Bromfield senior Liz Lee carries a hurdle out of the basement storage area of the field house she is building with the help of the community. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

The concrete bunker next to McCurdy Track is finally getting a facelift. Currently covered with a blue tarp and plywood, it will soon fulfill its original purpose as foundation for a field house.

The town agreed to build the structure in 2005, providing $5,000 for cellar walls and a wooden floor. A tarp stretched across the floor forms a temporary roof, allowing storage underneath for athletic equipment. Other than that, it’s been merely a curiosity for runners on the track and kids at the nearby playground.

But now, Bromfield student Liz Lee is determined to finish the building. As her senior service project, Liz is coordinating the planning, funding, and construction of the new Harvard Park field house.

“The temporary roof is becoming less weatherproof as the days go by,” says Liz. So the immediate need is to frame the top floor and install a roof. A $5,000 grant from the Harvard Athletic Association was sufficient to purchase the materials needed, and construction is planned for the weekend of May 3.

Liz’s father, Jim Lee, who also designed the structure, is using their garage to construct the walls. The actual structure is 22 by 24 feet, so he’s forced to create small modular sections. He’ll trailer them to the site for final assembly when the time comes.

Liz is also being assisted by Bromfield Athletic Director Pam Alexander, Harvard Soccer Club’s Dennis Bradley, and Harvard Parks and Recreation Chairman Jim Lee, who is also her advisor on the project. The four of them have been meeting regularly for more than a year.

“Talking about this has been easy,” Liz said. “The challenge is getting it physically built.”

She’s found that talking to people and raising money takes a lot of her time.

“Other activities, like school and track, don’t wait for that kind of thing.”

She’s also learned how reality can rain on your parade. “Coming up with something that was practical and fit what everyone wanted was kind of tough,” Liz said. “When we were brainstorming, we talked about putting in heat, and water for hotdogs.”

But to fit within budget, the four of them had to make tough decisions. “On some things we had to admit, ‘this isn’t really important; it can go.’”

The project vision is now realistic in terms of time and money.

“The top part can be a team room with changing area, or a place where people at a track meet can take shelter from thunderstorms,” Liz explains. “Eventually it can be a place for selling concessions.” The downstairs will continue as storage for nets, hurdles, and mats, but two large doors will be added for easier access. These things were previously stored in a neighbor’s barn. “It was nice of them to let us use it,” Liz said. “But that just wasn’t very convenient.”

Still remaining on the project is the installation of windows, doors, siding, and drywall, which is projected to cost an additional $13,000. That’s where the majority of Liz’s current effort goes—finding donations.

As a member of the track team and third-generation Harvard resident, Liz is well-known in town. So people are receptive when she talks about the project. She brought a poster with the plans to the last Town Meeting. “We got roughly $750 that was given directly to me in the form of checks,” she said.

She also handed out flyers and a letter that told people where they could send money. Liz even got the Lions Club interested. “They plan to talk about donating money, and maybe labor as well, at their next meeting,” she said.

Although she’s spent a lot more time than the required 40 hours, Liz remains enthusiastic and plans to continue working on this project after graduation.

“It’s been great to see that, once I put in the work, people are actually interested in what I’m doing,” Liz said. “And it’s great that I can actually help to make something worthwhile happen.”

That’s not something every teenager can say.

Anyone interested in helping to support this project can send donations to HAA (field house fund), PO Box 147 Harvard, MA 01451. Or to help with construction, call Liz Lee at 978-456-2359 or Jim Lee at 978-456-3122.