The Cubs Outdoor campaign, organized by a group of residents, has created a petition opposing Phase 1 of the district facilities plan by advocating for retention of the Cassingham playfield.
Superintendent Jason Fine said Phase 1 addresses aging buildings, congested spaces and outdated learning environments.
Phase 1 includes building a new middle school on the current softball field, which
would remove open green space surrounding the Cassingham playground.
The plan also includes the addition of turf fields to both Montrose and Maryland Elementary, which has resulted in an additional petition.
Bexley resident Rachel Hampton said she thinks the plan for the Cassingham Complex is a mistake.
“Regardless of how it is presented, Phase 1 results in the net loss of vital green space, which is unacceptable,” she said. “If you take away the one green space in Central Bexley, you lose a lot of community.”
Fine explained the district will open the Carlton Smith Field to elementary students to combat this.
“During the school day, Cassingham students will have access to the varsity field, giving them approximately 31,000 additional square feet of usable green space compared to today,” he said.
Hampton said she is not against building a new middle school but thinks the district should pursue other options to avoid losing the playfield.
Fine explained remodeling and adding space at the Cassingham Complex was considered but deemed unreasonable because it could take upwards of six years.
“Our students’ entire high school experience could have been lived in a construction zone,” he said. “That is not a scenario that our community, nor our administrators or Board members want for our students.”
Bexley resident and graduate Todd Worly said sports being shifted to off-site locations will negatively affect players’ and coaches’ time, energy and safety.
“They will lose up to 15 minutes on the front end and up to 15 minutes on the back end, which is going to affect their on-field performance, their conditioning and their safety,” he said. “That leads to athletes having a half hour less to eat dinner, to do homework and get sleep.”
Worly added he believes there are other options to preserve the green space such as building over the blacktop or parking lot, sending sixth graders back to the elementary schools or building an addition on the front of the school.
Bexley resident Abigail Lowther said she is concerned about replacing the grass since most turf contains PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which create pollution.
“We know there’s PFAS in the turf, and we know PFAS cause health problems,” she said.
Fine explained he has personally reviewed research, consulted with professionals and spoken to colleagues in other districts to ensure the safety of turf.
“Turf is widely used in millions of parks, schools, and play spaces nationwide and is considered safe for student use,” he said. “Further, no major public health organizations have advised against the use of modern turf systems in school settings.”
Lowther said in consulting with athletic field experts, she found it would be cheaper to tend the grass rather than replace it with turf.
Fine explained no natural grass can withstand the demand of heavy, year-round use without constant closure and maintenance.
“One knowledgeable and experienced local turf / grass expert whom we consulted with was very candid in telling us that no natural grass system could withstand that level of use without being closed down for days or weeks at a time to allow for grass ‘recovery,’” he said.
Lowther said she understands there are space issues but hopes an agreement is reached before any permanent action is taken.
Fine said he acknowledges the concerns of both petitions, but building the new middle school is necessary to address serious facility issues.
“The plan is designed to protect and improve student access to outdoor play, and the final building footprint will be shaped with community input after voters give direction,” he said.
Middle school Spanish teacher Maria Zeman said she is part of the district’s Facilities Committee, a group of parents, teachers and administrators established in 2024.
She explained the committee went through several rounds of preliminary voting before making an official recommendation of action to the Superintendent and determined the most pressing issue is the middle school’s lack of space.
“I can tell you, anybody in middle school will tell you, it’s urgent,” Zeman said. “It’s not something that can get better. We’re making it work, but it’s not as good as it could be.”
Zeman explained hallways are crowded and difficult to navigate, teachers are forced to use mobile carts instead of classrooms and many areas are without natural light.
Fine said expanding the middle school is the easiest way to address limited space, and delaying action will only lead to higher costs later on because old buildings require constant maintenance.
“We are landlocked,” he said. “Our campus footprint is tight, and our land resources are limited. Providing proper, modern learning environments for Bexley students now and in the future means acknowledging and accepting that some existing green space needs to be repurposed or reduced as part of this work.”
The Facilities Committee acknowledged the Cubs Outdoor petition, but their priority is education, Zeman said.
“The fact is that this is a school district and our priority has to be student learning and well-being,” she said. “We are a top school in the state, and we want to continue providing all the best educational opportunities to the kids.”
Published and digitized March 2026.
