Family says Lowell park construction encroached on memorial; board promises follow‑up

Jennifer Mahoney Brum, daughter of the late Jan Mahoney, told the Lowell City Parks Board that a new pickleball court and associated pavement have been installed so close to her mother’s memorial stone at Father Maguire’s Park that the family can no longer gather there comfortably.

"Even though the city of Lowell agreed not to touch my mom's stone," Mahoney Brum said, "I never imagined that the pavement for the new pickleball field would be built so close to her memorial." She asked the board for a private meeting with the officials who made design decisions and proposed moving benches and adjusting the pavement curve to restore usable space around the stone.

Board members acknowledged the complaint and described immediate steps staff had taken after the family raised concerns: Keith Rudy said park staff covered the monuments and installed a temporary fence to protect them. Rudy also recommended the family present their concerns to the city manager or city council if they did not get a timely response from parks staff.

The Parks Board suggested convening the "right parties" — Parks staff, relevant city departments and the family — and said it would support the family at a city council meeting if necessary. Several board members urged the family to prepare a written resolution or set of alternative remedies to present at the follow‑up meeting.

The board did not take a formal vote on changes to the park design during the meeting. Instead, members encouraged the family to pursue a resolution through a formal request to city management and to seek time on a council agenda if needed; they also offered to meet privately with the family and staff to explore bench relocation and minor design changes.

What happens next: Parks staff said they would pass on photos and correspondence to the manager's office and that the family could pursue a formal agenda item with the City Council if the parties cannot agree informally.