Workers started laying down long rolls of green turf at the beginning of last week, according to Department of Public Works Director Peter Buttkus. He said the turf installation would likely be finished by the end of this week, leaving only the exterior work, such as resurfacing the track and installing a long jump area for track and field events.

Buttkus said the turf installation is only the most noticeable aspect of the project –– the real work has been done under the surface, with a new drainage system. He said the old field drained so poorly that it was difficult to keep the field open, limiting the field’s use.

“It was probably the wettest field we had in the inventory,” he said. “There was extensive drainage work done under that field ... that was one of the reasons they went with the artificial field.”

He said under the field lies layers of pipe, as well as different types and densities of stone.

“It really is quite a system,” he said.

Buttkus said even with all the recent rain, the project is still on target for completion for the start of the sports season in September.

Fundraising for the turf field started several years ago but was hindered by several things, including slower than anticipated fundraising and a legal challenge when a state court ruled Community Preservation Act funds couldn’t be used to improve existing parks or fields.

Eventually, however, the PRIDE group that was leading the fundraising charge presented the School Committee with a check for $850,000. That, plus $400,000 from Duxbury’s Community Preservation Fund got the project going. The group is still hoping to raise an additional $200,000 for lights on the field.