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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-12-17-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 December 17, 2002 Members Present: Sandra Shaw, Don Chisholm, Pam Varrin, Rick DeAngelis, and Dick Neumeier Staff Present: Karen Simmons, Sheila Butts, and Dave Pinsonneault Conservation Commission: Joyce Miller, David Langseth, Lisa Baci, Duke Bitsko, Phil Hamilton and Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator Others Present: Semoon Oh, Lynne Wilson, David Williams, Charles Hornig, Jim Williams, Jean Williams, Denise Dube, John Rosenberg, Gary Dickerman, Wilma Dickerman, William Erickson, Nell Walker, Rod McNeil, David Kaufman, Shirley Stoltz, Michael Schroeder, Ed Wiederhold, Meg Patterson, Brian Cipriano, Timothy Carruthers, Jason Miller, Georgia Glick, Bob Atchinson, John Frey, John Breen, Greg Sheehan, Hugh McLaughlin, John Bartenstein, Alan Levine, Patrick Maguire, Keith Johnson, Jim DeVellis, Heather Scranton AGENDA: Meeting Minutes 1. Don Chisholm made a motion to accept the Recreation Committee minutes of October 16, 2002 and November 20, 2002. Dick Neumeier seconded the motion. The minutes were accepted 4 – 0 Skateboard/ Inline Skate Park Update 2. There were no representative present from the Lexington Skatepark Committee. Sheila Butts updated the Recreation Committee members on the status of the proposed “street course”. The Recreation Department received quotes from seven vendors. Dave Pinsonneault, Karen Simmons, Sheila Butts and Skatepark Committee representatives Bob McConnell and Olga Guttag reviewed the quotes. After this review and a check of vendor references, the recommendation was made to award the contract to Tom Noble, SPC Skateparks. Sheila Butts has contacted Tom Noble and a copy of the approved purchase order is being forwarded 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 to him. A meeting will be set up to review the plans, select ramp color, and set a timetable for manufacture and installation of the course. Don Chisholm inquired about the potential for additional events being purchased by the Skatepark Committee or through additional Public Benefit monies. The Skatepark Committee plans to supplement the “street course” events. They will use monies left over from the installation of the cement skate pad. They have been in contact with SPC Skateparks about pricing. The Skatepark Committee will purchase these events separately. Karen Simmons explained that there is currently no additional Public Benefit money available. If and when monies are available in the future, discussions can take place about an allocation of those funds. Town Meeting Presentations 3. Karen Simmons provided the members of the Recreation Committee who will be doing Town Meeting presentations with information needed for their article presentations. Dick Neumeier will present Kineen’s Park play equipment. Don Chisholm will present the Pine Meadows Golf Course request. Pam Varrin will present the request for additional monies for the Skatepark. Karen Simmons told members that she had submitted a letter to Rick White, Town Manager, requesting space for three Recreation articles in the Town Warrant. She also noted that there is a possibility that a citizen’s group representing the Skatepark Committee will request a Town Warrant Article for the Skatepark. The Skatepark Committee has been informed that they must act in a timely fashion regarding the Article. 4. Capital Projects Update Dave Pinsonneault reviewed the status of the current capital projects with the Committee. Justin Park The equipment has been ordered. He anticipates that the equipment will be delivered to the installer, Forte Construction, this week. The Parks Department has removed the old equipment at the site. Forte Construction plans on installing the new equipment after the holidays. Harrington Dave Pinsonneault has spoken with a contractor regarding the field plan. He anticipates receiving quotes for the project in January 2003. The Recreation Department will lose one regulation size field, one ¾ size, and possibly a second full size field in the spring if school construction begins. Because the remaining softball field will be heavily used throughout the summer, fieldwork will not begin until late August. At that time the softball field will be turned around and a new backstop installed. Dave also reiterated to the Committee members that the Recreation Department and Parks Department have met with the School Department and provided necessary input into plans for the site. Article 31 projects are nearing completion. The contractor plans to complete the backstops at Center #2 and Clarke in early March 2003. The posts required for the backstops are not currently available, which has delayed the project. (The existing backstops were rejected because they do not meet specifications.) 2 Pine Meadows The old maintenance building at has been removed. The new structure has been erected. The new building is approximately 4,200 square feet. The parking lot has been partially ground down. The fire hydrant will be installed in January and the lot will be completed in early spring, weather permitting. 5. New Business Karen Simmons reported to the Committee Members that the Recreation Department is considering purchasing the 15 golf carts currently under lease at Pine Meadows. The carts are in excellent condition and Bill Harrison, New England Golf, believes that the golf carts will be usable for an additional two years. The town can buy the carts outright for $16,500, rather than lease them for $16,000. A maintenance contract for the carts, if purchased, will cost $800.00. The Recreation Department will continue to lease 2 utility vehicles. Don Chisholm and Pam Varrin commented that this plan seemed very sound, and supported the purchase of the carts. Dick Neumeier asked about the status of the new fee structure for field use. Karen Simmons reported that a discussion of fees would be on the agenda at the January 2003 Recreation Committee meeting. Mr. Neumeier suggested that members of the Appropriations Committee be invited to attend. The next meeting of the Recreation Committee is scheduled for Monday, January 13, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. Sandra Shaw recessed the Recreation Committee meeting at 7:35 p.m. 3 The Conservation Commission meeting was called to order at 7:45 p.m . After routine Conservation Commission business, Joyce Miller, Chairperson of the Commission recognized the Recreation Committee for the purpose of offering an informal presentation of the Lincoln Park project to members of the Conservation Commission. Ms. Miller noted that the initial presentation and question and answer period would deal with drainage at the site. Pat Maguire, Geller Sport, made the informal presentation to the Conservation Commission on behalf of the Recreation Committee. Joining Mr. Maguire were Jim DeVellis, Civil Engineer (who designed the proposed drainage system at Lincoln Park), Keith Johnson and Heather Scranton, Senior Engineer of Haley and Aldrich. At 9:19 p.m. the Conservation Commission meeting was adjourned. Sandra Shaw, Chair, called the Recreation Committee meeting back into session at 9:20 p.m. She opened the meeting to members of the public who were present to ask questions and comment on the Lincoln Park project. Public Questions and Comments included: ?? Jim Williams – suggested that the $100,000 per year being paid by the Recreation Department could be used instead to maintain grass fields at the site. ?? Lynne Wilson, Lincoln Park Subcommittee – inquired as to the location and height of berms and mounds at the site. ?? Rod McNeil – asked about the width of the paths in the reconstruction plan ?? Hugh McLaughlin – commented that as a soccer referee and parent of athletes he supports the project. He feels that the infilled synthetic turf will provide a safer, more playable surface for children and adults. ?? David Kaufman – inquired about the makeup of the berms. Interested in knowing where the soil would come from and if they would be real grass. ?? Bill Erickson, Lexington Youth Lacrosse – strongly supports the project. He noted that the construction would serve to provide safer fields as well as increase the number of fields available in the town. ?? Tim Carruthers, LYS U8 Boys Coordinator – supports the project. He said that the number of children involved in youth soccer is constantly increasing. Because the construction of a new Harrington School will eliminate two fields it is imperative that fields be added at other locations. He said that the fields at Lincoln are currently 4 unsafe. While he, like others, loves grass fields he knows how financially unfeasible it is to maintain grass fields to the level needed to accommodate the number of participants in soccer and lacrosse programs. ?? David Williams, Lincoln Park Subcommittee – asked if the design was compromised in any way by deliberately keeping the construction outside of the 100’ wetlands buffer zone. ?? Joyce Miller, Conservation Commission Chair – stated that the majority of Conservation Commission members were very pleased that the proposed parking lot(s) at Lincoln Park would be kept completely outside of the wetlands buffer. ?? John Frey – commented that he is very pro grass. He believes that with an appropriate drainage system, irrigation and installation of sand-based grass fields the project would be cheaper and would not erode. ?? Pam Varrin, Recreation Committee Vice Chair – stated that Lexington is faced with limited usable field space and increasing demands on the existing fields. It is next to impossible to maintain the existing grass fields throughout the town because of budget and time constraints. Also, with demand increasing it is not feasible to take fields out of use and let them rest. The Lincoln Park field reconstruction project will provide safe, usable fields on a continual basis. ?? Jean Williams – expressed concerns about the park becoming an athletic complex and not a site where residents can let their dogs run, watch birds nest in the grass, etc. ?? Rod McNeil – asked Patrick Maguire to discuss the G-Max issues of grass vs. infilled synthetic turf. Mr. Maguire explained what G-max is and how infilled synthetic turf compares to grass. Sandra Shaw thanked the Conservation Commission for allowing the Recreation Committee to informally present the project, and for the questions, concerns and support of the public in attendance. The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m. 5