HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-01-20-REC-minFrederick DeAngelis, Chairman
Lisah Rhodes, Vice Chairman
Sandra Shaw
Ruixi Yuan
Jason Denoncourt
Town of Lexington
Recreation Committee
Recreation Committee
Minutes of Meeting
January 20, 2016
Tel: (781) 698 -4800
Fax: (781) 862 -2747
A meeting of the Recreation Committee was held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road, Lexington.
Members Present:
Members Absent:
Staff Present:
Others Present:
Rick DeAngelis, Jason Denoncourt, Sandra Shaw, and Ruixi Yuan
Lisah Rhodes
Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation and Community Programs and Peter
Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation
Tom Shiple (Lexington United Soccer Club) and Julia Shapiro, COA Liaison
1. Meeting Minutes from December 16th, 2015
Sandra Shaw began the meeting by welcoming Jason Denoncourt to the Recreation Committee.
Rick DeAngelis moved and Sandra Shaw seconded approval of the Recreation Committee
Minutes of December 16, 2015. The Recreation Committee voted 4 -0 to approve the minutes
of December 16, 2015.
2. Citizens and Other Boards
Tom Shiple, president of the Lexington United Soccer Club (LUSC), provided an update to the
Recreation Committee regarding the proposed lights project at Lincoln #2. LUSC is scheduled to
present its proposal to the Board of Selectmen on Monday, March 7t''. Mr. Shiple has met with
Joe Pato, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and Mr. Pato indicated that he is supportive of the
concept. Sandra Shaw also added that Suzie Barry, Selectman, was impressed with the concept.
Mr. Shiple will be contacting the neighbors about addressing the screening issue with additional
plantings and he is hopeful this is a project the neighbors can take ownership of.
3. Liaison Reports
Sandra Shaw provided a brief update on behalf of the Bikeway Advisory Committee. The section
of the Minuteman Bikeway between the Police Station and Meriam Street is currently being
renovated. She also indicated that bike safety is taking up a significant amount of the
Committee's time and that some changes definitely need to be made.
4. Open Space and Recreation Plan
Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, provided the Committee with
an update on the status of the Open Space and Recreation Plan. Peter Coleman, Assistant
Director of Recreation, and Jordan McCarron, Conservation Stewardship Program Coordinator,
presented an update to the Board of Selectmen on Monday, January 11th. The plan had been
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 (mail)
39 MARRETT ROAD • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 (office)
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conditionally approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Board of Selectmen
voted to support the plan at their January 11`h meeting.
5. Recreation 5 -Year Capital Plan
Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, provided a brief update on
the FY2017- FY2021, 5 -Year Recreation Capital Plan. Lisah Rhodes will present the articles to
Town meeting.
6. Recreation & Community Programs Report
• Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, reported that
recruitment for summer staff is ongoing and there are several key leadership vacancies
that need to be filled.
• There was a short discussion about the impact the school renovations at the Diamond
Middle School will have on the athletic field space. Rick DeAngelis, Chairman of the
Recreation Committee, stated that the Committee needs to strongly advocate and put it on
the record that no field space should be lost during the upcoming school
renovation /reconstruction projects. The proposed field layout for Diamond will be
reviewed at the February meeting.
• The ADA accessible study is being completed by the consultant Activitas and they
should have a draft of the final report prepared within the next two months.
• Ms. Simmons provided an update on the Pine Meadows Golf Club. The four -year lease
for the golf carts is in the process of being awarded. The course closed for the season on
December 13th and the work being done this winter includes removing some trees to
minimize greens being covered by shade, tuning equipment, and painting inside the
clubhouse. A fee increase at Pine Meadows is not recommended for the 2016 season. It
is important to remain competitive in the market.
• Only one bid was received for the Marvin Park and Sutherland Park Basketball Court
Reconstruction Project. It came in at nearly triple the cost estimate, so the project will be
rebid with the opening scheduled for February 25th.
• For the turf replacement project at Lincoln #3, the contract is in the process of being
awarded to RAD, which is the company that completed the turf replacement project at
Lincoln #2 last summer.
• The Town has decided to hold the contractor for the Worthen Road practice field project
to the contract and the remaining issues should be resolved in the spring.
• The Marvin playground and Lincoln softball field projects will begin this spring.
• Ms. Simmons next provided an update on the Community Center. The Community
Center has been busy over the past month. Thomas Romano, Youth and Family Program
Coordinator, has been working really hard to get people active and involved and he has
been working with Kristie Demirev, Human Services Youth and Family Social Worker,
in his efforts. One challenge has been generating revenue. Sheila Butts, Community
Center Director, will attend the Recreation Committee meeting in February to provide a
quarterly report and update the committee. She will also give the Committee a tour of the
facility. Julia Shapiro, COA Liaison, said that she has received positive feedback and
that seniors are happy with the programming at the Community Center and the facility
itself.
• Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, reported that the Fletcher Park ice rink,
located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Woburn Street, and Fletcher
Avenue, is now open for the season. The rink is open for skating from dawn to dusk and
the website r.....; // ;......... gi on.corn has more information about the rink.
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• The middle school early release snow tubing at Nashoba Valley took place on Thursday,
January 14th with approximately 80 students going on the trip.
• The spring /summer program brochure will be mailed to residential homes the end of
February and program registration and swim tag sales are scheduled to begin on Monday,
March 7th
7. Parks Report - None
The next meeting of the Recreation Committee is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February
17, 2016 at 7:OOpm in Room 237 of the Lexington Community Center.
The January 20, 2016 meeting of the Recreation Committee adjourned at 7: 57pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Coleman
Assistant Director of Recreation