Brighton Welcomes New Community Athletics Complex

Daly Field/All photos courtesy of Shawmut Design and Construction

On September 9, the Brighton High School football team will challenge the O’Bryant Tigers in its first home game of the season—and its first in more than 25 years.

That’s thanks to the revamping of Daly Field Athletics Complex, a recreational facility on Nonantum Road. Previously a forgotten space, the park will now include soccer, football, lacrosse, and field hockey turf fields boasting organic infill and an under layer meant to reduce concussions; a softball diamond; six doubles tennis courts; a two-lane walking track; biking and walking trails that link the complex to the Hatch Shell path; and public restrooms.

In a private-public partnership reminiscent of Northeastern’s Carter Playground project, Simmons College oversaw the space’s transition from unusable field to shiny new community resource, collaborating with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and city and community organizations. As such, the complex will be the new home of Simmons’ field hockey, tennis, soccer, lacrosse, and softball teams, in addition to the Brighton Bengals and Allston/Brighton Little League teams.

While those assorted teams will have first access to the space during about a quarter of its operating hours, the public may use Daly during the remaining time. Indeed, officials stress that Daly is meant to serve the entire community.

“Turning an unusable and unsafe field into a state-of-the-art athletic complex for the entire community is exactly the type of innovation that makes Boston shine,” Mayor Marty Walsh said in a statement. “I commend Simmons College…not only for investing in the Boston Public School system and in the health of the people of Boston, but also for giving students in the neighborhoods of Allston and Brighton resources to reach their full potential.”

A grand opening will be held 9/9 at 6 p.m., followed by a ribbon cutting on 9/10 at 10 a.m. Daly Field Athletics Complex, 10 Nonantum Road, Brighton.