ENFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) — The now-vacant MassMutual site in Enfield could become a sports complex. But, the proposal for All Sports Village isn’t sitting well with some residents.

“I never thought this would happen in this town,” said Susan Smith, of Enfield, who has lived in the same house for 50 years.

That home was built on land donated by Agnes Brainerd.

“This is our family history,” Smith said. “It’s a wonderful story.”

Brainerd also gifted the parcel of land to the town that is now known as Brainerd Park. Under the plan for All Sports Village, a portion of the park would be used for fields. The complex would also have indoor and outdoor areas for competition in several sports, a hotel, retail space and family entertainment.

“Most people say, ‘Do your sports park,'” Smith said. “Do it on the MassMutual land. Just leave Brainerd Park alone.”

Signs that read “Preserve Open Space and Save Brainerd Park” sit on Smith’s yard and others in the neighborhood.

“I’m just afraid if they start taking all the woods down, where are all these animals going to go?” said Keith Almeida, of Enfield.

The proposal was addressed during a heated Town Council meeting this week, where the vast majority of residents in attendance voiced concerns about the usage of the park. A few did voice support, including Jeff Rousseau of the Enfield Soccer Association. He said the town doesn’t have enough fields, and the existing ones need significant costly improvements.

“These fields at Brainerd Park will solve our challenging field issues, and it’s all on their dime,” Rousseau said. “Not a penny to the taxpayers or our non-profit.”

On Wednesday, News 8 spoke with Enfield Town Manager Ellen Zoppo-Sassu about the plan. 

“If the town council votes to allow a portion of the park to be used, the development team would enter the land use process and go through a series of permits before the wetlands commission and zoning and planning commission,” Zoppo-Sassu said. 

She said the proposal includes substantial investment into the remaining area of the park.

“There’s the opportunity to get that level of investment at a time when most municipalities would not be able to put that amount of money into a park improvement project,” she said.

Zoppo-Sassu estimates another six months of public hearings and additional land use meetings if the plan does move forward. 

News 8 reached out to the developer, Andrew Borgia, for a comment about these residents’ concerns but has not heard back.