Commission reviews Centennial Park safety measures, skate-park timeline and seasonal rink closures

The Hartford Parks and Recreation Commission on March 4 heard a staff briefing about safety concerns raised for the Centennial Park playground and updates on parks operations, including the skate-park project timeline and seasonal ice-rink closures.

The director told the commission he had received communications questioning the safety of the Centennial Park playground because it sits between a pond and a railroad track. The director said initial site plans did not include fencing, later plans added a split-rail fence intended as a deterrent, and the Mill Pond edge at the playground uses stone riff-raft rather than a steep drop. The director also said Volunteers for a Beautiful Hartford plan to plant additional trees and shrubs north of the playground as a vegetative buffer along the train tracks. Commissioner Chris Becker said he takes his “7 and 4 year old children to that playground” and "believes the City has done a good job in making the site safe."

Staff reported ice rinks are closed for the season; the Veterans Park rink did not operate because of kick-plate issues and inconsistent freeze-thaw cycles. Regarding the approved skate-park project, staff said both equipment purchases and the concrete installation were approved by the commission and council last month, with a hoped-for ground-breaking in May and a late-June completion date.

Other program highlights included 'Stuck at the Movies' (84 students attended), youth dance sessions, spring-break supervised gym hours and an extended youth baseball registration deadline of March 9 because of registration software problems. The commission did not receive public comments at this meeting.

Next steps: staff will continue routine parks operations, proceed with skate-park procurement and landscaping volunteers are expected to begin plantings near Centennial Park.