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Commission reviews park projects: bid handover for Burn Road, pickleball concerns, dog-park sites and a community garden
Summary
Commissioners approved town takeover of the Burn Road Park bid release, raised objections to proposed pickleball overlays on tennis courts, reviewed dog-park sites (Bob Mangels, airport area) pending DEC/Army Corps questions on a rock pile, and heard a community garden proposal for Mill Street Park.
The commission heard updates on several park projects and recommended next steps for procurement, design and environmental review.
Elliot told the group the village would transfer release of the Burn Road Park bid package to the town so the item could be placed on the town meeting agenda; the town will receive bids and coordinate review with the village before awarding contracts. Commissioners supported the change to expedite the procurement process.
Members spent substantial time on the Berm Road courts bid packet, where proposed plans overlay pickleball lines on existing tennis courts. Several commissioners warned the overlay would reduce usable backcourt for tennis and degrade the primary tennis experience for an area that currently has no public tennis courts nearby. One commissioner proposed dedicating one tennis court to pickleball or supplying portable nets; others said dedicated courts elsewhere would be preferable if pickleball demand continues.
Commissioners also summarized two dog-park site visits. The Bob Mangels municipal park was favored for walkability and existing municipal space but has a nearby rock pile that requires input from the Department of Environmental Conservation or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine whether it can be reconfigured. The airport-adjacent site would be larger but more costly and less walkable; members said fundraising and town support would be necessary for that option.
Grace presented a community garden request from Noel Fries proposing a walkable garden — Mill Street Park was identified as a likely site and the village appeared supportive. Members asked Grace to loop Noel into follow-up conversations and confirmed the commission would help as appropriate.
Next steps: staff will transfer the Burn Road bid responsibility to the town, review possible minor plan modifications for the courts after bids are released, contact DEC/Army Corps about the rock pile at Bob Mangels, and follow up with the community garden organizer.
