[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6362017,"mediaKeyId","2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5","parentId",2169030,"title","Board approves a range of park permits, waives some fees and records follow‑up tasks","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4290000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5&start=4290&end=4290","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5/thumbnail_4290000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6362017/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Board-approves-a-range-of-park-permits-waives-some-fees-and-records-followup-tasks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362017-340ecb07649c71b3bb2cbb6e47e3fe89/orig.mp4?Expires=1773655287&Signature=ULt6lVTST4zQyqaEgf2Ph6f3rUHIu7Ig3IOVD4pU6JRpHQiafsShHIPOitSlSS9h1IjOhcwDU9jsHAR9UUrPP0cK7XfUnpp0G7zuAyXAbmGW3dMafqurc5TOqKcDcJQAdPsu~DL9O38ikbGm0OQFPeOaxqaUtbSZWv~WxMHefaG7vIeXVFck~weDENIVZggK87AcTGIs0KcSJfzkLZwnCYFjAkFDpWPXAhQiE11GN4u1376CA7kph8KpvRJ7U83eWposWcPP7f-cSWvP3bjHof3C-jtbk3QpEdsV6Kd~QCJfz1ReKdMwSR-Xt4ajMHqEhi6NfYjy3qtrnDVvlCjJjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lowell City, MA","date","2025-01-30T14:40:06Z","article","The Lowell City Parks & Recreation Advisory Board approved a lengthy series of permits on Jan. 29 covering spring and summer uses across the city’s parks, including school sports schedules, youth league play, community festivals and charity events. Several fee waivers and custodial arrangements were also adopted for nonprofit and school initiatives.

Major outcomes

- The board approved a series of seasonal field and concession permits submitted by youth and adult sports organizations (see “Votes at a glance” below). Several groups were granted routine multi‑date permits that enable weekday practices and weekend games through the spring season.

- The board granted specific fee waivers or reductions for community benefit events and school activities where noted in the record. Examples in this meeting include waivers or reductions of Adelphia/permit fees and custodial fees for nonprofit fundraisers, school field trips, and senior events; those were handled on a case‑by‑case basis and recorded on motions found in the transcript.

- The board accepted an amended permit option to make the Shedd Park cross‑country course permitable (separate article) and asked staff to add that option to the online permitting system.

- Staff warned the board that construction related to a wastewater project at Cawley Stadium will begin in March and is projected to run through 2027; the board noted potential parking and staging impacts and asked staff to coordinate with user groups.

Practical notes for applicants

- Where custodial staff are not routinely scheduled (for example, many weekend blocks), applicants who require extended services were charged custodial fees (typically recorded as $150 to $300 or as noted in individual motions); the board also granted waivers in select cases where the applicant was a nonprofit or school group.

- The board repeatedly encouraged applicants to coordinate directly with each other where conflicts arise rather than relying on the board to impose a schedule, and it asked staff to provide clearer scheduling windows as the permitting system is adjusted.

Votes at a glance (selected items)
- Motion to approve applicant concessions and field schedules for multiple youth and senior leagues and school programs (permits covering April 1–June 30 for many fields): approved by voice vote.
- Motion to permit Lowell High School’s cross‑country course at Shedd Park (create a permittable item): approved by voice vote.
- Motion to table the overlapping cricket wicket requests and continue the item to next month so applicants can meet and propose a shared schedule: approved by voice vote (see separate article).
- Motions to waive or reduce Adelphia/permit and custodial fees for identified nonprofit events (examples include: a school field trip credit, community scholarship fundraisers, and a benefit barbecue): approved in individual motions by voice vote.

The board also recorded numerous individual permit approvals for named organizations (Lowell Youth Lacrosse, Lowell Angels baseball, community festivals, senior events and multiple youth summer camps). Where a custodian is required on a date that falls outside regular staffing, the agenda records a custodial fee; in several instances the board waived or reduced that fee on a motion.

The board asked staff to return with specific dates for items that were held pending other users (notably larger tournament requests later in the season) and to provide a report on bathroom access and custodial procedures for permitted users.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lowell Board of Parks - January 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Jan. 29 meeting the board approved numerous facility permits for spring and summer programs across Lowell parks, granted several fee waivers for community and school events, and set follow‑up items for staff on custodial access and construction impacts.","taxTitle","Lowell City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",4223,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6362022,"Board gives Lowell High School option to permit cross‑country course at Shedd Park",246,1059000,1305000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5&start=1059&end=1305","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5/thumbnail_1059000.jpg","/articles/6362022/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Board-gives-Lowell-High-School-option-to-permit-crosscountry-course-at-Shedd-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362022-9bc9460812cced60ef04ea8378f82498/orig.mp4?Expires=1773655287&Signature=TowPnNI5-GpMCApptr3Qrwd3AdBBpQrvMgUwFBhuBrgCKFfExt-fXC5zxpuagfsOj~AUBZd81ztI8P3GfA2RxeK1bi92wDZK1LR8IrV71KZ7aHPdlqDwO5u9o1fGXKdN~h7-WXo0~cqAjTrJBAyUOLC1KeOGoiigZDcNPoZlNv0Yw1lzZjWyMumWwe00A7dBV7qIpOnFUj3iq10n~kTXZM6wW45ALgoLLzAp24s7D0EsJA8HYkNvfJ9iLkQbgW5KSkSXr-f9e4OcVNJ14vTssHeAJyiPDtoMjDxcUWFsXNONHaU3upli1ZAKG8QgeWhNroZUWlYzIzRnlJ6eckLx9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowell City Parks & Recreation Advisory Board voted Jan. 29 to allow the cross‑country course that runs through Shedd Park to be made a permittable facility, following a request from Lowell High School.

Scott (identified in remarks as representing Lowell High School) told the board that running groups have been using the wooded trails with increasing frequency, and that school cross‑country teams sometimes need exclusive use for middle‑ and high‑school meets and practices. He described a recent instance when a private running group occupied the trails during a scheduled middle school race and the coach requested a half hour for the students to finish; the group agreed, but the school asked for formal permitability to prevent future conflicts.

Board members discussed how the permit would be applied and clarified that existing track permits already cover the formal track itself; the change sought was to allow a permit explicitly for the wooded cross‑country route through Shedd Park so coaches could reserve it when needed. After discussion the board voted to make the cross‑country course a permissable resource and directed staff to add it to the online permitting options so teams and school groups may reserve it during the cross‑country season.

The board’s action was procedural: it did not automatically assign any dates or modify other groups’ existing permits. Scott said the high school and the junior high teams would use the course primarily in the fall and that they would coordinate with Parks staff on custodial needs and parking when large races occur.

","The board voted to add the cross-country running course at Shedd Park to the list of permitable locations, giving Lowell High School a formal way to reserve the trail during the season.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6362027,"Cricket clubs ask for more weekend time at single city wicket; board asks groups to negotiate",719,375000,1094000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5&start=375&end=1094","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169030-9053de73215c4844dc5fb3ca9aa876e5/thumbnail_375000.jpg","/articles/6362027/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Cricket-clubs-ask-for-more-weekend-time-at-single-city-wicket-board-asks-groups-to-negotiate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362027-e28768bd12c3242ee0a6391ce55b7642/orig.mp4?Expires=1773655287&Signature=hz7bmrglQLaxh0zB1HgNZaLndC78F5zlgdEle4yV808AMToFzSPHt6w36EHNstAfv~YzcgbyJbrcftFWD4jIZH~EU5KndnVkj7Ra86Q0whDx6tNh6Pr-zt1KgdkbqQGsqFTJ7MJG20ZGDQfpzwfxuME0O48JC1ArA0cJ97AxgvmBdMr4i0XyPFS0TDgggkK1jcImIU2u29dogUZfWuX0RYdcHm2sUvNfszXjjaU06J1PVNUxIHDKRk9Cm-UROzks6fpACKJTY3er0NKkMD9TgjES8BOI5MtwovmVsGkCBU75E4-IQ0nTrIP14JgZir70VcZB21N~n1J4lYvoOBOMig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two community cricket organizations asked the Lowell City Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on Jan. 29 for recurring weekend use of the city’s only full-size cricket wicket, sparking a lengthy discussion and ending with the board tabling the request.

The cricket groups’ representatives said both need repeated weekend access for tournaments and multiple teams. One speaker identified himself as Sabi Hassan and said his group helped build the wicket and had used it extensively for the past two seasons. Another representative, identified in the remarks as Hetal Patel, said his group applied earlier and sought additional Saturdays starting in May. Board members and staff said the city has only one facility configured for cricket and emphasized the need to share limited weekend time.

The board’s chairman urged the two groups to negotiate a shared schedule and return with an agreed proposal at next month’s meeting. He said the panel did not want to unilaterally assign multiple full weekend days to a single applicant without a concrete schedule showing tournament dates and practice needs. “If you leave it to me, you’re not gonna like it,” the chairman told the groups, and recommended they “sit down and try to work something out.”

The board gave the applicants until the next meeting to present a coordinated schedule. Board members said that if the groups cannot agree they will consider splitting weekend days and times; the chairman suggested that, failing an agreement, each side might receive partial weekend allocations. The board took a formal motion to continue the item to next month’s agenda and approved it by voice vote.

The delay preserves the board’s ability to accommodate other users who request the wicket before a final schedule is posted, and gives the two groups an opportunity to resolve conflicts without the board imposing a schedule.

The board also reminded applicants that weekday practice time is easier to accommodate and encouraged use of weekday slots where possible while keeping weekends available for tournaments.

The matter is scheduled to return to the board next month for a follow-up, with the applicants asked to bring specific tournament dates and an agreed allocation.

","Two community cricket groups sought overlapping weekend permits at the city’s only cricket-ready field. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board declined to pick a winner and asked the groups to work out a schedule and return next month.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves a range of park permits, waives some fees and records follow‑up tasks

Board gives Lowell High School option to permit cross‑country course at Shedd Park

Cricket clubs ask for more weekend time at single city wicket; board asks groups to negotiate