Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-02-15-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 February 15, 2023 A meeting of the Recreation Committee was held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 in person and via zoom as a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm in Room 237 of the Lexington Community Center. Members Present: Rick DeAngelis, Christian Boutwell, Renen Bassik, Weiwei Li, Lisa O’Brien, and Claire Sheth Members Not present: Carl Fantasia Staff Present: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, Christine Dean, Community Center Director, Chris Filadoro, DPW Superintendent of Public Grounds, and Dave Pinsonneault, DPW Director Others Present: Meg Buczynski (Activitas), Dan Busa (6 Farm Road, Lexington), Cleve Coats (8 Graham Road, Lexington), Rod Cole (Capital Expenditures Committee liaison), Andrew Kimball (O’Brien & Sons), Kathleen Lenihan (School Committee liaison), Adam Moehring (3 Sanderson Road, Lexington), and Warren Wilson (34 Rockville Avenue, Lexington) 1. Public Comment – None 2. Meeting Minutes Renen Bassik moved to approve the minutes from the January 26th meeting. Weiwei Li seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 6-0 to approve this motion. 3. Response to Minuteman High School Memo – Christian Boutwell At the January 26th Committee meeting, the Committee voted to send a memo to the Select Board, Town Manager’s Office, Appropriation Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee, and School Committee regarding the Request for Proposal (RFP) from Minuteman High School for funding to complete its athletic complex in exchange for leasing rights. A copy of the Committee’s memo is attached to the meeting minutes. Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair of the Recreation Committee, provided the Committee with an update. Given that there was a very short turnaround and there was no funding available, the Town did not submit an RFP. According to Mr. Boutwell, Town Manager Jim Malloy acknowledged that the Town may have interest in this going forward, if funding becomes available and whether or not Minuteman awards the RFP to a different organization. Lisa O’Brien stated that it was good to be on the record with the Committee expressing its interest in this potential opportunity. 2 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 4. Recreation Committee Email Correspondence Claire Sheth reported to the Committee about the emails that were received over the past month. There was one email in opposition of the proposed bike pump track near Kinneens Park. There was some chatter about the proposed capital improvement project at Lincoln Park, two were in favor of lights and one abutter who was unaware of the meeting, which Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs replied to. Ms. Sheth created a folder for the Lincoln Park Master Plan, which most people spoke favorable of. Other emails included a message that there were geese on the Res beach and notifications about the Lincoln Park community meetings. 5. Hard Court Reconstruction Project – Activitas Meg Buczynski from Activitas provided the Committee with an update on the bid results for the Gallagher and Farias Courts reconstruction project. The bid opening was held on Thursday, February 2nd and a copy of the bid tabulation sheet is attached to the meeting minutes. Three bids were received with Argus being the apparent low bidder. Bids are good for 30 days. Ms. Buczynski indicated that she has worked with Argus before and that they have positive references. Classic Turf is the sub-contractor that will install the post-tension courts. In looking at the bid tabulation sheet, the base bid is slightly higher than the budget. With Alternate #1, which is the deduct of asphalt instead of post-tension for the Farias Courts, the project falls within budget. Ms. Buczynski emphasized the importance of having contingency set aside going into the project. The discussion then focused on the other alternates up for consideration:  Alternate #1 – asphalt in lieu of post-tension concrete at Farias Courts only  Alternate #2 – water bottle filling station next to the basketball courts  Alternate #3 – ballnetting behind the basketball courts  Alternate #4 – windscreens at the Gallagher Courts  Alternate #5 – storage shed In all scenarios, Argus is the low bidder. Ms. Buczynski recommended accepting Alternate #1. She was also going to check with the contractor to see when the latest the decision on the basketball courts (asphalt vs. post-tension) can be made. Members of the Committee to ask questions and make comments. Ms. Buczynski is confident that the 5% contingency is enough. Regarding the life cycle for each material, post-tension concrete has a 20-25-year warranty with the likelihood of lasting considerably longer than 20 years with proper care and being resurfaced along the way. By comparison, asphalt courts have a 1-year warranty and generally last 10-12 years before cracking. The Gallagher Courts were constructed in 2000 and the Farias Courts were last resurfaced in 2009/2010. Ms. Buczynski stated that construction is set to begin right after the Lexington High School tennis season ends this spring. Surfacing cannot start much after October 1st due to the cold temperatures. The goal is to be completed by the middle of November so the courts are playable for Spring 2024. If Alternate #1 is accepted, Melissa Battite indicated that an update can be given to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and she reminded the Committee that alternates must be accepted in order. Staff supports Ms. Buczynski’s recommendation to accept Alternate #1. Renen Bassik asked if there is data on the demand for the other alternates. Ms. Battite said that the inclusion of alternates was based on staff recommendations and feedback received from stakeholders during the design process. Alternates will be decided in the field by staff (DPW and Recreation & Community Programs), the consultant (Activitas), and the contractor (Argus). Windscreens generally come out of the operating budget and Ms. Buczynski reminded the Committee that sound dampening measures were included in the base bid. At the conclusion of the discussion, Lisa O’Brien made the following motion: “The Recreation 3 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 Committee approves the Argus bid with alternate #1, asphalt at the Farias Basketball Courts, for the court reconstruction project at the Gallagher and Farias Courts.” Renen Bassik seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 6-0 to approve this motion. 6. Recognition of Warren Wilson – Peter Coleman Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, recognized Warren Wilson for leading the Pre- Ball program for 35 years. A copy of the recognition memo is attached to the meeting minutes. Pre-Ball serves as an introduction to the game of baseball for 4 and 5-year-olds each spring. This year, the program is transitioning and will fall under the Lexington Little League umbrella going forward. During Mr. Wilson’s stewardship, over 2,000 Lexington children and their families participated in Pre-Ball. On behalf of the department, Mr. Coleman thanked Mr. Wilson for his years of service and commitment to the youth of Lexington. Mr. Wilson said it was a pleasure teaching children the fundamentals of baseball over the years and thanked the department for their partnership and support. He is happy to pass the torch to Adam Moehring, who attended the meeting, and Lexington Little League. Lisa O’Brien and Christian Boutwell said that their children have participated in Pre-Ball. Mr. Boutwell thanked Mr. Wilson and said that it is volunteers like Mr. Wilson that make youth sports successful in Lexington. Melissa Battite praised Mr. Wilson for the difference he has made in town and is confident that Lexington Little League will represent his legacy well in the years ahead. 7. Request to Name the Billiards Room of the Lexington Community Center – Dan Busa & Cleve Coats Dan Busa, resident of 6 Farm Road, and Cleve Coats, resident of 8 Graham Road, presented a request to name the Billiards Room in honor of John E. “Jack” Maloney. A copy of Mr. Busa’s memo, along with accolades and memories from Mr. Maloney’s friends and pictures of Mr. Maloney, are attached to the meeting minutes. This request was submitted on behalf of the Rotary Club of Lexington. The Rotary Club funded all of the equipment in the Billiards Room when the Community Center opened in 2015. Mr. Maloney was a lifelong member of at least 50 years and very involved in Rotary. Mr. Busa and Mr. Coats have also been involved with Rotary for many years. They stated that if the request to name the room after Mr. Maloney is approved, then a small plaque that matches the existing plaque in the room should be installed. Mr. Busa has been working with Lexington Signs to ensure a perfect match and he also inquired about the possibility of having a small sign installed above the door. The Maloney family is a low-key unassuming family and this would be a worthwhile way to honor Mr. Maloney’s legacy. Members of the Committee expressed their support for this request. Christian Boutwell thought this was a wonderful idea, to recognize someone who made a great impact on the Lexington community. If approved by the Committee, the request would then go before the Select Board for their approval. The conversation ended with the Committee agreeing that it should express its support of the concept. Weiwei Li made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee approves the request to name the Billiards Room at the Lexington Community Center in honor of Jack Maloney, with final details as determined by Town staff and the Select Board.” Lisa O’Brien seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 8. Recreation & Community Programs Report The February Recreation & Community Programs Report is attached to the meeting minutes. 9. Liaison Reports Kathleen Lenihan, School Committee liaison, informed the Committee that there was a master planning meeting earlier in the day. The next steps are to determine what will happen to the Lexington Public Schools administrative building (“old Harrington”) and what needs to be 4 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 happen to convert that area into athletic fields once the building has been demolished. Ms. Lenihan indicated that the School Committee will brief the Committee on how the conversation goes. Rod Cole, Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) liaison, indicated that the CEC is looking forward to Town Meeting beginning on Monday, March 20th. Lisa O’Brien, liaison to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), reported that the CPC met on Tuesday, February 9th and voted to approve their report to Town Meeting. Marilyn Fenollosa, Chair of the CPC, is in the process of recording the CPC presentations for Town Meeting. Weiwei Li reported that the Lincoln Park Sub-Committee (LPSC) did not meet during the previous month. 10. Working Groups a. Tennis/Pickleball Working Group (TPWG) – Claire Sheth provide the Committee with an update on the TPWG. The group last met on Tuesday, February 7th. Attendance has dwindled at recent meetings and there has been a lot of conversation on the open-play format. Ms. Sheth stated that some headway had been made in terms of formalizing a pickleball group and she believes that the Battle Green Tennis League (BGTL) is the most reasonable model to replicate. A deep dive and analysis of the data that has been collected will be included in the final report. One of the main underlying goals is to investigate options and determine how to increase pickleball opportunities in Lexington during the upcoming year. The TPWG also talked about longer-range options for siting new pickleball courts in the future. Ms. Sheth informed the Committee that it has been determined that the TPWG will disband for the time being. The summary report will be reviewed by the TPWG members and the findings and recommendations will be presented at the March 21st Recreation Committee meeting. b. Sustainable/Health/Conservation/Recreation Work Group – Christian Boutwell indicated that the concerns around the field surfaces are primarily around artificial turf and artificial surfaces. Referring to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be a good place to start since they are regulating authorities. The needs of the users and community will need to be balanced with the impacts on environmental and human health and safety. Whether or not the Town wants to extend requirements for artificial turf/surfaces beyond state and national standards is still to be determined. This working group is scheduled to meet again after the second community meeting on the Lincoln project, which will be held on Wednesday, March 1st. 11. Open Space & Recreation Plan – request for letter of support Melissa Battite provided a status update on the Open Space & Recreation Plan (OSRP). The OSRP is updated every seven years. For the past several months, staff from the Conservation Department and the Recreation and Community Programs Department have been working with Activitas, who is the consultant leading this effort. Ms. Battite requested that the Committee provide a letter of support, pending there are no changes when the OSRP is presented to the Select Board on Monday, February 27th. The OSRP update has implemented a holistic approach by incorporating the Select Board goals with those from the Community Needs Assessment and Athletic Fields Feasibility Study with the intent of this being a living document in the coming years. Once the OSRP update has been completed, Lexington will be eligible to receive many state and federal grants that are available for cities and towns. Members of the Committee expressed their satisfaction with how comprehensive the plan was. Communication will be a key area of emphasis going forward as well as open space, whether to develop for housing, develop for athletic fields, or leave it as is. Ms. Battite stated that the Conservation Commission has a sub-committee focused on land acquisition. After a brief discussion, Christian Boutwell made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee will submit a letter of support for the Open Space and Recreation Plan Update, barring any substantive changes that arise out of the Select Board 5 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 meeting on February 27th.” Claire Sheth seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 12. Kinneens Playground Design Approval – Peter Coleman A copy of the Kinneens presentation slides are attached to the meeting minutes. Peter Coleman provided the Committee with a history of the Kinneens playground replacement project to date. There were three different community meetings and the feedback received during those meetings were incorporated into the final design. Andrew Kimball, a playground designer with O’Brien & Sons, provided the Committee with a technical overview of the various play features that will be included with the new playground. The new playground will provide play structures for children ages 2-5 and 5-12. It will be similar to what is there currently, but with a modern flair. The amenities include pod steppers, twisting slide, arch climbing net, graduated climbers, and a musical sensory panel. Each composite structure will have 3-4 access points and there will be blue poured-in-place (PIP) rubber surfacing that will lead to the transfer platforms and swings. The number of swings will increase from three to five with one tot swing, three belt swings, and one harness swing, which locks in place. Ms. Kimball noted that tot swings can only be in the same bay as other tot swings, so that is the reason for the proposed alignment of two belt swings in one bay, the harness swing and one belt swing in another bay, and the tot swing being an extension to one of the swing bays. There will be access provided from the swings to the play structures. The park bench will be replaced and the sandbox will not be returning as it is overgrown and difficult to maintain. The members of the Committee were pleased with the proposed design. Lisa O’Brien made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee approves the proposed playground design for Kinneens Park as presented.” Renen Bassik seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. The next meeting of the Recreation Committee is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 1st at 7:00pm. The February 15th, 2023 meeting of the Recreation Committee adjourned at 8:48pm. Respectfully submitted, Peter Coleman Assistant Director of Recreation The following documents distributed at the meeting are attached:  Recreation Committee Memo on the Minuteman High School Athletic Complex RFP  Gallagher & Farias Courts Renovations Bid Tabulation Sheet  Memo – Warren Wilson Recognition  Memo and supporting documents to name the Billiards Room in honor of Jack Maloney  February 2023 Recreation & Community Programs Report  Kinneens Park Playground Replacement presentation slides