ritzer Field,” he said. “The softball team needs a field to play on that isn’t (Meadowlands Field 3) and controlled by the town. Although they have welcomed us with open arms, having a field on Ritzer that we can call our own is the most important thing we have been fighting for since 2018.”
CHS head lacrosse coach Ryan Downey, who completed his second season at the helm, cited the benefits of a turf field at Ritzer Field.
“Having an extra turf field will benefit the boys lacrosse team because it will provide us with a second state-of-the-art playing surface,” Downey said. “We are two towns with one school. This will double the opportunities for athletics in the community for many years to come.”
Ron Charles, board president of Maplewood Girls Lacrosse Club, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, estimated to cost $5.7 million.
“There’s huge excitement in the high school and youth athletic communities for the Ritzer upgrades, especially the girls and boys lacrosse programs,” he said. “The high school girls locker room will be upgraded this school year, and with the upgrades to Ritzer Field the following summer, access to quality athletic facilities is within the grasp of our female athletes.”
Charles said the Columbia High School girls lacrosse team will have a huge influx of athletes in the spring from MGLC’s eighth-grade teams last year.
“The evolution of these facilities by fall of 2026 will be a boon to their experience with the high school lacrosse program and the growth of the sport locally,” Charles said. “Not only will the Ritzer upgrades benefit the high school athletic teams (especially the female teams who’ve historically had inferior facilities), but it benefits the phys ed programs, marching band, youth sports and community exercise needs.”
In addition to providing more reliable, safe and consistent access to athletic fields, Charles said the BOE has put forth a design that has excellent flexibility, by being able to host two softball games at once or being able to allow for a softball and non-softball event to occur simultaneously. The design fully maintains Project Adventure, and has 22,000 square feet of non-playing surface natural grass, with all old-growth trees maintained, according to Charles.
“The unanimous 8-0 vote by the BOE is evidence they have worked hard to deliver a product that our young athletes and educators need,” Charles said. “The unanimous BOE vote is a clear message to the members of the (Maplewood and South Orange) BOSE (Board of School Estimate) that the funds requested are required, and are a prudent investment with maximum playing-hour returns benefiting the community.
“The BOE worked hard to include the objectives of as many stakeholders as possible, and both the auditorium upgrades, and the Ritzer Field upgrade, are needed by the district to provide for their students and teachers.”
Charles said he hopes the BOSE will approve the funds.
“The Maplewood Girls Lacrosse Club hopes the members of the BOSE hear the BOE request loud and clear, and vote to approve the funds to meet the needs of our district,” he said. “The MGLC is excited to continue our strong support for the high school girls lacrosse program, and we can’t wait to see them play on a newly renovated Ritzer Field.”
Despite the coaches’ favor of the upgrades, a formal complaint has been filed by Maplewood resident Paul Surovell, who alleged that the SOMA BOE violated the Open Public Meetings Act in its Ritzer Field development deliberations and decision.
On May 8, Surovell emailed a complaint to SOMA BOE attorney Patrick Carrigg, alleging that the BOE violated the Open Public Meetings Act when it discussed, deliberated and decided on one of four competing plans to develop Ritzer Field with artificial turf, as proposed by Superintendent Jason Bing.
In his complaint, Surovell stated, “At the BOE’s public meeting of July 24, 2025, both Superintendent Bing and BOE president Nubia DuVal Wilson announced that the board had, prior to the meeting, decided to choose Plan D2.0 by ‘consensus,’ through ‘discussions’ and ‘deliberations’ and that the financial cost of Plan D2.0 had been codified in Resolution 4832Z.
“However, neither the BOE’s decision to choose Plan D2.0, nor the discussions or deliberations around that decision, were conducted in public at any time, in any form, neither in-person, online or on conference call. The BOE had acted in blatant violation of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA)…”
Bing did not respond to an email for comment.
Note – The CHS softball team won the North 1, Group 4 sectional title in 2023, beating Super Essex Conference foe Livingston in the final, and finished runner-up in both 2024 in North 1, Group 4 and this past spring in North 2, Group 4, falling to Morristown and Watchung Hills, respectively. The Cougars went 21-10 in 2023, 17-10 in 2024 and 20-7 this past season.
Photos by Joe Ragozzino (Ritzer Field) and Steve Ellmore (Cliff Smith)
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