Fall River CPC reviews park and preservation projects, rescinds Saint John’s Club grant
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Summary
The Fall River Community Preservation Committee reviewed multiple eligibility requests on Jan. 8 — including $500,000 for Father Kelly Park parking, a $650,000 sensory playground design and a $720,000 land-protection request — and voted to rescind a previously awarded $225,000 grant to Saint John’s Club after the applicant missed contract milestones and failed to provide regular updates.
The Fall River Community Preservation Committee on Jan. 8 held eligibility hearings on a slate of park, preservation and land‑protection proposals and voted to rescind a previously awarded $225,000 grant after the recipient missed contract deadlines and failed to provide required progress updates.
The committee heard presentations and asked detailed questions about cost breakdowns, phasing and maintenance for a range of projects. City staff described a $500,000 request to build a parking lot, picnic seating and lighting at Father Kelly Park to offset on‑street spaces lost to an intersection reconstruction; staff said the project is shovel‑ready and estimated a net gain of “15 to 20” parking spaces. The committee requested a line‑item breakdown before deliberation.
Community Development staff presented Abbott Court’s sensory playground — a $650,000 project for children with autism for which the CPC was asked to provide $200,000. Michael Dionne, the city’s director of Community Development, said the department plans to apply for a state park grant (~$400,000) and that the Community Development agency has committed $100,000; organizer Marcel Riley described active local fundraising and partner commitments from nonprofit groups.
On land protection, staff described a $720,000 request for the Sampson parcel, a 10‑acre property adjacent to Adirondack Farm that staff said would connect existing conserved land. The city reported a state grant with a 60% match is pending (deadline in April), which staff said would substantially reduce the CPC contribution; staff also floated bonding to spread payments over multiple years.
During consideration of a previously awarded grant for Saint John’s Club — a historic‑building award that included funding for a sprinkler system — committee members said the grantee repeatedly missed contractual milestones and provided no substantive quarterly updates. Committee member BJ moved to rescind the award; after debate about whether to table the question and requests to review late attachments, the committee carried the motion by roll call and rescinded the $225,000 award.
Committee chair PJ McDonald closed the meeting after brief project updates and a report that staff had fielded five public‑records requests, primarily related to the waterfront cultural‑district application. The committee scheduled deliberations for Jan. 14.
Next steps: individual projects will be considered again at the Jan. 14 deliberation meeting; the Saint John’s Club funds will be returned to the CPC fund balance pending accounting.