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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-01-21 Recreation Committee Minutes Town of Readingu KEGtiv t Meeting Minutes TONNNJ CLERK Board - committee - commission - Council: 212 i °IAP. -8 RM I I: Otu Recreation Committee Date: 2021-1-21 Time: 4:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Monthly Meeting Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Kate Kaminer (M), Emily Sisson (M), Michael Coltman (M), Mike DiPietro(M), Bob Weiden (M), Rich Hand (M), Katelynn King (A) Members - Not Present: John Parks (M), Gina Nelson (A), Eric Gallen (M), Pat Sheeran (A) Angela Binda (M) Others Present: Genevieve Fiorente - Recreation Administrator and liaison to committee Susan Simeola - Senior Administrative Assistant, Recreation Kevin Bohmiller- Director of Community Services _ Carlo Bacci- Select Board Member and liaison to the Recreation Committee Mark Novak- Activitas Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Genevieve Fiorente, Recreation Administrator Topics of Discussion: K. Kaminer opens up the meeting at 4:36pm. E. Sisson makes a motion to approve the November 18, 2020 meeting minutes as written and presented by G. Fiorente. R. Hand seconds. G. Fiorente states that we need a roll call. K. Kaminer states she will move across the screen and ask if a member is present. All members respond that they are present and also indicate an approval of the minutes. All are in favor. G. Fiorente states that the she was happy with the way the public presentation went. She says that since then Mark has come up with a memo of additional questions and answers received after the presentation. She also says that the Birch Meadow Working Group met again to discuss a path moving forward and recommendations to give to the community. G. Fiorente states that she will present the following power point to the Recreation Committee on behalf of the working group and that R. Hand and M. Novak will comment as well as needed. G. Fiorente gives the power point that states the working group recommendations as follows: o Support the most current Conceptual Design created by Activitas Page 1 1 o Prioritize 2 projects that improve infrastructure and safety that were of the highest priority to our community o Move forward to secure Capital Funding. Current placeholder of $1 million G. Fiorente presents the projects of the central spine walkway and the support structure that includes a restroom and open-air pavilion. She also states that the working group really took community feedback seriously and would like to possibly include options like solar panels and metal roofing. R. Hand adds that these projects are current concepts that the working group best sees fit and there is an understanding that this is part of a larger process. M. Coltman asks where the support structure would be. G. Fiorente points it out on the power point and indicates that it will move over slightly to not disturb the batting cages. M. Novak agrees that it will be moved overly slightly due to public feedback from Reading Little League that that is the best location for multiple leagues to use it. K. King asks how the solar panels will be used. G. Fiorente states that it will be used to light the facility. M. Coltman asks if there will be a grid or a battery operated system. M. Novak answers that there is a possibility for both and that a cost analysis will be done. He states that the solar energy could be used for a heat pump in the restrooms and/or perhaps even help to light the pedestrian walkway. C. Bacci mentions the pictures in the power point and suggests that the fact that these are concepts needs to be made very clear. K. Kaminer asks for clarification on the walkway. G. Fiorente states that it is just the central spine on the project which is a portion of the entire walkway. K. Kaminer asks M. Novak if both of these projects can really be done with the $1 million dollar capital funding. M. Novak says that he believes yes. He states that he ran the numbers again today. He goes into a bit more detail of what it would look like which includes approximately a 18,000 square foot walkway and about 20 pedestrian light poles on that path. He adds that that is a pole about every 60 feet. He discusses the various surfacing of the walkway and states that he has been happy to have Chuck Tirone from conservation to help us all work together more efficiently. He states that he knows that the walkway near Castine will need conservation input and approval down the way and that that particular path can be made permeable. He concludes by stating that he knows these projects can be made with high quality materials and really improve the infrastructure and aesthetics of the complex. E. Sisson states that she thinks this a wonderful start. She adds that she is happy to see something that is actionable come before the committee. M. Novak thanks her and says he is happy that are Flagged as critical projects and are wanted by the community are being prioritized. Page 1 2 M. Coltman states that he got a call from Bill Brown stating that there was an agreement in 2007 made by the High School to not pave imagination station parking lot. M. Novak says that is good to know and he will look into that. He adds that Chuck Tirone was highly in favor of that project since it includes not only a formal parking lot but enhancements to the Wetlands. K. Bohmiller states that he will also follow-up with Bill Brown to see if Bill can provide any more insight or documentation into this. R. Hand says hats off to Mark and Jenna for helping steer the project in the right direction. R. Hand goes on to say that he has been involved for about 15 years and all the surveys over the years have had the same results. He states that he is happy to see the community feedback finally being put forth and is glad that the time was taken to talk with all different groups and stakeholders. He comments that it is great to have this blueprint for overall planning purposes and for possible private donations from the public and organizations moving forward. He states that is it exciting to have this central hub and that we are one step closer to action. K. Kaminer agrees that yes, the findings are well supported and consistent throughout the years. She says she is in favor of the project. B. Weiden makes a motion to accept the recommendations as presented by G. Fiorente on behalf of the Birch Meadow Working Group and to pass on to the Select Board. E. Sisson seconds. Roll call vote occurs. All members in favor. M. Coltman thanks G. Fiorente for her efforts in opening the courts for winter pickleball play as discussed by the committee back in August. He states that since they were opened on December Bth that they have been locked for about 17 days and unlocked for 26. M. Coltman states that there were days that the courts could have been unlocked and they were not. He goes on to say that he thinks the courts should be unlocked at all times. M. Coltman asks G. Fiorente if she thought there were any issues with the process right now. G. Fiorente answers that there is just a lot of pushback when things are not open and that internal staff thought it best to lock the courts when snow and ice are on them. G. Fiorente adds that no one from the public should be cleaning snow off courts. K. Kaminer says that if internal professionals made this decision, she would not go against it. G. Fiorente states that she and her team would like to streamline recreational pickleball play. She says that currently there is a lockbox up there that any member of the public can get the code for if they asked. She goes on to say that there is privately owned equipment in there and that while this was a good solution in the beginning, pickleball is growing larger. She adds that she would like to remove private equipment storage up there and allow members of the community to rent nets at the Town Hall. She says that if members of the public still want to bring their own nets to the courts, they can. M. Coltman says that there is storage around town for other sports. G. Fiorente answers that these are established Reading Organizations, not private citizens. A brief discussion occurs with the committee to discuss better pickleball efforts to become a special interest group or a non-profit organization. G. Fiorente states that Page 1 3 she will bring a plan forward at the next meeting for the committee to view in regard to streamlining pickleball. E. Sisson make a motion to adjourn at 6:03pm. R. Hand seconds. Committee roll call votes. All are in favor. Page 1 4