Council, park board and inclusive‑playground advocates favor Barlow Farm but pause to gather neighborhood input

City staff, the Park Board and members of the Hudson Inclusive Playground (HIP) group reported that the Park Board voted 3–2 to recommend Barlow Farm Park as the preferred site for a planned inclusive playground, but council asked for additional neighborhood outreach and asked the Park Board to revisit Oak Grove as a secondary option before a final decision.

Staff summary and budget: City staff said the administration evaluated Barlow Farm Park, Hudson Springs Park and Oak Grove for the inclusive playground after federal grant funds previously expected to support the project were not awarded earlier this year. Staff provided conceptual site plans and cost estimates: Barlow Farm Park was estimated at about $1,250,000; Hudson Springs Park about $1,505,000; Oak Grove about $1,570,000. Staff said Middleton Road Park would have required major grading, a new parking lot and new restrooms and had a total estimate of roughly $2,800,000.

Tom Sheridan, a city staff member, summarized the remaining steps if council selects a site: design, planning commission review, bid and award, and construction. Sheridan said the city can "mothball" sites over winter and still meet a target completion date of June 25, 2026, if design work and procurement advance promptly.

Why it matters: The playground is intended for children of varying abilities and is meant to be an inclusive amenity for families across Hudson and nearby communities. Advocates said safety and site context were key factors in recommending Barlow.

Positions and concerns: The Park Board chair (unnamed) told council the Park Board considered safety, parking and noise in its vote; the chair said Park Board members weighed proximity to the lake and the turnpike at Hudson Springs and parking and traffic at Barlow. ‘‘Park Board had a three‑two vote in favor of Barlow,’’ the chair said.

Megan, representing the Hudson Inclusive Playground group, said she preferred Barlow, citing water‑safety concerns at Hudson Springs: "Children with disabilities are 161 times more likely to drown than typical children. So that right there, I think, would be a reason to not do it at Hudson Springs," Megan said.

Some councilors supported Barlow because it sits adjacent to existing recreation amenities including sports fields, pickleball and tennis courts and a barn, which they said would create a centralized destination. Others expressed concern from nearby homeowners that increasing Barlow’s capacity could raise traffic and noise; council asked staff to notify and solicit input from households on Stow Road and surrounding Weston Hills and to add the item back to the May 27 meeting agenda after Park Board review.

Alternative sites: Oak Grove was added to the staff analysis at Council President Foster’s request after residents raised the park’s lack of a clear long‑term vision. Staff noted Oak Grove has a small existing playground and a vault restroom without water or septic; staff also reported wetlands in parts of the Oak Grove woods and that relocating the playground into the gravel parking area would avoid wetlands but raise costs for septic and well infrastructure.

Parking and funding: Staff said council previously budgeted 24 additional spaces at Barlow Farm Park for the year and that the administration could identify an additional 13 spaces in the conceptual plan. Staff said a separate grant application (Play for All) requests $400,000 for additional parking; if that grant is awarded, staff estimated the park could reach roughly 500 total parking spaces when combined with other lots and planned facilities.

Next steps: Council asked the Park Board to consider Barlow and Oak Grove at a special meeting (Park Board meets Monday) and asked staff to notify adjacent neighborhoods and report back at the May 27 meeting. Staff emphasized design and planning commission review are required before bidding and construction.

Ending: Council members and advocates said they want the inclusive playground built but urged quick follow‑up so the project can proceed on a tight schedule if the council confirms a location.