Southborough committee reviews Fayetteville Park plan proposing spray pad, dog park and accessibility upgrades

Southborough’s Community Preservation Committee on Oct. 16 reviewed a proposal from the Recreation Department to renovate Fayetteville Park, including an accessible spray pad and a fenced off‑leash dog park, and discussed funding, design and community concerns.

The Recreation Department presented a schematic plan and preliminary budget and said the town could pay $67,000 toward design work from the recreation revolving fund. The department also outlined possible outside funding — including state and foundation grants — and described outreach, accessibility and maintenance plans.

Why this matters: the park is one of the town’s more used neighborhood parks, and the proposal bundles two amenities residents frequently request — a water play feature and a dedicated dog area — while seeking to resolve access and maintenance questions that affect both daily use and capital costs.

Travis, a Recreation Department staff member who led the presentation, pointed the committee to the park map and described existing facilities. “That’s the park that we’re looking to take a hard look at right now. Definitely one of the more popular parks and playgrounds that we have in South Grove,” he said. He said the department envisions an accessible loop path that would connect a spray pad, picnic/ shaded family area, the existing basketball court and a dog park so people of all abilities can reach the amenities.

The proposal draws on multiple planning documents the town has completed, notably the town’s 2019 Open Space and Recreation Plan and the 2021 ADA transition self‑assessment for parks, which identified accessibility shortfalls at…