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City of Revere’s Gibson Park plan approved after shifting tennis courts to pickleball and adding community gardens
Summary
The commission approved the City of Revere’s Gibson Park notice of intent (DEP file 0610842). The revised plan moves pickleball courts into phase 1, relocates community garden beds with ADA access, reduces impervious area by about 2,700 sq ft and results in a net increase of native trees.
The Revere Conservation Commission approved a notice of intent filed by the City of Revere for redevelopment of Gibson Park, DEP file number 0610842. Claire Hogeboom of LEC Environmental Consultants presented revisions and said the project moves the originally proposed double-stacked tennis courts into six pickleball courts in phase 1, relocates community garden beds to maintain public access, and reduces impervious area by about 2,700 square feet.
Hogeboom told the commission the change to pickleball was made because phase 2 may be delayed and the city wanted earlier community access to courts. She said the new garden location includes raised beds, permeable stone-dust substrate, a concrete pad with two storage sheds, and one raised bed on the pad for ADA accessibility. Hogeboom said the design reduces impervious surface by about 2,700 square feet, for a total impervious reduction of 26,148 square feet across the project.
Hogeboom also presented a corrected planting sheet; she reported the project would remove 17 trees (10 native, one cultivar, six non-native/invasive or stressed) and would add a net increase of 23 native trees. The commission asked about materials for the courts and the turf field; Hogeboom said the courts will be asphalt or concrete with an acrylic sand-color seal coat, and the turf will be natural grass rather than synthetic turf.
Councilor Guarino Sawaya and other public speakers asked how gardeners who currently use plots would be affected. Hogeboom and the commission said the project team intends to sequence work to avoid interrupting community garden access, and staff offered to report back with a construction schedule to minimize disruptions. The commission closed the hearing and approved the notice of intent by voice vote.
Commissioners commented that the shift of pickleball courts moves activity away from the nearby residential neighborhood and that the project overall would improve native tree cover and reduce impervious area.
