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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-21-REC-min Town of Lexington Recreation Committee Frederick DeAngelis, Chairman Tel: (781) 698-4800 Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair Fax: (781) 861-2747 Carl Fantasia Lisa O’Brien Claire Sheth Renen Bassik Weiwei Li Recreation Committee Minutes of Meeting December 21, 2022 A meeting of the Recreation Committee was held on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 in person and via zoom as a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm in Room 237 of the Lexington Community Center. Members Present: Christian Boutwell, Renen Bassik, Weiwei Li, Lisa O’Brien, and Claire Sheth Members Not present: Rick DeAngelis and Carl Fantasia Staff Present: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, Christine Dean, Community Center Director, and Dave Pinsonneault, DPW Director Others Present: Suzie Barry (Select Board liaison), Meg Buczynski (Activitas), Rod Cole (Capital Expenditures Committee liaison), Dongling Chen (39 Parker Street, Lexington), Meghan Donahoe (Activitas), Eric Pearlman (47 Parker Street, Lexington), Richard Petrasso (39 Parker Street, Lexington), Mary and Vincent Petronella (7 Jackson Court, Lexington), Marianne Reamer (34 Parker Street, Lexington), Longwei Su (29 Parker Street, Lexington), Ruth Thomas (10 Parker Street, Lexington) 1. Public Comment – None 2. November Meeting Minutes Lisa O’Brien moved to approve the minutes from the November 16th meeting. Claire Sheth seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 3. Recreation Committee Email Correspondence – Lisa O’Brien Lisa O’Brien reported to the Committee about the emails that were received over the past month. There was one email directly to the Recreation Committee from someone who was in search of a hunting permit. There were various correspondences with staff regarding such items as a request for the windscreens to remain up longer at the Clarke courts, the park bench donation by the Canham family at Sutherland Park, the Kinneens playground replacement project public meeting that was held on December 7th, the proposed bike pump track, and comments from Richard Petrasso about the Gallagher/Farias project that were shared later in the meeting. Ms. O’Brien added that the staff is doing a great job of keeping the Committee informed. 4. Liaison Reports Lisa O’Brien, liaison to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), reported that the CPC voted on 19 applications for FY2024 requests during its meeting on Thursday, December 15th. The vote for the proposed field improvements at Lincoln Park was 7-2. The two dissenting votes 2 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 wanted the motion to include that the field surface would be PFAS free. Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding does not support or pay for synthetic turf and the final motion was not conditional. The vote for the tree art project at the Center Recreation Complex was 6-3. The vote for the renovation project at the Munroe Center for the Arts was 7-0-2. While the project would address the HVAC system, elevator, and other building-related elements, the modified plan removed green space and had no parking remediation, so Ms. O’Brien abstained from voting. Ms. O’Brien and Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, have met with Cristina Burwell, Director of the Munroe Center for the Arts, to review the scope of the project. Weiwei Li, liaison to the Lincoln Park Sub-Committee (LPSC), reported that the LPSC had not met during the previous month. Ms. Battite added that two positions are vacant and the terms for two of the LPSC members expire at the end of December. Suzie Barry, Select Board liaison, reported that the Town Manager will present the recommended FY2024 budget to the Select Board in January. The 2023 Annual Town Meeting will begin on Monday, March 20 th and there is a considerable number of articles that will be included on the warrant. 5. Working Groups a. Tennis/Pickleball Working Group (TPWG) – Claire Sheth is facilitating this working group and provided the Committee with an update on the December 6th TPWG meeting. The group discussed the options for indoor pickleball play this winter. The department doubled the options at the Diamond Middle School as compared to previous winters. Other sites were considered, but nothing materialized due to space constraints or the fees associated with renting these spaces. Ms. Sheth commended the staff for their outside- the-box approach. The TPWG also began the process of establishing criteria for new construction or multi-use of existing sites. The TPWG will look to finalize the decision- making criteria in January which will result in a prioritized list of criteria that will inform the Committee of options going forward. Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair of the Recreation Committee, attended the TPWG meeting on December 6th and he commended Ms. Sheth and Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, for their efforts. Mr. Boutwell added that the rubric will be very helpful for future construction and renovation projects. b. Sustainable/Recreation Work Group – Christian Boutwell and Lisa O’Brien reported that this working group emerged rapidly over the last four weeks and came about as a result of the Lincoln field improvements being on the CPA docket. Ms. O’Brien, Mr. Boutwell, Melissa Battite, and Rick DeAngelis, Chair of the Recreation Committee, met with members of the Sustainable Lexington Committee and the next meeting is scheduled for early January. Ms. O’Brien stated that members of Sustainable Lexington had thoughts around the public process, how the Recreation Committee thinks about the playing fields and the materials that are used, and expressed concerns about PFAS. Mr. Boutwell indicated that Sustainable Lexington’s interest is around the materials used in synthetic turf and their toxicity. He added that this working group is part of the Committee’s ongoing efforts to improve outreach and communication to the community and other committees. This will make communications clear heading into Town Meeting. Maggie Peard, the Town’s Sustainability Officer, attended the initial meeting and the Health Director (Joanne Belanger), Chair of the Board of Health (Wendy Heiger-Bernays) and Conservation Director (Karen Mullins) will attend future meetings. This working group will prove to be very beneficial for staff and committees in the long run. 6. Athletic Fields Capital Program – Community Meeting With the field and lighting improvements at Lincoln Park proposed for FY24, Christian Boutwell expressed the value of having an education campaign over the next several months. The first meeting will take place in January. This will be an informational/listening session and no quorum 3 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 will be needed since this will not be an official Committee meeting). It is anticipated that the second meeting will be held in February. The intent of these meetings is for there to be no surprises and so people fully understand what is being proposed. It will be important to hear feedback from the community and then tailor something similar to the Town Meeting Members Association (TMMA) informational sessions. Claire Sheth thought it would be worthwhile to reach out to Tom Shiple and other members of Light Up Lincoln to see if they would be able to attend. Mr. Shiple could assist with messaging based on what worked well during the Light Up Lincoln campaign and Ms. Sheth said she would reach out to him. Lisa O’Brien thought it would be great to have a representative from the Lexington Public Schools at the meeting. Mr. Boutwell said that a wide net will be cast among the stakeholders since there will be huge impacts if improvements are not made or if the fields are converted back to natural grass. Outreach will include the Sports Advisory Council, Lexington Public Schools through LHS Athletics, School Committee liaisons, and individual school PTAs/PTOs, Town-wide list, TMMA list, and specific communication with abutters. Melissa Battite stated that if the Lincoln field improvements project is not funded, Lincoln #1 would come offline completely as the field is coming to the end of its warranty and maintenance is getting costly. As a result, Ms. Battite indicated that Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent of the Lexington Public Schools, is in support of this project moving forward. 7. Bike Pump Track Discussion – Christian Boutwell The Committee spent some time discussing the proposed bike pump track that would abut Kinneens Park. Christian Boutwell said that no new information has become available over the past month and this item will be reviewed by the Select Board at its January 9th meeting. Lisa O’Brien indicated that a support letter from the Ghost Riders, which has approximately 100 participants, was emailed to the Committee. A couple of neighbors also emailed the Committee, one in support and one not in support due to noise concerns. Melissa Battite stated that she had received over a dozen emails during the past two months, including messages from the Great Boston chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association and the owner of a bike store in East Lexington. A few abutters are against this moving forward due to safety, access limitations when there are injuries, and concerns about the current use. The proponents applied for ARPA funding through the participatory budget process. A total of 138 requests were received. The Select Board narrowed the list down to 25 items and this project was not included. The house that abuts the pump track will be sold in early spring as the owner has delayed selling their home in an attempt to give land with the bike park to the Town and sell the house to a new owner. Members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask questions and express their thoughts and any concerns. While there would be no additional insurance liability to the Town, Ms. Battite indicated that it is more about maintenance, especially as departments are being asked to cut budgets for FY24. If the Town acquired this property, Renen Bassik asked whose responsibility would it be between the owner transfer and when it would be able to be used. Claire Sheth expressed her concerns about vehicular access and the potential impact on the neighborhood. She thought it would be unreasonably optimistic to think that people would park at the Diamond Middle School and then walk to the bike track. Ms. O’Brien asked who would have oversight and while there are stewards and volunteer groups in town, Ms. Battite indicated this is different since it would involve inspectional and safety matters. Ms. Sheth also questioned if there was an accreditation/compliant process and Ms. Battite responded that one concern shared by the department and DPW is that the bike track can be changed by current users. Suzie Barry suggested that the Committee write a memo that expresses its concerns and states its position on this item prior to the Select Board meeting on January 9th. Mr. Boutwell reiterated that the Committee has numerous questions remaining, such as timing of transfer/ownership, 4 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 restrictions, access, permitting and oversight, safety management (inspection, how to inspect, industry standards), staffing, and sustainability plan. These questions are similar to the ones asked at the Committee meeting in November and during previous presentations by the proponents. While bike pump tracks are a rising trend, they are a regional draw and if the Town was to build one, it is likely that a different site would be selected so all features could be included. By comparison, the bike track that is being built in Arlington is approximately ten times larger than what is being proposed. At the conclusion of the discussion, Claire Sheth made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee will draft a memo (written by Vice Chair Christian Boutwell) outlining the remaining questions and concerns, the answers which will help inform the Committee’s decision on the potential transfer of land that abuts Kinneens Park for the potential use of a bike pump track to the Town. The memo will be sent to the Select Board and the bike pump track proponents prior to the January 9th Select Board meeting.” Lisa O’Brien seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 8. Hard Court Resurfacing Final Design – Center Recreation Meg Buczynski from Activitas gave a presentation on the final design for the Gallagher/Farias Courts reconstruction project and the presentation slides are attached to the meeting minutes. In terms of the project schedule, Ms. Buczynski reported that the 100% construction documents are in the process of being finalized. The project will go out to bid on Thursday, January 12th and the bid opening will take place in early February. Construction is tentatively scheduled to take place from late June through November 2023 with surfacing being completed before the temperature gets too cold. It is anticipated that the renovation project at the Center restrooms/maintenance building will be completed before the court project begins. Ms. Buczynski reminded the Committee that the Gallagher Courts are currently failing and are 20 years old, which is a good length for asphalt. If not addressed, the cracks will continue and get longer. The Farias Basketball Courts are over 10 years old. This project will be replacement-in-kind with no expansion of the courts. The Tennis/Pickleball Working Group (TPWG) is looking at ways to provide equitable opportunities for tennis and pickleball throughout Town while being respectful of noise and abutters and will come up with criteria to assist in the decision-making process. Firefly Sports Testing completed onsite testing at the complex earlier this year and those results are included in the presentation slides. Ms. Buczynski then reviewed the updated site plan. The scope for the base bid at the Gallagher Courts includes post tension concrete, which has a 25-year warranty, at five banks of courts, asphalt at the backboard areas, new fencing (which will be extended at the backboard area), new athletic equipment, two new concrete backboards, and noise dampening panels at two sets of courts. The bid alternates include a shade structure, site benches, new storage shed, 10’ netting above the 10’ fence at the backboard area, and a 10’ fence along the side of the backboard area with sound dampening panels. The panels and windscreens would need to be taken down before the winter each year. The scope for the base bid at the Farias Basketball Courts includes post tension concrete courts, new athletic equipment, and team benches. The bid alternates include 15’ ball netting, water bottle filling station, and a deduct for asphalt construction. Construction access will be off of Park Drive for the Gallagher Courts and by the Town Pool parking lot for the Farias Basketball Courts. The project budget is $2.5 million and Ms. Buczynski reviewed the figures for the base bid, alternates, and the asphalt alternate deduct. At this point, members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. Christian Boutwell asked about the asphalt deduct and Ms. Buczynski explained that alternates must be accepted on their priority, in other words, how they are listed in the bid documents. Renen Bassik expressed his concerns about the budget being line-to-line and questioned whether contingency was high enough and given the circumstances, if the understanding of the current bidding market was accurate. Mr. Bassik expressed his support for 5 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 making the asphalt deduct alternate #1. Ms. Battite was concerned about having the asphalt deduct be alternate #1 as there is more flexibility to alternates #1-7 as listed in the project budget. Mr. Boutwell acknowledged that there is a tradeoff and it would run the risk of the project not being able to move forward if the bids came in overbudget. In his opinion, the biggest concern is the uncertainty surrounding costs and Mr. Boutwell wanted to avoid this project being delayed by a year. Members in the audience had a chance to make remarks. Eric Pearlman, resident of 47 Parker Street, described himself as an avid pickleball player. He acknowledged that pickleball is a loud sport and makes a different sound than tennis. The Center Track Field is used all throughout the day as evidenced by soccer groups playing at 6:30am and cricket staying on the field until 10:30pm. Mr. Pearlman stated that he could not live with pickleball noise for 14 hours a day, 9 months a year. He added that netting would not be needed at the backboard area. Richard Petrasso, resident of 39 Parker Street, began his comments by thanking the Committee for their volunteerism and continuing to listen to the Parker Street abutters. Mr. Petrasso stated that the cement backboard is the best solution and applauded the Committee for working together with the abutters to come up with this option. He also thanked Ms. Sheth and Mr. Coleman for their efforts in leading the TPWG. Mr. Petrasso stated that the memo that Ms. Sheth wrote for the TPWG is very accurate regarding noise levels and emphasized that the solution for noise mitigation needs to be done in a quantitative manner. Mr. Petrasso ended his remarks by saying that he wants the best for the community and looks forward to working with the Committee going forward. The Committee continued their discussion around the project alternates. Members agreed that the various site amenities could be added, as needed, in the future. Mr. Boutwell acknowledged that the Town Meeting vote was for post tension courts. While it would be ideal to install post tension concrete courts across the board, it is imperative that the bids come in within the budget so the project can move forward. The conversation ended with Christian Boutwell making the following motion: “The Recreation Committee approves the finalization of the construction documents for the Gallagher and Farias Courts reconstruction project as presented, with the modification that the asphalt deduct be moved to alternate #1, so the project can go out to bid with additional add alternates to be included at the discretion of the Recreation and Community Programs Department and DPW staff.” Renen Bassik seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 9. Recreation & Community Programs Report The December Recreation & Community Programs Report, along with the Board and Committee information and participatory budget project, is attached to the meeting minutes. The next meeting of the Recreation Committee is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 26th at 6:30pm. The December 21st, 2022 meeting of the Recreation Committee adjourned at 9:13pm. Respectfully submitted, Peter Coleman Assistant Director of Recreation 6 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 The following documents distributed at the meeting are attached:  Gallagher Tennis and Farias Basketball Courts Presentation Slides  December 2022 Recreation & Community Programs Report  Board and Committee Information  Participatory Budget Project