West Milford It certainly hit some bumps in the ro ad but the new turf field at West Milford High School is officially open. The grand opening ceremony was held last Thursday night, with the town council and many board of education members in attendance. It was a collaborative effort on the parts of these two governing bodies that brought the artificial turf field to the township. In her address to the approximately 75 people in attendance, Mayor Bettina Bieri commented on what can be accomplished when people in the township work together. “It has been a long road to this point, but one that has made evident what can be accomplished with cooperative efforts and hard work by all those involved,” said Bieri. The field was provided by the owners of property known as Random Woods. As a gift to the township for buying the nearly 100-acre property, the owners donated the field. However because of the Highlands Act restrictions, the field could not be built on the Random Woods property itself, so the township went to the school district. The new field was built on the old McCormack Field. Now, the field can be used by many groups for various sports, including soccer, football and lacrosse. The school district and township will share the maintenance, which the manufacturer says is minimal compared to a natural grass field, as well as use of the field. The Highlander Band performed at the ceremony, giving it a festive air. Bieri thanked all who contributed to the project, including the township’s professionals, members of the council and the school board. “I am thankful that I have been privy to and a part of the hard work of all those involved,” she said. “I would like to thank the board of education and the township council. They brainstormed on this issue time and time again. We banded together and came back to the drawing board until this goal was achieved and our residents have today a recreation facility that will serve us for years to come.”