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Board hears updates on Wood Street and Westside fields; $27,000 Community Preservation grant sought for Wood Street work
Summary
Officials described needed repairs and safety upgrades at the Wood Street ball fields and Westside fields, said they applied for about $27,000 in Community Preservation funding for Wood Street, and reported a pavilion was destroyed by wind at Westside.
Town staff updated the meeting on field repairs, safety fencing and a Community Preservation grant application tied to work at the Wood Street and Westside fields.
The superintendent said the Wood Street ball fields opened but experienced “a number of glitches,” including a need for additional telephone poles, netting and backstop extensions. He said the department applied to the Community Preservation committee for roughly $27,000 to finish outstanding work at Wood Street, including additional surfacing and finish carpentry. “We applied for community preservation. I went before them, and, we've got a grant before them. It's like $27,000 and change for some of these things we'd like to finish,” the superintendent said.
The superintendent said staff are salvaging playground parts from other locations to move swings and other play equipment to the Wood Street site if weather permits. He said neighbors on Old Wood Street (Bridal Road) asked for fencing similar to what was installed at Rainbow Circle.
On the Westside fields, the superintendent said he met with Patricia Cassidy and reviewed erosion control plans. He said the conservation commission required conditions and that Zenith Engineering will file the necessary documents; a surveyor will mark the erosion-fence line. The superintendent said split-rail fencing would not meet needs and recommended chain-link fencing to control access and prevent bikes or motorized vehicles from entering field areas.
The superintendent reported a pavilion at Westside was torn down by a windstorm. He said Beau McMahon and McMahon’s father are working with an engineer to design a replacement pavilion.
The superintendent requested the board consider additional funding requests if the Community Preservation committee does not fully fund remaining work. He said the Wood Street project has required substantial volunteer and staff effort and that the requested Community Preservation contribution would be modest relative to the overall project cost.
Ending — next steps: staff will submit engineering filings through Zenith Engineering, obtain survey work for the erosion fence, solicit bids for chain-link fencing, continue salvage work for playground parts, and report back on the Community Preservation committee decision.
