HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-12-11 ad Hoc Sturges Park Master Plan Advisory Committee MinutesFAX: (781) 942 - 5441
Town of Reading
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867 -2685
RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075
Ad Hoc STURGES PARK MASTER PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES
December 11, 2012 — JOSHUA EATON CAFETORIUM
JOINT MEETING: THE RECREATION COMMITTEE AND STURGES PARK MASTER PLAN
COMMITTEE (WITH FORMAL INVITATION MAILED TO ABUTTERS)
Committee Attendance: J. Feudo (Staff Liaison), L. McGonagle, V. Sachetta, F. Driscoll,
G. Katsoufis, J. Jadul, G. Juffre, L. Egan
Also Attending: D. Walsh, J. Bonazolli
• 7:06pm, J. Feudo welcome
• Eric Hughes, Reading Recreation, opens meeting
• Introduction of Recreation committee members
• Introduction of Sturges Park Planning Committee members
• J. Feudo provided an overview of the project
— Concept plan, draft design, looking for community feedback
— Improvements will happen according to Town approval, funds, etc.
— Playground already in capital plan ... to be done in 2013
— 60+ survey respondents
— Get skating area to be dual purpose Q. Feudo, G. Katsoufis, D. Walsh)
• Fill in rectangle (2:1 replacement for wetlands removal)
• Add extra parking — — approximately 10 -20 spaces.
• Basketball and tennis court updates and access improvement
o Fields
• Walking trails
• Playground is currently 6 feet from street ... to be moved in, fenced, benches, tables
• D. Walsh: Park has good bones.
— Raise wet area of hockey area, and move wetlands to another part of park
— Improve overall use of park
• J. Feudo: upgrade lighting, get rid of wires, add benches, ...
• L. McGonagle orchestrated feedback session for public input from Recreation Committee and
residents
— Brad (Walnut Street neighbor): Who will be responsible for maintaining the park?
• Confirmed that the DPW would continue to maintain the park. Discussion of
overgrown walking trail, creek full of debris, thoughts of creating projects for Eagle
Scouts (e.g. clean-up; build bridges).
• Brad asked how moving the wetlands would affect the water table. G. Katsoufis
answered that the 2:1 ratio would create even more water retention with no adverse
effects to the water table. More water would be stored.
— Nancy Swain: What are the boundaries? J. Feudo showed with pointer on map.
— Cheryl Mooney: Lives across from playground: Concerned about noise from additional field
(hockey area) and additional parking.
o Explained that the field was not regulation size, and wouldn't draw additional traffic.
Players are young, with no older youth sports. Since playground will be pushed in, so
will the parking spaces. Should not negatively impact the area.
— Demetria Tseckae (Oak Street): Expressed interest in wetland movement, plans to garden,
recognizes it as a vibrant part of the park. Current state is nasty.
— Mike DiPietro: Interested in survey results and top -line viewpoint from neighbors: Skating
areas, standing water, mosquitos, etc.
— Brad: Asked if there would still be two separate skating areas.
• Yes, hockey and free skate.
• G. Katsoufis clarified: Likely that one of the two triangles will be lost to wetlands (and
not dedicated to freestyle skating). The other will be fully functional. Suggestions
welcome as to which triangle should be lost.
— Mary Ellen Stolecki: Concern regarding dog feces throughout the year. J. Feudo answered
that it's not Sturges- centric, but community-wide.
— G. Katsoufis: Discussion of creating an Awareness Trail — add signs to raise awareness of
environment, and heighten conscientiousness of caring for the surroundings.
— Resident: How will park be paid for?
o Town allocated $45K for playground portion. Need to fund raise. Looked into
corporate sponsors? In Memory Of benches. Current committee isn't in charge of
fundraising. That will be another committee. Monies can come from a variety of
places
— J. Feudo: James Bonazoli introduction. Master plan has to be approved by the Board of
Selectmen. This is park #6. Leverage for capital, plus go to state and federal. BOS has a
donor list, and point toward town's projects
— Cheryl Mooney: Likes the idea of the walking trail — small project that doesn't cost a lot of
money
— Resident: Playground to have same surface as Joshua Eaton? To be evaluated.
— Casey Prescott (Pine Ridge Road): Why downsize the basketball court?
o Current one is oversized. Proposed court will still have two hoops, similar in size to
Memorial Park.
— Adam Chase: How many tennis courts?
o One. New tennis court cost is —$50K
— J. Feudo: Timeline discussion: Money approved for playground. Equipment still needs to
be selected. Playground should be installed in Spring 2013. Hard to predict timing of the
rest of the project. A lot of determining factors.
— G. Katsoufis: Asking for public input on priorities of upcoming phases, e.g.:
• Hockey /wetland areas, drainage improvements
• Trail
• Re -do courts and parking
— Rich A.: What determines wetlands, since some areas weren't wetlands when he moved to
the neighborhood 20 years ago.
o Explanation of laws surrounding wetlands.
— Resident: Curious how expensive it would be to maintain the skating areas.
o DPW takes care of this
— Nancy Swain: Concern for spending time clearing the trail area, then have it get overgrown
in a year or two. How can this be avoided.
o J. Bonazoli: Trails committee (girl scouts and other groups) eager to maintain trails.
Very interested in people taking advantage of natural areas in town, especially since
there aren't too many in this section of Reading.
— Nancy Swain: Worked on Washington Park improvements. Suggestion to organize abutters
for neighborhood clean-up. Annual cookout?
— Brad: What's the location of the bridge near Walnut/South
o Location to be determined. Purpose is to be able to cross the stream. Location on plan
is for concept only.
— J. Feudo: Thoughts of using reclaimed asphalt for walking trail.
— J. Bonazoli: Current committee in existence until February 28.
— J. Feudo: Order playground in March?
• L. McGonagle thanked the group for coming.
• F. Driscoll made a motion to adjourn. Second. All in favor.
• Meeting adjourned by L. McGonagle, at 8:05pm.
Respectfully submitted by.
John Feudo, Recreation Administmt
Valerie A. Sache[ta, Ad Hoc Stur Pazk ast Planning Committee Member