The Project

Bishop Guertin is proposing to upgrade the athletic fields on the main campus by installing a single, rectangular turf field in place of the existing rectangular, grass field. Overhead lighting, a press box, a scoreboard, and spectator seating will also be constructed to support athletic events and related activities. Minor improvements will be made to the existing softball and baseball fields. 

Proposed traffic flow improvements will reduce traffic flow backups during peak hours of operation.

Purpose

These proposed upgrades will improve the on-campus fields available to the Bishop Guertin varsity and JV soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse teams. Each of these teams currently travel off campus for “home” games and practices, often to facilities about 20 miles away, with most varsity home games being held at Stellos Stadium and other facilities. The new facility will allow Bishop Guertin to more effectively host sub-varsity and varsity practices and games by providing a campus-connected venue for home athletic events to take place, reducing off-campus travel and minimizing injuries associated with grass field surfaces.

Friday/Saturday varsity football games will continue to be scheduled at Stellos Stadium and other larger venues, due to the parking and capacity constraints of the campus.

By welcoming varsity athletics back to campus, Bishop Guertin hopes to instill a greater sense of school pride within the student body. The new field and stands may also be utilized to host schoolwide events, such as commencement, and will provide a community resource use as an additional turf field located in Nashua.

We plan to submit for permits this spring with the hope of completing the project later this year. 

To submit questions or concerns, email fieldproject@bghs.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is being proposed – what are the various elements of the project?

A: Bishop Guertin is proposing to replace the existing rectangular grass field at its Lund Road facility with a new turf field. The upgrades will include spectator seating capable of hosting the entire student body, lighting fixtures, a sound system and a press box will also be installed.

Q: What is being proposed to improve traffic in and out of campus?

A: Proposed traffic flow improvements will create supplemental queuing areas on the campus with the intention of reducing the daily traffic congestion at 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and improving the traffic flow throughout the campus.

Q: Will any other fields on campus be upgraded? 

A: Yes, Bishop Guertin will be shifting the softball field slightly to accommodate the new turf field. The existing baseball field will also be improved by reseeding the grass to create a level playing surface that supports the safety of athletes. 

Q: How will the turf field be used by Bishop Guertin sports teams?

A: JV and varsity games scheduled during the Fall and Spring seasons will take place between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and mostly during the daytime on Saturdays, with some games straying into the early evening. Any Bishop Guertin sports team may use the turf field for practice or games when it is not otherwise in use. Friday and Saturday football games will continue to take place at Stellos Stadium, with the occasional game being held on the turf field. Advance notice will be provided for any football games taking place at the Lund Road facility. 

Q: How will the Lund Road Athletic Fields Project benefit the general student body? 

A: The development of the Lund Road Athletic Fields Project will benefit the general student body by enhancing student safety and amplifying school pride. The proposed facility will reduce the number of students traveling off campus to participate in or attend home games, decreasing traffic congestion and related accidents. By being connected to campus, the facility will amplify school pride as student-athletes embrace the opportunity to defend their home turf — pun intended — and students, faculty and staff gather in droves to support the Cardinals in competition. Weather permitting, the facility can additionally host students for school-wide events and assemblies, such as graduation. 

Q: Will community-based organizations be able to use the turf field and facility?

A: Bishop Guertin recognizes there is a significant demand for turf field facilities capable of supporting athletic programs and community events within the Merrimack Valley community. In appreciation of the many partnerships formed over the years, Bishop Guertin is actively exploring “in-kind” and rental opportunities to make the Lund Road facility available to community-based organizations. 

Q: Will the Lund Road Athletic Fields Project impact local traffic? 

A: The Lund Road Athletic Fields Project is not expected to negatively impact existing traffic. Attendance at events and traffic congestion has been determined to be consistent with other off-hour events such as practices, winter basketball games and fall athletics. Bishop Guertin has commissioned a traffic study to better understand the potential traffic impacts and will work with the city of Nashua to ensure any local impacts are minimal.

Q: Will noise be a problem?

A: Bishop Guertin will work with community members and the City of Nashua to ensure that distance, electronic limitations and screening will mitigate sound to the greatest extent possible. Sound will be reduced in volume during the evening and the PA system will be turned off no later than 10 p.m.

Q: Will field lighting be a problem? 

A: Bishop Guertin will use advanced field lighting technology to direct illumination toward the center of the turf, ensuring light is confined within the field’s boundaries. All lights will be turned off by 10 p.m. or earlier. See the example images below: 

Q: Why did Bishop Guertin decide to install a turf field, rather than choosing to improve the existing grass fields? 

A: Bishop Guertin chose to install a turf field over improving the existing grass fields because turf fields are safer for athletes and more cost effective to maintain. While grass fields present natural hazards, such as rocks, mud and hard-to-fix-divots that can contribute to athletic injuries, turf’s durability and level playing surface improves athlete safety. Additionally, turf’s quick-drying, water-resistant surface reduces the chance of games being canceled due to the weather. Maintaining a turf field also does not require fertilizer, meaning Bishop Guertin’s maintenance-related emissions will decrease and the risk of introducing harmful chemicals into the ground will be minimized.

Q: Why is the Lund Road Athletic Fields Project needed if Bishop Guertin also plans to develop an athletic complex on Groton Road? 

A: Currently, the majority of Bishop Guertin athletic teams travel off campus to participate in in practices or games. For this reason, both facilities will serve complimentary but distinct purposes. The upgraded athletic fields at Lund Road will provide more options for practices, home games and school-wide events. The Groton Road athletic complex is not designed for spectator events and will be used exclusively for team practices and low-crowd events. 

Q: How long will construction take?

A: Construction associated with the Lund Rd. Athletic Fields Project will take about six to nine months, after the necessary permits have been secured. 

Q: What is the process for permitting? 

A: Bishop Guertin plans to submit an initial site plan application to the City of Nashua’s Planning Board by mid-February 2026. Once the site plan is submitted, the project team will have an opportunity to present to the public, pending the Planning Board’s schedule.  Concurrently, the school will submit an Alteration of Terrain (AOT) permit with the NH Dept. of Environmental Services. This permit regulates stormwater management and erosion control.