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2.02.1-1 STM APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE I NOVEMBER 2021 the Cary Memorial Building. Largely due to the pandemic,a relatively small number of new projects were put forward last spring, leaving a substantial balance of unexpended CPA funds. This fall,the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is proposing two modest supplemental appropriations and one change in scope related to the funding of projects approved in earlier years. Delaying these requests until next year's Annual Town Meeting would potentially increase these projects' costs while leaving the Old Res bathhouse unusable for an entire recreation season. 6(a) Park and Playmund Improvements Sutherland Park An appropriation of$75,000 is requested to install an additional play structure for children ages 5-12 in Sutherland Park,a 20-acre park at the end of Sutherland Road.A four-acre section of the park managed by the Recreation and Community Programs Department features a Little League field, a basketball court, swings, and a playground with equipment for children ages 2-5. At the 2020 Annual Town Meeting, $95,000 was appropriated to rehabilitate the playground's existing equipment. After the new play structure was purchased with those funds, members of the community in- formed Town staff and the Select Board that the new equipment wasn't suitable for children over 5. The CPC has approved a request by the Department of Recreation and Community Programs and the Recreation Committee to fund the purchase of an additional structure suitable for older children. This issue is coming before this Special Town Meeting instead of the next annual town meeting so that the new structure for older children can be installed more quickly. This will help to ensure that both structures will come up for replacement at roughly the same time—minimizing disruption for playground reconstruction in the future. If funds are not allocated at this Special Town Meeting,the Recreation Committee will include this project in its five-year capital planning for a future year,delaying the installation of the equipment and causing the two structures to be out of phase for future replacement. There will be more disruption, expenses, and unhappy children if the playground needs to be closed twice to replace equipment. The proponents expect to engage the neighborhood in planning for the new structure this winter and install the new structure in spring 2022. The expected life cycle for these play structures is 15 years. 6(b)Parker Meadow Accessible Trail Construction Supplemental Funds This is a request for $235,750 to supplement a previous appropriation for construction of the Parker Meadow Accessible Trail. This trail will provide barrier-free access to Parker Meadow, a 17-acre property located near Lexington Center with direct access to the Minuteman Bikeway,via a passive recreational trail system for members of the public with physical, vision and auditory limitations. This is a collaborative project involving private citizens,land stewards,the Conservation Commission,the Recreation Committee, and the Commission on Disability. The funds now requested would be in addition to $585,526 previously appropriated for this project in FY2015 ($34,500,design and engineering)and FY2021 (construction,$551,026).If the supplemental fund- ing is approved,the total funding for this trail will be $786,776. When the trail construction was put out to bid this year,the lowest bid exceeded the construction appropri- ation by more than $205,000. The proponents attribute the increase to increased demand for construction projects and higher costs of construction materials such as lumber for the boardwalk. Construction costs are expected to continue to increase, so further delays could make this project even more expensive. Article 6(c) Old Reservoir Bathhouse Construction This item does not request the appropriation of any new funds. It is on the warrant because the CPC needs Town Meeting approval for a change in construction plans for the Old Reservoir Bathhouse. Town Meeting appropriated$620,000 at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting to repair the Old Reservoir Bath- house, including funding for plumbing repairs, installation of new fixtures and a new roof, and ADA im- provements throughout the bathhouse and site. As with the Parker Meadow Accessible Trail, bids for this 8