2003-12-10 Recreation Committee Minutes

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Town of Reading ~I' c(` 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2685 C, FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075 READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES December 10, 2003 at Coolidge Middle School Multi-Purpose Room Attendance: Bernie Winne, Rec. Committee Chair, Nancy -Linn Swain Rec. Committee Member, Mary Ellen Stolecki, Rec. Committee Member, Rick Shaffer, Rec. Committee Member, Barbara Faso, Rec. Committee Member, Chris Campbell, Associate Member, Mary Ann Kozlowski, School Rep., John Feudo, Recreation Administrator, Guests - Mike Sheedy, RUSC, Peter Grimm., Michelle Acchiuti, Nancy Lelacheur, Jane Hand, Tony Tolla, Charlie Hand, Steve Secher, Joanne Secher, Rob Scholer, David Lautman, Reading Lacrosse, Charles Hardy, Reading Lacrosse, George Hines, Reading Legion Baseball. Meeting Called to order at 7:38 PM. The Committee was asked to review the minutes from the. November 20'' meeting. M. Stolecki made a motion to accept the minutes from November 20th. N. Swain seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of acceptance of the November 20th minutes 5-0-0. Public Hearing: B. Winne introduced the topic of Castine Field and the questions of whether or not to fill it with water it or not. Bernie stated that this issue has come up before this committee a number of times. This year at the request of a few sports organization the Recreation Committee was asked to investigate this issue with the hopes that there could be a few more weeks of playability for Castine to help ease the strain on the rest of the fields. Resident Michelle Acchiuti of 99 John Carver Road stated she felt that neither filling Castine with water or not filling it with water would not make much of a difference as it going to be wet no matter what, that is why they call it "Birch Meadow". Residents Steve Secher, Nancy Lalecher and Jane Hand all expressed that they felt that because that are was a wetland, groups are lucky they are actually able to use it for the weeks that they use. J. Feudo stated that the Recreation Committee had information from both the Director of Public Works and Conservation Committee. Residents felt that Castine skating was one of the few things in town that were still "free". Plenty of kids still grab sticks and skates. Although it is not nearly what it used to be due to lack of maintenance the rink is still used. Charlie Hardy of Reading Lacrosse stated nobody knows the result of not filling Castine Field because it has never been done. Charlie asked "Why not try it for one year and see what happens? If it doesn't work then go back to filling it- no harm done."