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2025-06-12-REC-min-att
SELECT BOARD POLICY Conduct and Decorum for Public Meetings Policy Date Approved by Select Board: . Signature of Chair: June 9, 2025 I. BACKGROUND Douglas D L ucente • The Town of Lexington recognizes the importance of maintaining a respectful and efficient environment during public meetings. Recent rulings by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court have underscored the importance of ensuring that public participation is conducted in a manner that respects constitutional rights while maintaining orderly governance. IL PURPOSE & SCOPE A. Purpose: To establish clear and consistent guidelines for orderly, efficient conduct at public meetings, fostering inclusive participation while maintaining decorum, in accordance with recent Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rulings regarding public speech at governmental meetings. B. Scope: This policy applies to meetings conducted by public bodies under the jurisdiction of the Lexington Select Board, including committee members, staff, presenters, consultants, and the public. It does not apply to independent bodies such as the Lexington Housing Authority, committees appointed by other authorities, or Town Meeting. III. APPLICATION A. Public Participation: The Chair should announce the guidelines for public participation at the start of each meeting. If a specific time for public comments is designated, a consistent time limit per speaker should be clearly announced and applied uniformly. Comments must be orderly and peaceable. The Chair shall not discriminate based on the viewpoint expressed by any speaker. All comments must be addressed to the Chair, and speakers must adhere to the time limits. B. Maintaining Order: Participants must wait for the Chair's recognition before speaking. Interruptions are not permitted. The Chair may issue warnings, call for recesses, or take other appropriate actions to maintain order. C. Suggested Language for Chairs: o "Remember, we are all neighbors working toward common goals." o "Let's keep our discussions focused and respectful." o "Please wait for recognition before speaking." D. Civil Discourse: All participants are expected to engage respectfully, focusing discussion on policies and ideas rather than individuals. Only one person should speak at a time, using constructive rather than hurtful language. Committee members and staff are expected to model respectful conduct. Members of the public may express strong or critical views, provided their speech remains orderly and peaceable. Clarifying preferred forms of address (e.g., Mr., Ms., first name, pronouns), restating ideas when requested, and using "I" statements to share personal perspectives are encouraged. E. Prohibition of Discriminatory or Harassing Behavior: All participants are expected to treat others with respect and dignity. Discriminatory or harassing behavior will not be tolerated. Disruptive conduct, including personal attacks or repeated interruptions, may result in removal where appropriate. F. Implementation: This policy shall be included in the Lexington Select Board Procedures, Policies, and Regulations Manual (last updated 12-4-2023); Incorporated into the Town Clerk's Board and Committee Handbook (2024 Edition, replacing page 17); and distributed to all committee chairs and referenced during orientation or training as needed. WWONWIJU►[y*9 • Louise Barron & others v. Daniel L. Kolenda, 491 Mass. 408 (2023). • Lexington Select Board Procedures, Policies, and Regulations Manual (12-4-2023) • Town Clerk's Board and Committee Handbook �sA�ss� .e 1 Lexington RECREATION & COMMUNITY . ..... 1� I 1 0 GAA M f TO: Recreation Committee FROM: Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation DATE: June 12, 2025 SUBJECT: Update on the Valley Courts Reconstruction Project At the 2024 Annual Town Meeting, CPA funding in the amount of $492,000 was appropriated for the reconstruction of the Valley Courts. The initial scope for this project called for the construction of post tension concrete court surfaces, new fencing, athletic equipment, and site amenities. The design phase began in Fall 2024. In addition to the court design, this involved a series of public hearings with the Conservation Commission from December 2024 through February 2025. During these hearings, it was determined that additional stormwater mitigation would need to be included that was not included in the initial project budget. Combining this with the ongoing volatility of material and construction costs, it was quickly realized that the projected project costs would be significantly higher than the available budget. At the November 2024 Recreation Committee meeting, Activitas presented the concept of installing asphalt courts in place of post tension concrete courts. This would provide a substantial cost savings and would be similar in nature to the Farias Basketball Courts when those courts were reconstructed using asphalt back in Fall 2023. At its December 18, 2024 meeting, the Recreation Committee approved the following motion: "The Recreation Committee approves the finalization of the construction documents for the Valley Courts reconstruction project as presented, with the modification that the asphalt deduct be moved to alternate #1 and prioritizing additional parking being alternate #2, 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." Design continued and was finalized during Winter 2025. The project went out to bid in March 2025 and the bid opening was held on April 10, 2025. After accounting for the design and construction management costs, the remaining budget was $442,000. Heimlich Landscape and Construction from Woburn, MA was the low bidder. Their bid, including the base bid, additional stormwater mitigation, asphalt courts deduct, and additional parking, came in at $476,000, meaning that the project was $34,000 overbudget. In late March 2025, staff contacted the United States Tennis Association (USTA) about its Tennis Venue Services program to express interest in applying for a grant for the Valley Courts reconstruction project as a potential alternative funding option. The Committee should be reminded that the Town received a grant in the amount of $55,000 from the USTA for the Gallagher Tennis Courts reconstruction project. This process has continued over the past 2+ months and has involved the Town working with Activitas to provide the USTA with construction documents, bid documents, a conceptual plan, and photos of the existing court conditions at Valley as well as answering a series of questions that USTA representatives had after their initial review of the grant application. The grant application is currently in its second technical review and it is anticipated that the USTA will notify the Town whether or not it will be the recipient of a grant before the end of June. Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places As determined by the USTA grant criteria, for a reconstruction project, each tennis court is eligible to receive a grant for up to $35,000 for a potential of $70,000 for both courts at Valley. In its terms and conditions, the USTA specifies that courts lined for multiple sports are not eligible to receive USTA grant funding. Additionally, grant recipients must ensure that courts maintain the same layout and remain designated as tennis -only for at least five (5) years after being awarded the grant. The Town's current hard -court surface inventory includes 17 total courts with current allocation of: • 10 Tennis Only at Gallagher • 4 Pickleball Only at Adams • 1 Pickleball Only at Clarke • 2 dually lined at Valley for 2 Tennis and 4 Pickleball • 2 dually lined at Clarke for 2 Tennis and 4 Pickleball Considerations for the Valley Court Capital Project and allocation of courts: 1. Pause the Capital Project at Valley and identify alternative funding sources. a. ie: private donations, sponsorship, additional tax support/CPA funds. b. This option would keep the status quo for courts. 2. Accept $35,000 in USTA grant funding for one court at Valley to be tennis only. a. This option closes the funding gap. b. This provides additional pickleball only courts. 3. Accept $70,000 in USTA grant funding for both courts at Valley to be tennis only a. This reduces the number of dual and pickleball courts. 4. Allocate all courts in Town to a 50-50 tennis/pickleball only status. 2 June 11, 2025 To the Recreation Committee, We represent town residents who are concerned about the pending decision to transition the Valley Courts from dual tennis and pickleball use to tennis -only, a condition tied to outside special interest funding that would cover only 8% of the total renovation costs. We urge you not to accept funding which would restrict court access to Tennis only and to keep access as it is now, even if that means delaying Valley renovations to when additional funding can be obtained. While most players of all sports would appreciate dedicated courts and fields, fiscal and space constraints make that a challenging and increasingly unlikely goal. So as a town, we must strive for the equitable and efficient use of all of our current facilities. Current town facilities should be shared equally between tennis and pickleball, with equally visible lines and equal quality nets in order to maximize access for all, allowing town resources to respond quickly to changes in demand, and to make the most efficient use of taxpayer funded resources. As the attached document details, the demand for pickleball resources has increased substantially over the last few years, while access to those resources has been continually reduced, creating a large supply and demand imbalance. Recreation department data and the rationale the committee has attached to the last few Recreation Committee 5 Year Capital Plans confirm this. This inequity was introduced with the transition of the Gallagher Courts to tennis -only, and will be exacerbated by any transition of Valley to tennis -only use. The loss of Valley courts for pickleball use will reduce access for individual court passholders wishing to play pickleball by approximately 40%. This number is based on the net hours available for reservations to individual passholders, after accounting for the hours dedicated to school and team use, organizational use (Lexington Pickleball Club, Battle Green Tennis League), private corporate use (Takeda), and lessons and classes sponsored by the Lexington Recreation Department. Moreover, while demand is both deepening and broadening among many demographic groups in town, this lack of access disproportionately negatively affects our seniors (over 60), who not only comprise approximately one-third of the town's population, but for whom pickleball is a dominant source of exercise, social connection and mental fitness. The town proudly displays its AARP award as a senior friendly town. AARP has repeatedly recognized the key role pickleball plays for seniors in its advocacy, literature, studies, programs and funding, making it an important component of a senior friendly town. Our final point relates to the nature of the funding. While we applaud the initiative taken by the Recreation Department to find outside funds, it is inappropriate for a private special interest group to dictate how the town uses our public facilities. This is even more disconcerting when one realizes that their contribution comprises only 8% of the total project budget, with resident money and town land contributing the rest. Not only are these use restrictions by an outside special interest group improper, but they also transfer town oversight and control of taxpayer funded public facilities to an outside special interest group that has no public interest in our community. Restrictive covenants such as these must be done only with widespread public notice and discussion, Select Board review, and debate at Town Meeting. We need equitable, efficient, and effective community-based recreation planning, not restrictions from outside influences who will constrain the utilization of our capital assets and limit the allocation of our limited resources. In the brief time we have become aware of the committee's application for outside funding and the pending decision date, the community has mobilized in support of keeping Valley Courts dual use and rejecting outside special interest group funding which restricts how we use our courts. The attached petition was created less than a week ago and it has already been signed by 174 adult Lexington residents. This effort has occurred solely at a grassroots level, without enough time to publicize the issue through Town Meeting or local newspapers, or widely throughout the town. We will provide you with the list of signatures at the Recreation Committee Meeting. Our petition does not discount the desire for the addition of specialized pickleball courts in the future, which need to be of equal quality and quantity to our tennis courts. But that is a decision for town residents to make, not an outside organization. Yet with each successive Recreation Committee 5 -year budget this keeps getting pushed further into the future. When the funding and locations become available for these resources, we will welcome public review and discussion. Respectfully submitted, Jane Lawler Mary Sweeney Jill Teplensky Jiaying Xiao Mo a LL m () 4A E qA o o CL 0 4-1 .� m i C: + 00 p - ° s _04-1 N CA V)V) }, Ov N V Ov O a1 p D U V) cu O — L co V) co VL' U .E 1p 4-1 Q o aJ O vZ m bn 0 o N /\ U EZ O � O p O cB m m m v L N U O L N a) o = V C37 U O - — — 0 4-JLn bn �''� p v +-,O O O CL OU •�_ fa c a) to 0 • 0 Ln N O N N c -I Ln N O N N c -I lD N V% C: 4- O O — N � 4-J } . 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O O E ° v0 QJ 4— +-+ Q Q -0 U �+ U 0- I i N to Z3QJ N (1)QU ' N d -d QJ �' O : a--+ a, i :3 L') N CL N -�e O ::3 07 X QJ DC OU a V) �O • • • • m Valley Courts USTA Funding: Solving a Funding Gap but Creating an Access Gap: Keep Valley Courts Dual Use & Reject Restrictive Funding Objectives • Efficiency: Maximize use of taxpayer funded facilities (dual use, flex resources to meet demand) • Equity: Fair allocation of town resources (demographic inclusiveness, equity) • Effectiveness: Flexibility to match supply to demand now and in the future. • Legal/Ethical: Prevent outside special interest groups from mandating town public policy and restricting future decision making (no restrictions on outside funds) Inefficient Use of Limited Resources, Mismatch between Supply & Demand Restrictive outside money eliminates the flexibility to alter court supply, moving us from a flexible demand - driven system, and risking court underutilization when demand fluctuates. There are current shortages of PB courts (court reservations are full in less than a minute) and a surplus of tennis courts (as indicated by the availability of dedicated tennis courts on PlayLocal). The USTA proposal further reduces pickleball court availability while increasing tennis -only courts, worsening the imbalance. Accepting restrictive funds means town government will be prevented from making any future adjustments based on potential fluctuating patterns of demand. Demand for PB courts is broadening and increasing, as players of all ages and abilities become familiar with the sport. This is evident from the increasing demand for pickleball workshops, lessons, organized play, independent play with friends and family, and physical education classes, as well as the growing LPC membership (Figure 1). Waitlists for organized play and Lexington Recreation Department sessions continue to grow as well. The Recreation Department's own 2024 year end survey (261 respondents) showed more than 3 times as many respondents for pickleball (n=179, 68.6%) as tennis (n=52, 19.9%). Thirty people (11.5%) indicated both sports (Figure 2). Appendix 1 provides a breakdown of Hard -Court Passholder Data 2024-25 by Age Group & Sport and demonstrates faster growth for pickleball court passes than for tennis, even accounting for the slightly decreased Battle Green Tennis League membership due to the anticipated Valley Court closure. re 1: LPC Membership Over Time (Note LPC membership as of June 2025 is 1103 in total, 837 residents, 266 non-residents) v— • � LPC MamOershry Growth Month) Rml Non Res! Totait NR raw In MemCeMp 10 IOW 900 sW 700 fi00 SW 4W ;m o ' Source: Lex Rec Dept Dec 2024 Presentation to Rec Committee Figure 2: Respondents to 2024 Recreation Dept Annual Survey by Sport 'Ennis Pick<eb_lL Both 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 1005, Source: Lex Rec Dept Dec 2024 Presentation to Rec Committee The competition for reserving courts for independent pickleball play with friends and family is increasingly difficult. Anyone who has tried to reserve courts using a Town Issued Court Pass finds that the slots at Adams, Clarke & Valley fill up on Playl-ocal immediately and that capacity for PB is severely limited, especially in the mornings or evenings. It is even worse during the school year, when Clarke is closed to the community during school hours. At the same time there are generally unfilled reservation slots at Gallagher, especially in the first half of the day. Restricting Valley to tennis would exacerbate this inequity. Before the Gallagher Court tennis -only restriction, all 17 public courts were dual use, allowing court use to adjust based on actual demand. Currently, 10 courts are tennis -only (6 of which are closed during school hours), 4 are shared use (2 of which are closed to the community during school hours), and 3 are pickleball preferred (tennis play allowed), one of which is closed during school hours. Under the changes mandated by the USTA proposal, 12 courts would be tennis -only (6 closed during school hours), 3 courts would be pickleball preferred (tennis is still allowed on those courts), and only 2 courts would be fully shared use, and those are unavailable to the community during school hours. Under the USTA proposal and at the completion of the Adams courts re -lining, and accounting for the courts which are closed during school hours, the change in open courts for tennis would be 4 => 6 (increase of 50%), pickleball preferred 3=>3 (no change), and shared courts 2 => 0 (100% decrease) This does not even account for time dedicated to organized play, further limiting play by individuals (displayed on Appendix 2). Table 1: Available Public Tennis -Equivalent Courts in Lexington Pre- Valley & Gallagher Current Adams Restriction Proposal Shared -Use 17 4 2 Tennis Only 0 10 12 Pickleball 0 3 4 Preferred Please note that we use Tennis Equivalent Courts to facilitate comparison as we are talking about dedicated square footage. Regardless of whether one person is playing pickleball or tennis, their reservation precludes the use of the entire tennis equivalent court by the other sport. We do not speak of % fields when a sport utilizes half as much of a field as another sport unless that second sport can share the field at the same time. Since a tennis court can be used by as few as one person (i.e. a tennis player practicing shots) or as many as 8 people (a group of friends playing round robins of pickleball) individual usage data is unknown. As courts are reserved and utilized by one or more passholders for independent play, there is no accurate data on how the courts are used or how many people are utilizing them at any given time. This is another reason dual use courts are valuable to efficiently maximize usage of town resources. Unfortunately, the PlayLocal data detailing the tennis vs pickleball breakdown is misleading and inaccurate so that data cannot be relied upon to determine specific court usage by sport, particularly pickleball. Many pickleball players reserve tennis courts at Clarke and Valley to play with a group since it is almost impossible to reserve 2 adjacent courts at the same time and location on PlayLocal, regardless of how many passholders try simultaneously. Tennis players can reserve both Clarke 3a and 3b as pickleball and play tennis during that time. Tennis players frequently walk onto Adams or Clarke Court 3 to play tennis, without reserving courts, since those courts are Pickleball preferred, not Pickleball-only, whereas Gallagher is Tennis - Only. Pickleball players on Clarke Courts 1 and 2 voluntarily move over to Clarke Courts 3A and B to allow walk-on tennis players to play at Clarke, or shift courts at Adams to provide 2 contiguous courts for tennis players. Therefore, the only site with accurate data is Gallagher, since PB play is prohibited at this site. Appendix 2 is a Diagram of Allowable Pickleball Court Access Net of Organizational Dedicated Time. This number is based on the net hours available for reservations to individual passholders after accounting for the hours dedicated to school and team use, organizational use (Lexington Pickleball Club, Battle Green Tennis League), private corporate use (Takeda), and lessons and classes sponsored by the Lexington Recreation Department. The White area shows timeslots available for individual pickleball reservations. The Gray Valley section demonstrates how significant a loss these courts would be to the pickleball community if they were no longer available for reservations. Prohibiting pickleball from Valley would result in an approximately 40% reduction in pickleball courts available for reservation for court passholders on PlayLocal. While the specifics vary somewhat between spring and fall seasons, and Clarke is open to the community during July and August, this diagram of Spring 2025 is representative of court time available to passholders wishing to play pickleball independently (as opposed to organized play). Inequitable and Exclusive, Disproportionate Negative Impact on Seniors Outside special interest group money that restricts the use of public courts paid for and maintained by taxpayer dollars is discriminatory, excludes one specific group of users, and disproportionately negatively impacts the over 60 community. Pickleball is a primary and growing source of outdoor exercise, social connection and mental fitness for all ages, but especially for this demographic which comprises approximately one third of the town's population. Based on the town's own 2025 passholder purchase data, 33% of tennis passes are purchased by seniors, whereas 59% are purchased by pickleball players (Table 3). This difference is likely underestimated somewhat, as Battle Green Tennis League decreased their membership by 44 people over 2024 due to the anticipated Valley Court closure, and LPC just recently started tracking member age. Table 3: 2025 Passholder Purchase Data by Age Group Total Ree Adult Resident Passes Total Rec Senior Resident Passes Total Adult Battle Green Passes Total Senior Battle reen Passes Senior Passes Total LPC Passes TOTAL PASSES 131 38 52 54 28 N/A 26 N/A (52+26)/(131+5 54/(38+54)= 59% 2+28+26)= 33% N/A 317 250 409 Source: Peter Coleman, Lexington Recreation Department, except for LPC data which was obtained directly from LPC The town proudly displays its AARP award as an Age -Friendly town. AARP has repeatedly recognized the key role pickleball plays for seniors in its advocacy, literature, studies, programs and funding, making it an important component of an Age -Friendly town. In fact, AARP champions pickleball as a lifelong, age -friendly activity and it supports AARP's Mission of Healthy Aging & Community Connection. Its Livable Communities initiative recognizes pickleball as an accessible, multigenerational activity that supports physical, cognitive, and social health, aligning with AARP's 6 Pillars of Brain Health. In Indiana, AARP helped fund courts in a park to promote intergenerational recreation and improve the quality of life for adults 50+. In 2023, AARP expanded its support by sponsoring national tournaments (50+ division) and launching a pickleball resource hub to grow the sport nationwide. Appendix 3 provides citations for these statements. Removing pickleball access at Valley undermines that mission; eliminating shared -use or pickleball courts runs counter to AARP's vision for livable, age -friendly communities. It reduces access for older adults, limits community -building, and directly contradicts AARP's investment in expanding pickleball. Restricts Future Town Government Decision Making, Lack of Resident Representation Outside special interest group money, which determines how our public courts can be used restricts town decision making, setting a precedent which prevents us from determining how public facilities may be used in the future. Restrictive covenants such as these must be done only with widespread public notice and discussion Select Board review, and debate at Town Meeting. We cannot permanently transfer town oversight and control of taxoaver funded public facilities to an outside special interest group that has no public interest in our community. We need equitable, efficient, and effective community-based recreation planning, not restrictions from outside influences who will forever constrain the utilization of our capital assets and limit the allocation of our limited resources. The decision to consider restrictive funding is even more puzzling given the small percentage the grant would constitute of the overall project cost. The project shortfall is just 6.7% of the overall cost ($33,000/$492,000). The USTA grant of $40,000 is only 8% of the overall project cost. That is a high price to pay, particularly for an arrangement that decreases our flexibility, exacerbates inequity, and constrains future decision making. LPC Supports This Proposal LPC has grown 10 -fold from a few hundred people who mostly knew each other to a group of over 1000, quickly transitioning from a startup to an established organization. This rapid growth, and its nature as a fully volunteer organization, limits its ability to be the sole source of information between the recreation department and the entire PB community (LPC members and non-members). It is important that the Recreation Department not depend solely on an intermediary organization to transmit key information to or from the broader community, as LPC has limited resources. The founders and board have done excellent work and continue to dedicate extraordinary time and energy to benefit the community, which is greatly appreciated. LPC is the means by which many of us met the friends and pickleball players we play with outside of LPC organized play, which is a credit to its work. It has been very successful as a vehicle for advocacy, organizing play, workshops, and introducing players to the game and each other. LPC fully supports, as we do, the goal of fair and equal access to hard courts and a commitment to continued dual use for both tennis and pickleball at Valley courts. We both support the equitable distribution of shared town facilities between tennis and pickleball, with equally visible lines, in order to maximize access for all and make good use of taxpayer funded resources. We urge the Recreation Committee to maintain dual use at Valley Courts and to collaborate with both tennis and pickleball stakeholders on design and funding solutions that serve all users. This is even more important as dedicated PB courts keep getting pushed further into the future with each successive Recreation Committee 5 -year budget, even as the committee has repeatedly documented the growing demand for PB. Protect Fair Access to Our Courts — Say NO to Tennis -Only Restriction... https:Hdocs.google.com/forms/d/e/1 FAIpQLSfSXerwVjdEAvZXagrF1... Protect Fair Access to Our Courts — Say NO to Tennis -Only Restrictions at Valley Courts We are aware of the budget shortfall for the rebuild of Valley Courts due to time delays and increased permitting and construction costs, and applaud the Recreation Department's initiative in seeking outside grants to obtain the needed funds. Nevertheless, it is inappropriate to consider funds that restrict the very nature of the project's objectives, limiting what services are provided to the community and which residents are served, and taking away use rights from a large portion of our residents who currently have access to the facility. Taking outside special interest group funds such as these fundamentally changes the character of the town's recreational facilities and presents equity, efficiency, effectiveness, and legal/ethical challenges. It eradicates access by a large group of our residents, exacerbates the current inequity in the allocation of courts between tennis and pickleball (further reducing_pass holder Pickleball court access by an additional 40% per week , eliminates the town's ability to flex resources based on changes in demand for court time, and permanently constrains town government's ability to make future decisions about capital assets and resource allocation. This is all without any widespread public notice, taxpayer discussion, Select Board Review, Town Meeting Discussion, or a direct referendum by voters. We the undersigned insist that the Recreation Committee reject USTA or any other outside funding that restricts Valley Court usage to Tennis -Only, as these courts are a designated dual use (tennis and pickleball) facility, even if that means the rebuilding must be postponed until a later date when funds are available. Outside Special Interest Group Money Which Restricts Valley Court Usage to Tennis Only & Eliminates Current Access for Pickleball is the Wrong Choice for Lexington We will only share the results of this petition with Lexington Town Committees. Thank you for your support! Sign in to Google to save your progress. Learn more * Indicates required question 1 of 2 6/11/2025, 12:54 AM Protect Fair Access to Our Courts — Say NO to Tennis -Only Restriction... https:Hdocs.google.com/forms/d/e/lFAIpQLSfSXerwVjdEAvZXagrFl... Please Provide Name and Street Address * Your answer Submit Never submit passwords through Google Forms. This content is neither created nor endorsed by Google. - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy Does this form look suspicious? Rep= Google Forms M Clear form 2 of 2 6/11/2025, 12:54 AM Summary of Appendices Appendix 1: Hard Court Passholder Data 2024-25 by Age Group & Sport Appendix 2: Diagram of Allowable Pickleball Court Access Net of Organizational Pre -Reserved Time Appendix 3: AARP references Appendix 1: Hard Court Passholder Data 2024-25 by Age Group & Sport Hard Court Pass Purchases Tennis Passes PB Passes 2024 2025 2024 2025 Total Total Resident Adult 156 131 Resident Adult 34 38 Resident Senior 40 52 Resident Senior 42 54 Total Resident 196 183 Total Resident 76 92 Passes Passes Non Resident Non Resident Adult Adult Non Resident Non Resident Senior Senior Total Non- Total Non - Resident Passes Resident Passes Total Town Tennis 196 183 Total Town PB 76 92 Passes for Year Passes for Year BG Resident Adult 39 28 LPC Resident NA NA Adult BG Resident 29 26 LPC Resident NA NA Senior Senior Total BG Resident 68 54 Total LPC 261 Passes Resident Passes BG Non Resident 14 6 LPC Non NA NA Adult Resident Adult BG Non Resident 16 7 LPC Non NA NA Senior Resident Senior Total BG Non- 30 13 Total LPC Non 56 Resident Passes Resident Passes Total BG Tennis 98 67 Total LPC PB 317 Passes for Year Passes for Year Total Tennis 294 250* Total PB Passes 409 Passes for Year for Year *membership reduced for 2025 due to anticipated Valley closure Source: Peter Coleman, Lexington Recreation Department, except for LPC data which was obtained directly from LPC 1 T LU N q r.- w M MLn 'o n.. co v Z ¢ Z a c ui co to o " g Q" co r oo o 'cn 0 a a M W Lo i S m ID o M m wCL CN w mow' a r a � L o T� O h 04 � V+ wM w � r m tx Q Q M oo r, m .• r W u) r � ch W co r / N 0 TO r N r N C W oo W r a 0) Q N 3 a o w N O v c n w Q� w �j w n U, s r rn r Ta `ro �` wo Ln IT C� �a�mu) �^ �m' (D m o •U (Dqj co ccO m o ko O w(n w wr w N �` 7 � Q¢r�^^ Qacto M n a m \ N \ 0)o N C u N u V S C j YS 10 w L" ' a f a ►V/J1 w) e = v a�z° a�z v oo o / = = a o oo j c o 'o t� 4 u u° m u u= d `m o o° v o o° 2 m E E E m E W z cc tD zzc4 mu n 0 10 u 0) C: O m (1/ J E v 0 U U1 N CL v 0 0 u 0 0 v w 0 i F y y U V y.. N xF c 0 i E'" v sem, O O � U F 0 F� L F Fr U F M M a O rl rl CC CC O � N CL CL CL G G G C. 00 C1 n 0 10 u 0) C: O m (1/ J E v 0 U U1 N CL v 0 0 u 0 0 v T 41 a C7 c 0 0 0 U Q a 0 i 0 0 U a� w 0 M M a a 0 U x i. U U U a l T 41 a C7 Appendix 3: AARP references https://states.aarp.org/indiana/aarp-grants-boost-IivabiIity https://states.aarp.org/wyoming/picklebaI1-is-the-fastest-growing-sport-in-america-have-you-*oined- the-craze https://states.aarp.org/tennessee/picklebaII-old-sport-new-craze htt s: /www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2022/pickiebaI1.htmI https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/picklebal 1/?CM P=RDRCT-CON-PICKLEBALL-01222024 https://Press.aarp.org/2024-07-30-AARP-Launches-Nationwide-AARP-PicklebaII-Clinic-Tour-Celebrating- Active-Agi ng June 10, 2025 Dear Members of the Lexington Recreation Committee, On behalf of the Lexington Pickleball Club Board and 1000+ members, the Lexington Pickleball Club appreciates the addition of two pickleball courts at Adams Field; however, converting the Valley Courts to tennis-only—and thereby eliminating four pickleball courts—would be detrimental to our rapidly growing community. We urge the Recreation Committee to maintain dual -use at Valley Courts and to collaborate with both tennis and pickleball stakeholders on design and funding solutions that serve all users. Respectively, Lexington Pickleball Club, Board of Directors I AS m E E in so V) LL 00 M Iffilmilmllollallmm"n- S..L cu U ^L \W O •AVA'I' W •~ W zi ? H W 0 Y d U V U O= cLLI S w� z a � a v a rU- W p J ~ U p Z W W Z J M 0] F [� W J N LLJ p N 0 LLL. °' Ln Ln Q Ln Z W W J a to ix Q 0] p Q w m O m W U to LL O a. LL LL O L) 0: a W W Q L' J Z N Op W a p= 0 0_ m Q U V) Z } W L) O d S W Q W H �. } M -jW j Q W LY 0 0 2 } H H H 4 FW- G N W Z 0 Q Z m Q Z J J}? 0 0 H a V7 V O Lr p 0] Z U U U fpq U ti Ld Q C7 LL S W 0 CO S Y U U N F p N S J O p Y 0 0 2 p O O O O U m m a W 0_ M J ,O -i LL >> i W 0 V) Q N Li = 0_ G lS Z J 0 Lr 0= 0= Z m Z U y W W N N M* LO LD n m 01 O .y N M 7 N tD Lh W 61 O H N M 7 N tD n 00 W O N N Y 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0~ ti .y ti ti ti ti N N N N N N N N N N M M M O Q O !V O Q. 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Ln N 0 N N 0 r Lexington RECREATION & COMMUNITY Town of Lexington Recreation and Community Programs Melissa Battite, CPRP Tel: 781-698-4800 Director of Recreation and Community Programs Fax: 781-861-2747 Recreation & Community Programs June 2025 Report Save the Date & FYI • Saturday, May 24th — Discovery Day. Four of our part time team members, Daniel Parsons, Harry Denehy, Benjamin Levit, and Madelyn Aggouras worked the booth and hosted yard games with residents, handed out SWAG (ponchos were popular), and answered questions. It was a rainy day but everyone had fun. • Monday, June 23rd — Summer programs, swim lessons, and Swim Team begin • Tuesday, July 11t — the Department will host a community table at the Farmers' Market to promote and share information on programs and services to celebrate National Park & Recreation Month which is held each July. • Friday September 12th — Community Center 10th Anniversary Celebration Programs & Services • The spring NFL FLAG Football League ended on Sunday, June 8th • Summer staff orientations and trainings began in late May and will continue during the week of June 16th as we prepare for the start of summer programs on Monday, June 23rd • Summer staff will participate in the Coach -Mentor Training facilitated by the US Soccer Foundation on Saturday, June 14th. There will be a second training for Youth Sports Coaches in the fall. Both trainings are free to the department, and are funded by the Million Coaches Challenge Grant awarded by NRPA. Parks, Fields, & Facilities Aquatics • The Town Pool opened for the season on Monday, June 2nd and the Old Reservoir opened on Saturday, June 7th. The hours of operation can be found online. • A big thank you to our teams at DPW, Information Technology and DPF who assist with the preseason preparations to ensure both the Pool and Reservoir are ready for opening day. • A special thanks to Shawn Newell who has led the Old Reservoir Bathhouse renovation project over the past year. The Reservoir Bathhouse renovations are complete and a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place in the coming weeks. www.Iexingtonma.gov/recreation recdept@Iexingtonma.gov 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MA 02421 (office) 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 (moil) • New lane lines and a Mobi Mat which will provide wheel chair access from the bathhouse to the water were both installed at the Old Reservoir. Athletic Fields • The summer field schedule has been finalized and the deadline to submit fall field requests is Tuesday, July 11t Hard Court Surfaces • An inspection was completed at the Skate Park on Wednesday, May 28th. The recommendations in the inspection report will be taken into consideration when determining the scope for the Skate Park replacement project, which will be a FY27 funding request. Playgrounds • The replacement slide at the Lincoln Playground is tentatively scheduled to be installed before the end of the month. • The routine playground inspections have resumed. Budget & Capital Lincoln Park Boardwalks — the Lincoln Park Boardwalks project is underway and the construction portion is expected to take place in July and August. Center Playground Replacement Proiect — Planning for the Center Playground replacement project is underway. Over 150 responses for the design survey have been received and the first Community Meeting was held on Thursday, May 22nd. Staff recently visited three universal playgrounds located in the area and the second community meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24th. More information can be found online. Lincoln Field #2 —the contractor (RAD Sports) will mobilize on Monday, June 16th and substantial completion is anticipated to be late August. Pine Meadows Golf Clubhouse Renovation — renovation remains ongoing. The anticipated substantial completion is mid-to-late August. Bowman Field Renovation — the survey work has been completed and staff will be reviewing the survey report in the coming weeks. At that point, next steps for this project will be determined. Marketing & Building Use • 224 (177 unique) reservations totaling 1,395 hours • Visitation totaled 16,935 • DPW/DPF/IT completed 12 work orders to help keep the building safe and usable for the public. • Registrations o 681 Registrations 0 375 Memberships o $661 donated to the Rec Scholarship Fund Online brochures views reached 2,214 reads for an average of 4 minutes. • June Constant Contact had a 59% open rate (10,201) and a 4% click rate (728). The newsletter will go out to non -openers on June 91h • Liam Carlson a Senior at Franklin Pierce University studying marketing has joined the team in the beginning of June and will be here for 4.5 weeks. He will serve as a marketing Intern for the department. Programming • Another successful USCF Rated Chess Tourament took place at the Community Center on May 311t with 65 in attendance. Tournaments will take a break over the summer but start back up in the Fall. Lexington RECREATION & COMMUNITY V� Melissa Battite, CPRP Tel: 781-698-4800 Director of Recreation and Community Programs Fax: 781-861-2747 June 2, 2025 Dear Neighbor, You are receiving this letter as an abutter to the Lincoln Park located at 122 Lincoln Street. During the 2024 Annual Town Meeting, funds were appropriated for the reconstruction of Lincoln Field #2 Project details can be found on the department capital landing page here: https://Iexinkonma.gov/1951/Athletic-Fields-Projects The web page will be updated throughout the project as well. The Lincoln Field #2 Reconstruction Project is scheduled to mobilize on Monday, June 16, 2025. The project is anticipated to be substantially complete by the end of August 2025. The Lincoln Park will remain opened during construction with Field #2. There will be limited parking as some spaces will be used for the laydown areas of the project. The portion of the walking path beginning at Lincoln #1 and continues around to the asphalt will be closed for the duration of the project. Please contact me with any questions or concerns, I can be reached at 781.698.4800 or via email at mbattite@lexingtonma.gov. Thank you for your support and patience as we improve the park for continued years of enjoyment. joere -JX mine Battite, CPRP Director Cc: Recreation Committee Lincoln Park Sub -Committee Sports Advisory Council LEXINGTON COiVI1V1UNITY CENTER 139 KkRRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MA 02421 wrvtiv.lexingtonma.gov/recreation a;r � » g f. ��� A.\ � � a� . . « s6.ya �ƒ ©&� �� ^ � w ` *a \ � »\� ,¥ °~ % .\?a � . }� < �`` . s.� : k°. «. � w� �... . §� � � � / . ,v, � \ �- \� \\ : w . a+ y «... .. .w«� �� � �� ^7� �� � wi« From: Melissa Battite mbattite@lexingtonma.gov Subject: RE: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation Date: June 6, 2025 at 11:23 To: rjwhitephd@gmail.com, Peter Coleman pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov Cc: Recreation Committee recreationcmte@lexingtonma.gov Hello Roger, Thank you for your email. This will be shared with the Recreation Committee Thank you, Melissa From: noreply_@civicplus.com [mailto:noreply_@civicplus.com] Sent: Friday, May 23, 2025 9:46 AM To: Rec Dept <recdep @lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Contact Us - Recreation Your Name Roger White Your Email rjwhitephd@gmail.com Subject Valley Road Pickleball court resurfacing Messaore I do not want to see the Valley Rd courts restricted to tennis only as there are too few pickleball courts available for open play as the town courts are currently configured. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. Melissa Battite From: Peter Coleman Sent: Monday, June 9, 2025 8:12 AM To: Roger White Cc: Melissa Battite; Recreation Committee Subject: RE: Valley Road Courts — Preserve Inclusive Access Good Morning Roger, This suggestion will be taken into consideration during the decision-making process. Thanks, Peter Peter Coleman, CPRP, CPSI, CYSA I Assistant Director of Recreation Spring & Summer 2025 Proeram Reeistration is Oneoinel Town of Lexington I Recreation and Community Programs A: 39 Marrett Road I Lexington, MA 02421 P: (781) 698-4803 1 F: (781) 861-2747 Lexington PIC 0 Wtom IV Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Roger White <rjwhitephd@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, lune 8, 2025 7:47 PM To: Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Re: Valley Road Courts – Preserve Inclusive Access USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Thanks, Peter. I had another thought—if the Recreation Committee decides to move forward with honoring the LISTA and designating the Valley courts as tennis -only, perhaps two other tennis only courts, in town could be converted to pickleball-only to help maintain a balance for both communities. Sincerely, Roger White On Sun, Jun 8, 2025 at 3:32 PM Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexinetonma.eov> wrote: Hi Roger, Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee. 1 Thanks, Peter Peter Coleman, CPRP, CPSI, CYSA I Assistant Director of Recreation Sprint; & Summer 2025 Program Registration is Ongoing! Town of Lexington I Recreation and Community Programs A: 39 Marrett Road I Lexington, MA 02421 P: (781) 698-4803 1 F: (781) 861-2747 Lexingt©n ms toss kTl_ 11A.11171 6 dt]1 Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Roger White <riwhitephd@gmail.com> Sent: Saturday, June 7, 2025 5:07 PM To: Melissa Battite <mbattite@lexin>;tonma.gov> Cc: Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Valley Road Courts – Preserve Inclusive Access USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Dear Melissa and Peter, As a 20 -year Lexington resident and dedicated pickleball player for the past 7 years—thanks in part to the town's recreation programs—I believe it would be a serious mistake to limit the Valley Road courts to tennis only. I understand there is currently a funding shortfall of less than 10% for the resurfacing project, and that the USTA has offered to cover this gap—but with the condition that the courts be used exclusively for tennis. In my view, no outside organization or individual should dictate how our public facilities are used, especially in exchange for such a relatively small contribution. If accepting this funding means excluding pickleball, I would rather see the project delayed until fully inclusive funding is available. I urge you to support a rebuild that accommodates both tennis and pickleball—or even pickleball exclusively, given the site's distance from residential areas. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. Sincerely, Roger J. White, Ph.D. 30 Revere St. Lexington When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. 3 Melissa Battite From: Peter Coleman Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 11:45 AM To: Alexis Maimonis; Melissa Battite Cc: Recreation Committee Subject: RE: o Save Valley Courts — Stop the Tennis -Only Plan! Hi Alexis, Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee. Thanks, Peter Peter Coleman, CPRP, CPSI, CYSA I Assistant Director of Recreation Spring & Summer 2025 Program Registration is Ongoing! Town of Lexington I Recreation and Community Programs A: 39 Marrett Road I Lexington, MA 02421 P: (781) 698-4803 1 F: (781) 861-2747 Lexington rFcalo vcxiIY ITS -_J25 Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Alexis Maimonis <aemaimonis@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 9:19 AM To: Melissa Battite <mbattite@lexingtonma.gov>; Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: © Save Valley Courts — Stop the Tennis -Only Plan! USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Dear Lexington Recreation Committee and Staff, I'm writing as a concerned Lexington resident and community member to respectfully urge you not to accept USTA funding that would permanently restrict Valley courts to tennis -only use. Valley has long been a shared resource for both tennis and pickleball players. Accepting funding that eliminates pickleball access would: • Reduce available court hours for hundreds of pickleball players by 40%, at a time when demand is rising. • Set a troubling precedent by allowing outside special interest groups to impose long-term limitations on public facilities funded by Lexington taxpayers. Exacerbate existing inequities in court access — especially during peak hours and the school year, when alternatives like Clarke are inaccessible. We understand the financial challenges the Valley project has faced, but the solution should not come at the cost of inclusive community access. Lexington's recreational decisions should prioritize flexibility and the needs of all residents — not be determined by restrictive external funding. Please consider alternate solutions or funding sources that do not require permanent limitations on how our public spaces are used. This decision impacts more than just Valley; it sets a tone for how we value shared spaces in Lexington. Thank you for your time and your commitment to our community. Sincerely, Alexis Maimonis Reed Street, Lexington MA Resident When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. Melissa Battite From: Peter Coleman Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 11:45 AM To: Jane Lawler; Melissa Battite Cc: Recreation Committee Subject: RE: upcoming Valley Court charts Hi Jane, Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee Thanks, Peter Peter Coleman, CPRP, CPSI, CYSA I Assistant Director of Recreation Sorine & Summer 2025 Program Registration is Ongoing! Town of Lexington Recreation and Community Programs A: 39 Marrett Road Lexington, MA 02421 P: (781) 698-4803 1 F: (781) 861-2747 Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Jane Lawler <jmlawler4@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 30, 2025 4:39 PM To: Melissa Battite <mbattite@lexingtonma.gov>; Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: upcoming Valley Court charts USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Hello Melissa and Peter -- I am writing to you to share my disappointment in hearing about the proposed changes for The Valley Rd courts. There is a dearth of pickleball courts in town. LPC has been a great resource, but it is very difficult to get into one of their sessions. They limit players to play one session per day but if you are not online when the sessions are opened, you won't be able to get in. They do not open the sessions at a specific known time. I have an LPC pass as well but most days I am not able to reserve a court even though I know exactly when the courts will be open for reservations. Taking away 4 PB courts is going to exasperate our access to courts even further. I think the Rec Committee needs to take the time to assess what Lexington citizens are really looking for before this decision is made. Thanks for listening, Jane Lawler 2j;Q Lexington tfCY 1,4tt{I!�S�.G+iwLUh'I I i �`�-��5 Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Jane Lawler <jmlawler4@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 30, 2025 4:39 PM To: Melissa Battite <mbattite@lexingtonma.gov>; Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: upcoming Valley Court charts USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Hello Melissa and Peter -- I am writing to you to share my disappointment in hearing about the proposed changes for The Valley Rd courts. There is a dearth of pickleball courts in town. LPC has been a great resource, but it is very difficult to get into one of their sessions. They limit players to play one session per day but if you are not online when the sessions are opened, you won't be able to get in. They do not open the sessions at a specific known time. I have an LPC pass as well but most days I am not able to reserve a court even though I know exactly when the courts will be open for reservations. Taking away 4 PB courts is going to exasperate our access to courts even further. I think the Rec Committee needs to take the time to assess what Lexington citizens are really looking for before this decision is made. Thanks for listening, Jane Lawler From: Melissa Battite mbattite@lexingtonma.gov Subject: RE: Keep pickleball at Valley courts Date: June 6, 2025 at 11:24 To: Martha Groves marthagroves@verizon.net, Peter Coleman pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov Cc: Chris Groves christopherlgroves@gmail.com, Recreation Committee recreationcmte@lexingtonma.gov Hello Martha Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee Thank you Melissa From: Martha Groves <marthagroves@verizon.net> Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2025 1:09 PM To: Melissa Battite <mbatdte@lexingtonma.gov>; Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Cc: Chris Groves <christopherlgroves@gmail.com> Subject: Keep pickleball at Valley courts USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Dear Lexington Recreation Department, We are writing to you to ask you to please keep pickleball at the Valley courts. The current demand for pickleball courts for independent play significantly exceeds the capacity and making Valley tennis -only will only add to that problem. And given that the Gallagher courts are tennis -only and often have empty courts in the morning, it doesn't seem to serve the community well to also make Valley tennis -only. In addition to playing pickleball with independent groups, we are also members of the Lexington Pickleball Club, which has court times at Adams and Clarke. Many of the LPC sessions available to us are oversubscribed with long waiting lists, limiting our ability to access their sessions. So for the LPC courts, demand also outstrips capacity. Given that pickleball demand is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, the excess demand problem is only going to get worse, especially if Valley is turned into tennis -only. We would like the town to keep the Valley Courts as dual -use pickleball/tennis, even if it means delaying the Valley renovations until adequate funding can be obtained to complete the renovations. Thank you for your consideration. Best regards, Martha and Chris Groves 144 East St From: Melissa Battite mbattite@lexingtonma.gov Subject: RE: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation Date: June 6, 2025 at 11:22 To: Peter Coleman pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov, kscottjdv@gmail.com Cc: Recreation Committee recreationcmte@lexingtonma.gov Hi Kathryn Thank you for your email. This will be shared with the Recreation Committee Thank you Melissa From: noreply_@civicplus.com (mailto:noreply_@civicplus.com Sent: Friday, May 23, 2025 7:32 AM To: Rec Dept <recdept Iexingtonma.gov> Subject: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Contact Us - Recreation Your Name Kathryn Scott Your Email Subject kscottjdv@gmail.com Pickleball courts Messaje Hello, I have retired out of tennis and now LOVE pickleball as do so many others. Pickleball allows many people (18 ish) to enjoy the use of a few tennis courts, vs. tennis which is at most 8 people. It is athletic and social as games are short and players play with many different partners. We need more pickleball courts in Lexington for residents to play with family and friends. It is WRONG to take money for a special interest group - USTA - which would then eliminate pickleball at Valley Road courts. Those are perfect pickleball courts as there are just a few homes nearby (perhaps 3 can hear noise, but often overshad- owed by airplane traffic). Please do no mix taxpayer money with 3rd party money which allows for special interest group of tennis players only to use a public facility. It is unethical. Thank you for doing the right thing in advance, Kathy Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. From: Melissa Battite mbattite@lexingtonma.gov Subject: RE: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation Date: June 6, 2025 at 11:19 To: mmppss@bosbruins.com, Peter Coleman pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov Cc: Recreation Committee recreationcmte@lexingtonma.gov Hi Mary Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee Melissa USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Contact Us - Recreation Your Name Mary Sweeney Your Email mmppss@bosbruins.com Subject Valley Court Rebuilding Message I'm writing to express my concern about the proposal to accept outside funding for rebuilding the Valley courts with the condi- tion that they be made tennis -only. While I understand the need to address funding gaps, I believe it's unfair and short-sighted to exclude pickleball, which is a rapidly growing sport in our community and enjoyed by many residents. As a Lexington resident who has been playing pickleball on these courts for the past five years, I've seen firsthand how valuable they are to a wide range of community members. The current shared use promotes accessibility, inclusiveness, and a better return on public space. Prioritizing one group over anoth- er based on a conditional donation undermines the goal of serving the whole community. I would rather see the project delayed until more equitable funding becomes available than see a decision that favors one group at the expense of others. Thank you for your time and for considering the interests of all residents. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. From: Melissa Battite mbattite@lexingtonma.gov Subject: RE: Valley Court Pickleball Use and Improving Court Access Date: June 6, 2025 at 11:17 To: Jiaying Xiao xiao.jiaying@gmail.com Cc: Peter Coleman pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov, Recreation Committee recreationcmte@lexingtonma.gov Thank you for your email It will be shared with the Recreation Committee. Melissa From: Jiaying Xiao <xiao.jiaying@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 9:17 PM To: Melissa Battite <mbattite@lexingtonma.gov> Cc: Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Valley Court Pickleball Use and Improving Court Access USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Dear Melissa, I was not able to attend today's Rec Committee meeting so I am writing to share my perspective on several issues affecting court access and community fairness, particularly as they relate to pickleball and tennis in town. 1. Valley Courts and USTA Funding I am strongly opposed to the proposed acceptance of LISTA funding if it requires Valley Courts to be restricted to tennis only. Valley has long served both tennis and pickleball players in the town, and making it exclusive to one group would deprive a significant portion of our residents —many of whom are dedicated pickleball players—of an important local resource. Taxpayer - funded facilities on public land should remain accessible to all taxpayers, without private conditions that exclude sizeable user groups. I am also fine with waiting until additional funds become available at a later date to rebuild the courts. 2. Limited Court Availability at Adams and Clarke Many community members, myself included, have noticed that a large proportion of time slots at Adams and Clarke are reserved for organized or contracted programs, dramatically reducing open play opportunities for those who purchased memberships expecting more flexible access. The current schedule makes it increasingly difficult for individuals and independent groups to find court time that fits their needs. I strongly urge greater balance between organized programming and providing sufficient open slots for residents who simply want to play at their convenience. 3. PlayLocal Reservation System Concerns The current PlayLocal reservation system, which operates on a rolling 14 -day advance basis, makes it difficult for members to secure desired court times. Since reservations open throughout the day on a rolling schedule, people with busy schedules—especially those commuting or working late—often miss the opportunity to book popular time slots. I recommend adopting a fixed reservation release time for all users, which would make the process clearer and more equitable by giving everyone an equal chance to reserve courts. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued work on behalf of all recreation users in town. I look forward to your thoughts and to'collaborating on solutions that promote fairness and wide community access. Sincerely, Aaying Xiao When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. Melissa Battite From: Peter Coleman Sent: Monday, June 9, 2025 12:03 PM To: imecarolyn@mac.com Cc: Melissa Battite; Recreation Committee Subject: RE: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation Hi Carolyn, Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee. Thanks, Peter Peter Coleman, CPRP, CPS[, CYSA i Assistant Director of Recreation Suring & Summer 2025 Program Registration is Ongoing! Town of Lexington I Recreation and Community Programs A: 39 Marrett Road i Lexington, MA 02421 P: (781) 698-4803 i F: (781) 861-2747 Lexington kEiefneu)!c{ a„Hveivi �� 1775=:D25 4_v�— r M �r as Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: noreply@civicplus.com <noreply@civicplus.com> Sent: Saturday, June 7, 2025 4:22 PM To: Rec Dept <recdept@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Contact Us - Recreation Your Name Your Email Subject Message Carolyn Levi imecarolyn(aD.mac.com Please keep Valley Road for pickleball I know other pickleball players are keeping you informed of strong reasons to keep pickleball at Valley Road, but I wanted to add one more consideration. I am a senior living near Estabrook. Valley Rd is the ONLY senior -friendly recreational facility Lexington offers on this side of town. Adams, Clarke, the community garden, and the Community/Senior Center are all several miles away. Please don't cut back on our opportunities for community and recreation. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. Melissa Battite From: Peter Coleman Sent: Monday, June 9, 2025 10:07 AM To: Jonathan Fleischmann Cc: Melissa Battite; Recreation Committee Subject: RE: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation Hi Jonathan, Thank you for your email. This has been shared with the Recreation Committee. Thanks, Peter Peter Coleman, CPRP, CPS[, CYSA I Assistant Director of Recreation Shrine & Summer 2025 Program Registration is Ongoing! Town of Lexington Recreation and Community Programs A: 39 Marrett Road Lexington, MA 02421 P: (781) 698-4803 1 F: (781) 861-2747 Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Melinda Spencer <mspencer@lexingtonma.gov> On Behalf Of Rec Dept Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 10:52 PM To: Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: FW: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation From: noreply@civicplus.com [mailto:noreply@civicplus.coml Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 5:23 PM To: Rec Dept <recdept@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Contact Us - Recreation Your Name Jonathan Fleischmann 1 250 Lexington k{t O�,t't{j,Y fa, i;iltlLCI1'I IT i:7�-�*.r2S r Ylrr.-,1.i I Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places From: Melinda Spencer <mspencer@lexingtonma.gov> On Behalf Of Rec Dept Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 10:52 PM To: Peter Coleman <pcoleman@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: FW: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation From: noreply@civicplus.com [mailto:noreply@civicplus.coml Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 5:23 PM To: Rec Dept <recdept@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: Online Form Submittal: Contact Us - Recreation USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Contact Us - Recreation Your Name Jonathan Fleischmann 1 Your Email Subj ect JlflexingtonCaD,gmail.com Valley Rd reconstruction Message I recently met Peter Coleman when speaking at the last Rec Committee meeting; I appreciate his responsiveness. I have been a Lexington resident and active athlete in Lexington for 62 years, a tennis player for 55 and added competitive pickleball only recently. While I have joined LPC, and support their efforts, there is currently insufficient court availability to support both LPC use and independent resident use. Losing Valley to pickleball would make it next to impossible for residents to reserve a court and play pickleball independently while the court sign-up demand thru LPC far outstrips their session slots. (In May, I got into no sessions for which I was qualified, for example.) In June, via a combination reserving mostly Valley for my own games, signing up for LPC sessions and playing at Hayden, I am making it work. If we take out Valley for pickleball, with Hayden unavailable for pickleball in the summer, residents will be forced to go to Arlington, Belmont, Bedford (many.are already). That doesn't seem to be a fair solution. Further, I do not have trouble with tennis reservation availability at Gallagher and haven't played tennis there in years. So, as a lifetime tennis player, I urge that the town avoid the material impact of losing shared use at Valley and further, sooner rather than later, increase pickleball availability in Lexington. Thank you for hearing me out! Happy to speak further and happy to get involved! Jonathan Fleischmann 8 Angier Rd 617-645-1617 jlflexin tq onCa.gmail.com Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. 2 From: Melissa Battite mbattite@lexingtonma.gov Subject: RE: presentation at rec comm meeting this week Date: June 9, 2025 at 17:55 To: jtephome@jtepnet.com Cc: Recreation Committee recreationcmte@lexingtonma.gov Hi Jill The Agenda has been posted - http://www.lexingtonma.gov/AgendaCenter/Recreation-Committee- REC-49/ The materials can be shared with the Committee in advance of the meeting for their review. Please send as soon as possible to provide the committee the opportunity to review prior to the meeting. Thanks From: jtephome@jtepnet.com <jtephome@jtepnet.com> Sent: Monday, June 9, 2025 3:05 PM To: Melissa Battite <mbatdte@lexingtonma.gov> Subject: presentation at rec comm meeting this week USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Hi Melissa. Just a reminder that we requested time at the upcoming rec committee meeting to make a presentation prior to the Valley funding vote. We are working on our slides and will get them to you for distribution late wed or early thursday. thanks. jill teplensky When writing or responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is a public record and, therefore, may not be kept confidential. Melissa Battite From: PK Shiu (LPC)<pk@lexingtonpickleballclub.org> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 10:16 AM To: Peter Coleman; Melissa Battite; claireshethma@gmail.com Cc: board@lexingtonpicklebalIclub.org Subject: LPC Comment on Valley Road Project USE CAUTION: This email came from outside the Town of Lexington. Do not click links, open attachments or respond to the email unless you recognize the sender, you are expecting the communication and you know the content is safe. Hi Peter, Melissa and Claire, Please find below the LPC thoughts on Valley Road. We will submit this to the Rec Comm prior to the up coming Rec Comm meeting. Thanks! PK and the LPC Board The Lexington Pickleball Club appreciates the addition of two pickleball courts at Adams Field; however, converting the Valley Courts to tennis-only—and thereby eliminating four pickleball courts—would be detrimental to our rapidly growing community. We urge the Recreation Committee to maintain dual -use at Valley Courts and to collaborate with both tennis and pickleball stakeholders on design and funding solutions that serve all users.