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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-11-15-REC-min Town of Lexington Recreation Committee Sandra Shaw, Chairman Tel: (781) 862-0500 x262 Pamela Varrin, Vice Chairman Fax: (781) 863-2350 Frederick DeAngelis Donald A. Chisholm Richard L. Neumeier RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING November 15, 2000 Members Present: Sandra Shaw, Pam Varrin, Don Chisholm, Dick Neumeier Staff Present: Karen Simmons, Matt Casparius Others Present: Dick Lakutis Shirley Stoltz, Narain Bhatia, and Tom Griffiths of the Capital Expenditures Committee Sheldon Spector from the Appropriations Committee AGENDA: 1. Dick Lakutis, Pine Meadows project update At the October meeting, the Committee requested that Dick Lakutis provide us with an update on the Pine Meadows project and answer some questions that the committee had regarding the project. Dick presented a revised layout map of the parking lot, driveway, and maintenance shed to the committee. The existing road leading into the golf course is approximately 12 feet wide. The plan is to increase the width of the road to 22 feet, which is the width of a standard two-lane road. Don Chisholm questioned why we needed to increase the width of the road in the first place. One problem with the current width is that because it is precariously dangerous for cars to pass each other on the road, cars must go on the shoulder to pass. On a busy day when the lot is full, cars start parking 150 to 200 feet up on both sides of the road. The repeated parking on the edges of the road is creating serious erosion problems. Every year New England Golf tries to patch the eroded area, but one good rainstorm can wash it all away. Part of the new plan calls for installing curbing on both sides of the driveway to prevent people from parking there and further destroying it. The driveway is scheduled to be completed in FY02 with the parking lot and maintenance shed scheduled for FY03. The current parking lot holds approximately 48 vehicles whereas the new plan will provide 74 spaces. While the driveway is being done, the DPW Tree Crew can begin 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 2 working on site prep for the location of the new maintenance shed that will be placed in the woods between the first fairway and the third fairway. The shed will be 48 x 84 feet and will also include an 8-foot high fenced-in area of 150 x 160 feet for storage of equipment. 2. The meeting minutes from October 18, 2000 were approved. 3. Capital Expenditures Committee Karen Simmons presented an update of capital projects to members of both the Recreation and Capital Expenditures Committees. Article 22 of 1999 - Pine Meadows Improvements The irrigation system for holes 1 - 5 was started the week of November 6, 2000. Article 30 of 1999 - Recreation Field Development This project has been put on hold because we are currently waiting for the School Committee to determine the exact location of the new school at Harrington before proceeding any further with this project. Article 8i of 2000 - Sutherland Park All of the old playground equipment has been removed for safety reasons. The new structure is in the process of being installed and should be finished shortly. The only part of the project that will have to wait will be the accessible pathway, which will be completed in the spring. Article 11 of 2000 - Pool Improvements The new pool covers are in and installed. The filter septa have been returned. Other work will be completed over the winter. Article 12 of 2000 - Old Res ADA accessibility The decking to provide accessibility for the Res has been designed and ordered and will be installed in the spring. Article 31 of 99 - Athletic Facility Improvements Geller Sport, a landscape architecture firm that specializes in athletic facilities, was interviewed and was highly recommended for hire. We are currently waiting for the contract to be signed by the Town Manager. The Capital Expenditures Committee had a few clarification questions regarding Pine Meadows and Playground Improvements at Lincoln Park. At Pine Meadows, there was a 1994 master plan that included solving the issues of the road, parking lot and maintenance shed. The projected total cost of this project is $530,000. Due to the high cost of solving these issues, the Recreation Committee has requested that this project be broken down over a two-year period for completion. Phase I would include rebuilding the road, which is currently very dangerous and deteriorating rapidly. The cost of Phase I is $230,000. Phase II would be completed during FY’03 and would include building a new maintenance 3 building in the woods between the first and third fairways, and revamping the parking lot to allow for more spaces. The request for $50,000 out of the tax levy for playground improvements to Lincoln Park is to create an ADA accessible playground suitable for children ages 2 - 12. Dick Neumeier wanted to point out to the Capital Expenditures Committee that there hasn’t been a time in recent history when Town Meeting has approved tax levy funds for playgrounds, which prior to 1990 was common practice. The request is being made because playgrounds are a non-revenue generating item and the committee feels that funds for non-revenue generating items should come from the taxpayers. Karen also wanted to inform the Capital Expenditures Committee about the current problems with the retaining wall on the ninth hole at Pine Meadows. At the moment this is scheduled for FY’04 as a placeholder. With the FY’04 placeholder the cost of the project is listed at $400,000, although at this point we do not know what the actual cost will be. The initial problem is the result of a sinkhole on the cart path between the ninth tee and the ninth green. Originally it was thought that the water was simply leaking from the side of the culvert. However, once the area was dug up, it was discovered that the water was actually leaking from a different spot. As a temporary fix DPW installed a pipe into the ground to divert the water back into the culvert. An engineering firm has been hired to study the stability of the wall. At this point we are waiting for the final results from the study. If it comes back that the wall is in critical condition and an immediate safety hazard, then it will be moved up to this year’s requests and everything else will move back one year. However, if it can wait a year or two before it has to be done, then that will be the case. 4. Recreation Report Morris Street - Marvin Park Karen has been speaking with the Planning Department about the development scheduled to be built adjacent to Marvin Park. With the maps of the area that she has seen, Karen is not clear on some of the issues. The builder, Steve Hamilton, claims that the fence and the entrance gate at the park are on his land and need to be moved. The entrance to the park is listed as an “unaccepted way” for 300 feet, and Hamilton wants the gate to be moved so that he can build his driveway into the lot. Karen feels that in order to build his driveway the builder will have to add fill material to the slope to get the width that he needs. Some of the questions that still need to be answered are exactly how far the road will come in, and how the fill materials would drain onto the field where there are already drainage problems. Karen and Dave Pinsonneault want to meet with Steve Hamilton to discuss some of these issues. Gerry Moloney of Halyard Builders was going to address the drainage issues, but he won’t be doing anything to the park for 3 or 4 years, so Karen wants Steve Hamilton to address the drainage. The builder wants to have three parking spaces by the current parking spot, but both the Recreation Committee and the neighbors want to leave it as one spot. If so, then where would we want him to relocate our handicapped spot? Pam feels that to leave the handicapped spot where it is would be a contradiction in terms since the parking spot would no longer be next to the entrance to the park. She questioned whether or not the spot could be moved up to the new gate location. Karen said she would go to the site with Dave Pinsonneault to look at it. She has 4 also requested that Maryann McCall-Taylor of the Planning Department seek Dave’s approval on all work affecting the park. 5. Skatepark Update Karen and Matt Casparius have some real concerns with the skatepark. When inspecting the fill material that has been placed on the site, they found a large number of rocks in the soil. These rocks cannot be “road quality grade” as specified, but when Matt spoke with the Skatepark Committee, they claimed that Peter Chalpin had signed off on the current work as being okay. Karen is concerned that these rocks are going to create major maintenance issues a few years down the road, which we will then be responsible for addressing. When Matt called Bob McConnell regarding the progress of the skatepark, Bob said that the prices for concrete came in much higher than expected and the committee does not have the funds to pour the concrete at this point. The Skatepark Committee will be meeting next week to discuss whether or not they should switch from concrete to asphalt, which is cheaper. If so, Karen noted that they would be required to present a new plan to the Town in case any structural changes will be required. Before anything is poured they should also have a compaction test done and tell us what the fill material is, as well as the depth of the material and the sub-base. The company that did the fill should be able to do this. 6. Public/Private Partnerships Karen urged the Recreation Committee to adopt a policy with all outside groups that they must have a full project plan, including how they expect to raise the money for any projects. In additional, no project should begin until the full amount of money is raised. The skatepark project hasn’t been the only occasion when we’ve been presented with challenges and obstacles when outside groups have wanted to complete a special project. There have been several outside groups that have done private fundraising for recreation facilities including irrigation systems and ballfield lights. The Recreation Committee should be setting the standards, thus insuring that the necessary Town processes are followed when completing the project. With the irrigation systems, no rain sensors were installed so the sprinklers go on no matter what the conditions. There is also the problem of determining who will pay the water bills. Currently Parks and Recreation are still trying to deal with a large water bill for Adams. The irrigation system was installed in 1997 and the first bill for over $8500.00 was received in July of 2000. The Recreation Committee feels that LYS is responsible for payment because they installed the irrigation. The President of LYS, John Breen, will take it back to his board to see if they will pay for the water this time only. Karen feels that this is a field maintenance issue, but she will work with Dave on the Adams situation, and then will turn the field watering back to the Parks Division to deal with. Dick Neumeier feels that there are questions from the public about what the field user fees cover because most of the user groups assume that the fees should cover things like the watering. Karen said that the user fees that groups pay to use the fields cover playgrounds and ball fields, and in particular swings, pitching rubbers, field liner, basketball court maintenance, portable 5 toilets, signs, playground restrooms, water, electricity, playground maintenance, and part of the salary for administrative services, etc. The user fees are not meant to cover field maintenance. The meeting was adjourned 9:45 p.m. NEXT MEETING DECEMBER 20, 2000 7:30 P.M. ROOM G - 15