Lowell senior subcommittee outlines senior-playground plans, schedules OSRP focus group for July 10

Chairwoman Rosia reported to the Lowell City Council on a June 12 senior-citizen subcommittee meeting that explored equipment and locations for a proposed senior playground and announced a public focus group tied to the city's Open Space and Recreation Plan.

The subcommittee, Rosia said, heard from Yovanni Baez Rose, director of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), who explained that a “senior playground is a recreational space designed specifically to serve the needs of older adults” and that manufacturers make equipment for that population. Rosia said the subcommittee discussed potential sites including Harmony Park at 1 Clark Street and locations adjacent to the senior center.

Why it matters: The discussion ties into the city’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP), a community planning process that will guide park and recreation goals for the next decade and is scheduling outreach to ensure seniors’ needs are included.

Rosia told councilors the OSRP team will host a focus-group meeting at the senior center on July 10 at 10 a.m. to gather senior feedback; the meeting will be advertised on the city website and in the senior-center newsletter. Kim Gagnon, director of the Senior Center, and DPD staff participated in the subcommittee meeting, Rosia said.

The subcommittee addressed related issues raised by seniors: dog access at parks, types of equipment, outreach to seniors who could not attend the meeting and requests for benches along River Road, building air-conditioning, and traffic-calming needs. The subcommittee also recorded neighborhood concerns about construction traffic and street-light glare on Western Avenue.

Motions recorded by the subcommittee, according to Rosia, included: exploring disability seating for city events, requesting a traffic-mitigation plan for Swan and Bigelow Streets related to the Gorham Street bridge construction (the bridge will be closed for about three years), and asking traffic engineers to study the feasibility of solar digital speed signs on roads where speeding was reported.

Discussion vs. direction vs. action: The senior subcommittee held the meeting and made three formal subcommittee motions; the council was informed and the motions were referred to appropriate departments (direction). No new citywide appropriation or ordinance was passed at this council meeting.

Background and next steps: Rosia said the subcommittee meeting lasted until about 2:10 p.m. and encouraged seniors to attend the July OSRP focus group. DPD will continue community outreach as part of the OSRP process and return findings to the council and subcommittee as planning progresses.