Fall River CPC opens funding round, hears pitches for parks, land protection and a sensory playground

The Fall River Community Preservation Committee on Jan. 8 opened a funding-eligibility hearing and heard presentations on a slate of park, land-protection and historic-preservation proposals that the committee may weigh in deliberations ahead of a Jan. 14 session.

The meeting featured a $500,000 request to build a parking facility at Father Kelly Park to replace on-street spaces lost to required MassDOT intersection improvements and to serve heavy weekend softball demand. The presenter said the proposal “meets the open space and recreation plan” and is shovel-ready for summer; committee members asked for a line-item cost breakdown, and the presenter said the $500,000 represents the construction estimate and that the project would go to public bid. The presenter estimated a net gain of about 15–20 parking spaces and said designers made an effort to preserve significant walkways and trees.

Also before the panel was a Columbia Street parklet donated by the Roman Catholic Church, seeking $400,000 for landscaping, seating and tree planting timed to dovetail with Columbia Street reconstruction this summer. Staff said contractor unit prices were used to estimate paver reset and replacement costs; members asked for a simple cost split so the committee could consider partial awards.

Smaller projects included a $240,000 request to restore a Fall River Water Works storage building listed on the National Register; presenters said the original scope was reduced (roof work shifted to another water-department source) and pledged to provide the requested budget breakdown. An Adirondack Farm comfort station and bicycle-repair kiosk application likewise said elements could be staged if the committee awarded partial funding.

Land-protection projects drew extended discussion. Committee members reviewed a large shoreline parcel the city seeks to protect; staff said a purchase-and-sale was near execution and that a state grant could provide a roughly 60% match if secured by April, potentially lowering the CPC contribution below the $720,000 listed in the application. Members discussed bonding and sequencing of grants; staff said the treasurer’s office will delay bonding until invoices are presented to reduce risk.

The committee also heard a high-profile community proposal for an Abbott Court sensory playground for children with autism. Michael Dionne, director of community development, said the application requests $200,000 toward a roughly $650,000 project, with the city committing $100,000 and staff targeting a $400,000 state park grant and additional private fundraising. Marcel Riley, a local advocate, described personal motivation behind the project: “This all started, I got a 4 year old nonverbal autistic daughter,” he said, and urged committee support, noting the city currently lacks a dedicated sensory playground.

Across applications, members repeatedly asked for cost breakdowns and phasing plans to allow partial awards; several presenters agreed to submit more detailed budgets. Staff said many projects were submitted as part of the capital improvement plan and that some are shovel-ready this year. The committee deferred formal award decisions to deliberations scheduled for Jan. 14, after members review requested clarifications.

The hearing closed with procedural updates and a reminder that several applications may be adjusted if state matching grants or alternative municipal capital funds are secured.