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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-17 Recreation Committee MinutesTown of Reading ' e Meeting Minutes Board - Committee - Commission - Council: ��k 1 A. Recreation Committee OC 6:30 PM H O/ Date: 2023-07-17 Time: Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Purpose: General Monthly Meeting Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Michael Coltman (M), Bob Weiden (M), Melissa Pucci (M), Angela Binda(M), Chuck Robinson (M), Kate Kaminer (M), Eric Gaffen (M), Kevin Leete (A), Eric Boemer (A) Members - Not Present: Rich Hand (M) Others Present: Jim Sullivan - Recreation Adminsitrator Genevieve Florente - Community Services Director Claire Newman - 9 Harvard Street, Reading, MA Barbara Kelly - 97 Highland Street, Reading, MA lack Drinkwater - 382 South Street, Reading, MA Nancy Puleo - 86 Bancroft Avenue, Reading, MA Barbara Sinisgalll - 52 Haystack Rd, Reading, MA Bob Cameron - 11 Whitehall Lane, Reading, MA Phil Logsdon - 15 Francis Drive, Reading, MA Janet Dee - 24 Linnea Lane, Reading, MA Judy Coltman - 18 Milton Road, Reading, MA Patty McGoldrick - 60 Hanscom Avenue, Reading, MA Kristin Bond - 144 Prospect Street, Reading, MA Joe McHugh - 28 Middlesex Avenue, Reading, MA Deb McHugh - 28 Middlesex Avenue, Reading, MA Karen Janowski - 30 Azalea Circle, Reading, MA Eileen Manning - 78 Riverside Drive, Reading, MA Bob Manning - 78 Riverside Drive, Reading, MA Liz Oehmen - 34 Oak Ridge Road, Reading, MA Chris Oehmen - 34 Oak Ridge Road, Reading, MA Pam McMahon - 289 Franklin Street, Reading, MA Mark Zarrow - 34 Boswell Road, Reading, MA Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Genevieve Florente, Community Services Director Topics of Discussion: AGENDA • 6:30pm — 6:35pm Discussion/Approval of Meeting Minutes • 6:35pm — 6:50pm Vote on new Chair and Vice Chair of Recreation Committee • 6:50pm-6:55pm Public Comment Page I 1 • 6:55pm — 7:10pm Reading Youth Football Presentation on Donation of Portable Lights at Birch Meadow • 7:10pm — 7:20pm Committee discussion and recommendation to Select Board on Reading Youth Football Portable Lights at Birch Meadow • 7:20pm-7:45pm Continued Discussion and recommendations on Pickleball Play at Memorial Park • 7:45pm — 7:55pm Select Board liaison Report • 7:55 pm-8:05pm SWEC liaison Report • 8:05pm-8:10pm Recreation Administrator Report E. Gaffen calls the meeting to order at 6:34pm and states that the chair, Bob Weiden, will be arriving shortly. E. Gaffen asks if there is any public comment on portable lights. Hearing none, E. Gaffen states how the structure of the meeting will go. M. Coltman makes a motion to approve the meeting meetings. C. Robinson seconds. A. Binda asks for Jim Sullivan to be added as an attendee. Motion to approve minutes passes 6-0. G. Fiorente leads the discussion for Chair of committee. M. Coltman and E. Gaffen both express interest in being Chair or Vice -Chair. K. Kaminer states that historically the Vice -Chair has taken the Chair position. A. Binda says she is interested in being Vice -Chair. M. Pucci nominates E. Gaffen to be Chair of the Recreation Committee. C. Robinson seconds. Motion passes. E. Gaffen takes over discussion for Vice -Chair nomination of the Recreation Committee. K. Kaminer nominates A. Binda for Vice -Chair of the Recreation Committee. C. Robinson seconds. Motion passes. E. Gaffen opens public comment for the pickleball open play K. Janowski asks if there is a way to expand or create new courts at the High School. She states that she wants to get better at pickleball and it is challenging to book a court if you are under a 3 level. K. Kaminer asks how the system works J. Sullivan states that play local is used for reservations for courts in town and opens up at 6am two weeks in advance for sign-ups. He goes on to say that there is another app not affiliated with the town called playtime scheduler. He explains that players book the courts on playlocal then use this app to invite other players. He states that there is an option to make it invite only or open. K. Leete asks if the person who books the court has to be there. J. Sullivan answers yes. K. Leete states that it is unfair that courts are being booked and the person is not there who booked it. Page 1 2 M. Coltman states that whoever logs on at 6:00am on playlocal and reserves the court, gets the opportunity and that is not exclusive. J. Sullivan says there have been times where the same people book multiple courts by creating different accounts and there have also been instances where someone books a full court for tennis and uses the two pickleball courts instead of a half court like they are supposed to. Janet Dee states that there is no monopoly and that the problem is that there are not enough courts. She mentions exploring a better server should be an option. J. Sullivan states that it is a monopoly if the same people are on getting the space and there needs to be some equity for all levels. G. Fiorente agrees and states that she does not believe the server is the issue. Tina Brazinski says that she plays all over the state and has figured out all the systems in place. She adds that there is a need for more facilities. Brief discussion occurs and E. Gaffen clarifies playtime scheduler vs. playlocal. E. Manning states that she is an advocate for giving all groups the opportunity and appreciates that other people are booking and sharing the courts. She says that she thinks it would be a good idea to have some open play and some reserved play. B. Sinisgalli says this is her second meeting with Recreation Committee. She suggests open play with skill level based. She states that pickleball is a great way to socialize and she has made so many friends by the playing the sport. She adds that it is unfortunate that it has become polarized. C. Newman states that playing pickleball is like a part-time job. She says how it is difficult to book a court and it has been taking the joy out of it. She goes on to say how they have a pass in Woburn where you can play from 8am-lpm and it is refreshing. She says that she has given up playing in Reading. J. Coltman says that there are not enough courts and a spot for more courts needs to be indentified. C. Newman says that there could be more playtime without playlocal or playtime scheduler involved. N. Pulio says she agrees with open play but it needs to be by skill level. Public comment ends and J. Sullivan says he is an open book and welcomes anyone from the community to call him anytime to discuss. J. Sullivan states that he has reached out to Wakefield, Burlington and Woburn so far and offers the following potential solutions for pickleball play moving forward: Page 1 3 • Open play on two courts, two- courts still being able to be reserved on play local • Open play completely • Keep as is with restrictions like cutting back hours for play to 1 hour for singles and 1.5 for doubles • Not allowing non-residents to book at all J. Sullivan adds that he hears and sees issues with Invite only groups and there needs to be clear policies and procedures when a new process is put in place. He also mentions that in speaking with a consultant group who is currently helping with the Master Plan, they suggested shutting down all courts in the winter to give them rest. Brief Discussion ensues with the committee and following comments are made: • E. Boemer states to explore options other than playlocal • K. Leete states he is in favor of open play for all levels on a first come, first serve basis • M. Pucci suggests that there be an accessible way for all people to get court time that do not have access to technology. • K. Kaminer states she supports the open play concept according to relative skill levels. • E. Gaffen suggests piloting certain aspects of the plan • A. Binda states that a combination of open play and schedule play gives more of an opportunity. She cites an example of museum passes and how there is a limit to how many people can use them in a week. She adds that limiting the amount of times someone can book in a week could be a good strategy. C. Bacci states that he is speaking as a resident and wouldn't want to be in Jim's position right now. He says that he started playing about a year ago and once you start practicing, you get better and better and soon play at a competitive level. He mentions that the elite players are taking over the courts in Burlington and if beginners are there, you do not want to go again. He adds that he has made many friends playing the sport and there is a supply and demand issue. C. Robinson agrees that there is a supply and demand issue and mentions Symonds Way. He goes on to say that the town needs to exhaust possible locations in town. G. Fiorente states that possibilities have been exhausted and agrees Symonds Way seems to be the best option. She explains how she has presented to the Select Board on potential locations and the Recreation Committee has already brought in abutters to discuss possible courts or multi -use courts in their neighborhood. She adds that neighbors do not want courts near their homes because of the noise. She also states that in her opinion putting courts by a school also isn't the best idea given the noise complaints. She points out that noise complaints are a problem all over the country. A brief report on the Symonds Way Committee is given by A. Binda which includes the RFI. A short discussion takes place. B. Weiden gives a brief presentation on how Reading Youth Football would like to put up portable lights at the Birch Meadow multi use field. He states that this has done before in prior years and that the lack of field space and losing daylight puts a strain on their practicing abilities. Page 14 E. Gaffen asks if there will be opportunities for other sports to use the temporary lights. B. Weiden says that is a possibility. C. Robinson asks if there is a procedure or letters to be sent out to the abutters. J. Sullivan answers that letters were sent out to the abutters about this presentation. M. Coltman makes a motion to accept the portable lights to be shut off at 10:00pm at Birch Meadow multi -use field. C. Robinson seconds. Motion passes 6-0-1. B. Weiden recuses himself. J. Sullivan updates the committee on the following: • Hiring of new full-time Recreation Coordinator • Gives an update on all of the summer activities • Installation of the Shed during Birch Meadow Construction • Small fence repairs made at the hit wall entrance • DPW being helpful during a very rainy season • Change in policy to ADA compliant portable toilets for any organization applying for a permit through the Board of Health E. Gaffen thanks B. Weiden for his last year as the chair and welcomes K. Leete and E. Boemer to the Recreation Committee. K. Leete and E. Boemer make short introductions. M. Coltman makes a motion to adjourn at 8:15pm. B. Weiden seconds. All in favor 6-0. Page 1 5