The Parks and Recreation director (unnamed in the transcript) told the Town of Hampden Conservation Commission on Aug. 12 that Parks & Rec is exploring multiple projects at Memorial Park and wanted guidance before spending on engineering or design.

The projects under consideration include expanding an existing blacktop pad near Ballard Brook into a dual-use pickleball and half-basketball court; locating one or two full pickleball courts in other park spots farther from the brook; repairing a small pedestrian footbridge over the brook; and installing single-post shade structures near the splash pad.

The director said the existing pad “is about 15 feet from the brook” and that the current slab would need roughly nine feet of additional space to host a full pickleball setup. He framed his visit as a fact-finding trip: “I need to figure out feasibility of projects there…what I need to do in order to take the next step.”

Why it matters: the park sits adjacent to regulated wetlands and riverfront buffers, so the Conservation Commission’s guidance determines whether projects can proceed as limited repairs or require formal state filings (a Notice of Intent) and what measures would be needed to protect the brook.

Commission members and the selectman on the call recommended options that balance recreational benefit with wetlands protection. Selectman Dan said he was concerned about new activity visible to nearby neighbors: “As Selectman, I would have a lot of concern about the neighbors seeing this new activity in their backyard.” Commission members suggested the least-impact solution would be to reuse disturbed surfaces when possible — for example, expanding the existing asphalt pad or placing courts over the formerly disturbed shuffleboard/turnaround area — and to treat the bridge repair as a separate filing.

On process, the commission advised splitting filings. A commission member summarized the procedural path: file a Notice of Intent for work in riverfront areas and for repairs that alter the footprint, and treat repairs to preexisting structures (the footbridge) as a separate submission. Commissioners indicated that some limited renovation in already disturbed areas might qualify for an RDA (Request for Determination of Applicability) or an RDA-type redevelopment path but that the bridge should be submitted as its own NOI. The director said he would prepare separate NOIs for the bridge and for the other park work.

Commissioners flagged site-specific issues that will affect plans: the presence of a wellhead near one proposed court area, the presence of a steep hill and tight road near a third site, and the need to avoid encroaching into the 100-foot riverfront buffer where possible. The group discussed options for fencing, netting and partial backstop walls for courts to keep balls from entering the brook, and noted frost-line and footer considerations for any new fencing or shade-structure footings.

Next steps: the Parks and Recreation director said the splash-pad shade structures and the bridge repair were likely spring priorities; courts were considered a longer-term project pending the status of the Thornton Burgess property (a separate potential recreation site discussed by Parks & Rec). The commission advised preparing maps showing property lines and disturbed area measurements and submitting separate NOIs to the town and the state; the town will review and forward the state filing and, if needed, request Natural Heritage review.

Commission directions and decisions from the meeting: commissioners did not vote on a specific plan at the Aug. 12 meeting; instead they recommended that Parks & Rec pursue (a) an NOI for the footbridge, and (b) a separate NOI or RDA for redevelopment or court additions in already disturbed areas, and that Parks & Rec measure and document existing disturbed footprints before filing.

The Parks & Recreation director left the meeting with the commission’s procedural guidance and with instruction to prepare separate filings for the bridge and for other work.