Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Open Space Recreation Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Danvers Select Board reviews draft Open Space and Recreation Plan, seeks revisions
Summary
Aaron Henry presented a comprehensive rewrite of Danvers's Open Space and Recreation Plan, noting nearly 500 public comments and saying an approved plan is required to qualify for state grants; the plan will be routed to town committees and is expected back to the Select Board in 4'6 weeks.
Aaron Henry, the Town of Danvers' Director of Land Use and Community Services, gave the Select Board a high-level overview on March 17 of a draft Open Space and Recreation Plan that he described as a comprehensive rewrite based on state guidance and updated property inventories and facility assessments.
Henry said the draft incorporates nearly 500 public comments emphasizing existing parks, trail connectivity and accessibility needs and added that maintaining an approved plan is essential for eligibility for several state grants that support major open-space projects. He also noted the plan includes new objective scoring tools intended to guide long-term capital planning for parks and recreation facilities.
Board members asked that the draft better address coastal erosion near the Crane River and flagged omissions such as the Swamp Walk, recommending those items be added in revisions. Members also suggested exploring an "Adopt-a-Park" model to help fund maintenance and underscored the need for improved communication and marketing of recreation programs to reach residents who may not be aware of existing opportunities.
Henry said the plan will be reviewed next by the Planning Board, the Recreation Committee and other interested committees, with a goal of returning to the Select Board in about 4'6 weeks for further comment and submitting a final version to the state by the end of May.
The Town Manager praised collaboration between Henry's Land Use team and the DPW Parks and Grounds staff, saying their joint work is informing a five-year capital plan for grounds and parks investments. The board thanked Henry and indicated interest in returning the draft with revisions for further consideration.
