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Home My WebLink About2022-09-12 Recreation Committee Minutes0� Orp ' RECEIVED Town of Reading TOWN CLERK '• Meeting Minutes R�h:�i�; MA �` Rk ''""°"a� 2023 MAR -6 PM 4:32 Board -committee - Commission - Council: Recreation Committee Date: 2022-09-12 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Monthly Meeting Hybrid Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Michael Coltman (M), Rich Hand (M), Kate Kaminer(M), Angela Binda(M), Eric Gaffen (M), Bob Weiden (M), Chuck Robinson (M) Members - Not Present: Katelynn King (A) Others Present: Genevieve Fiorente - Community Services Director Arielle Carney - Recreation Administrator Carlo Bacci - Select Board Liaison Melissa Pucci - Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Genevieve Fiorente, Community Services Director Topics of Discussion: B. Weiden opens the meeting at 7:02pm M. Coltman makes a motion to approve meeting minutes. C. Robinson seconds. Motion passes 6-0. G. Fiorente gives an update on the portable lights that were placed on multipurpose area at Birch Meadow due to the Stadium Turf being down until September 22nd The topic of temporarily lighting the Memorial Park Pickleball Courts is brought up by M. Coltman. A brief discussion is had. Carlo gives the committee a brief update on what the Symonds Way Committee will be responsible for. He states the following: o Committee will be charged with exploring opportunities that will benefit this town. o Delineated that we can put a structure on that land, recreation space, etc. best use for Reading Residents o Members include Select Board, Rec, Conservation, COA or RECALC, (committee of 7 overall), School Committee, CPDC, etc.) Page I 1 M. Coltman asks how much land is buildable. C. Bacci answers just about under 4 acres E. Gaffen makes a motion to appoint Angela to the Symonds Way Committee. R. Hand seconds the motion. All in favor, motion passes 6-0. M. Coltman gives an update on RECALL committee efforts. He states that an RFP went out through the town to see if there are any vacant buildings any property owners are looking to sell in Town. He goes on to say Walgreens responded to original RFP with willingness to offer a 10 - year lease and that rent was roughly around $18,000/month. G. Fiorente provides an update on the ARPA Funds. Recreation was recommended by the RAAC Committee to receive 1.5 million dollars for the First Phase of the Birch Meadow Master Plan. This phase includes a walking path with low level lighting, a storage pavilion with restrooms and a picnic area, the renovation of the imagination station parking lot and the double -sided lacrosse hit wall. She states that it must still pass Select Board for final award of the funding. G. Fiorente describes that the group selected a design option for the pavilion at Birch Meadow. She states that the building is split into two portions— one side fully dedicated for storage and the other portion is dedicated to restrooms and an open picnic area. A. Binda asks if there could be a bottle filling station at the building. G. Fiorente responds that that is a great idea. G. Fiorente gives an update on the Adaptive Swimming Initiative at the YMCA that was recommended by the RAAC committee to the Select Board to receive funding. She says that the recommendation also came along with the stipulation that the Recreation Committee would provide oversight of the program. E. Gaffen wants a very black and white contract written out with a clear expectation of how the funds are utilized - and agreement that sets strict guidelines with checks and balances. C. Robinson adds that these funds are going towards something that requires sustainability not just one-time programs. A. Binda shares that she has been made aware that people in the community are strongly looking for a wider array of adaptive programming in Reading. She goes on to question whether people will need to be members in order to partake in Adaptive Swimming Lessons or will these programs be free - or open to non-members? She mentions that given that these are town funds the YMCA should adjust their pricing structure accordingly. G. Fiorente informs the committee that the Recreation Division is making Adaptive Programming a high priority within the division. Melissa Pucci gives more information on the funding for the YMCA. She states that she has been a part of the process with the YMCA and a Reading Resident for 27 years. She says that the funding request was for Social programming, Mental Health, and Adaptive Swim. She informs the committee that Communitas Programming has dropped down significantly after COVID and the variety of programs has not resumed. She goes on to say that pre-covid was the last instance a Special Olympia Program has been coordinated by Communitas. M. Pucci also chats about the "LEAP" Program through Communitas that provides social opportunities with small outings to participate in activities like bowling. Page 12 She details that the YMCA ARPA funded programs will be free for Reading Residents and participants will not need to have a membership. She adds that Reading Residents will have first priority in registration. She tells the committee that while sustainability is not a requirement for ARPA funds, the goal is that this helps build the program and creates a foundation that can allow a future partnership to maintain the programs in partnership with Reading Rec, YMCA, and Communitas. Discussion begins on the Memorial Park courts becoming Pickleball only. G. Fiorente shares that Judy Coltman sent in an email that she thinks the court should remain multiuse. M. Coltman states that he agrees. E. Gaffen asks who brought forward this agenda item. C. Bacci answered that it was him. C. Bacci states that he is speaking as a resident and was disappointed when the Recreation Committee decided to not allow for temporary lighting at the Memorial Park Courts. G. Fiorente gives background on the previous discussion where this was proposed. She goes on to say abutters were invited to a Recreation Meeting and cited that portable lights do not align with the deed and indicated that the lights would be a disturbance. She says that the group could have always continued on to the Select Board even with an unfavorable vote from the Recreation Committee. E.Gaffen states that he is supportive of maintaining courts and properties that are multi -use in order to keep up with the ebb and flow of future trends. C. Robinson suggests painting lines on the courts at Bancroft for Pickleball. M. Coltman informs the committee that because those courts are for the High School Team - the Middlesex League does not allow sanctioned courts to have any additional lines painted on the courts. M. Coltman suggests using chalk or painters tape on the court in the Fall on the HS courts outside of tennis season and that markers would be temporary. Recreation committee unanimously agrees to not make Memorial Park tennis courts pickleball only. C. Robinson asks if they could line basketball courts for pickleball. M. Coltman states that the basketball courts are busier than the tennis ones from what he sees in town. M. Coltman states that he would like to add some further pickleball items to the next agenda. G. Fiorente also brings up that there are some policies that need to be looked at for pickleball as it continues to grow and that there have been complaints of people creating multiple accounts to monopolize court time. G. Fiorente states that similar policies had to be put in place with the tennis pass program due to the popularity of the Bancroft Ave Tennis Courts. M. Coltman asks that he be a part of that conversation. A.Binda makes a motion to adjourn at 8:25am. E. Gaffen seconds. All in favor 6-0 Gage 13