This Weekend: Jazz Times Three on Saturday, See Cuba from Belmont

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Photo: Cuba From a Different Angle

• The John Arcaro Trio will be part of the Music on Saturday concert on Saturday, April 18, at 3 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library. Playing classic American jazz, John Arcaro is an internationally known pianist, recording artist, and clinician. Music on Saturday concerts are free to all thanks to the sponsorship of the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.

• The Belmont Gallery of Art explores the intimate lives of the Cuban people as well as the country’s architecture and geography with “Cuba From a Different Angle” by photographer and Harvard lecturer  Jonathan Hansen. The gallery – located on the third floor of the Homer Municipal Building, 219 Moore St., in the Town Hall complex – is open on Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Easier Than Ever to Drop off Household Hazardous Waste; First Collection Date Saturday

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Photo: Deposit hazardous waste drop off set for Saturday, April 18.

Half-used paint, mothballs, antifreeze and insecticides are just a few of the common household products that are classified as hazardous waste that most residents have in their homes or garages.

Belmont residents looking to clear their homes of these harmful chemicals as part of their spring cleaning will have an opportunity this Saturday, April 18 as Belmont residents can haul those materials to Lexington’s Minuteman Hazardous Products Facility site at no cost. 

And now it’s easier than ever to drop off the material; advanced registration is NO LONGER required; all Belmont residents need to bring is some state approved official identification (driver’s license) or proof of Belmont residency such as an utility bill to participate in a collection event. 

Here is a list of acceptable and unacceptable materials as well as a video on the do’s and don’t’s when heading off to the facility.

Winning Life’s Lottery, Kristof Asks Belmont to Key on Closing the Empathy ‘Gap’

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Photo: Nick Kristof.

Nicholas Kristof recalled a story about a friend who came home to the US from a year helping refugees in Darfur, the area of western Sudan still suffering the humanitarian after effects of a decade-long war.

“She comes back over Christmas vacation, she’s in her grandmother’s backyard and totally loses it, weeping with abandon,” Kristof told the audience attending his talk on “A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunities,” the bestseller written by him and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn.

What caused his friend’s sudden reaction was seeing a bird feeder hanging close by.

“She was thinking about all the things she saw in Darfur and thought how incredibly lucky she was,” growing up in a country where the basic necessities; housing, ample food, clothing, and security is taken for granted, so much so that there remains enough “to help wild birds get through the winter,” he said at the talk sponsored by a new community group seeking to build on the book’s theme of creating a better world.

“And I do think that, in the same sense, the fact that we are here in Belmont, means we have won the lottery of life,” the New York Times columnist told attendees in the Belmont High School Auditorium on Wednesday, April 15.

And by being in that fortunate state, “there are obligations that come with it;” of demonstrating compassion, empathy, and dignity to those who are burdened by poverty and circumstance.

Kristof’s talk came as A Path Appears in Belmont, the community group using the book’s themes to decide on a town-wide project “on how can we make a difference,” said Jackie Neel of First Church, Belmont’s Social Action/Human Rights subcommittee and who started and now spearheads the effort beginning last year.

After reading the book, “it was as if a spark had gone off in my head, and it has certainly exploded this evening,” Neel said to the nearly full hall.

After several months of events and discussions, the three areas of concern for a possible “call to action” by the group in the fall are hunger, homelessness, and human sex trafficking, said Neel.

Before introducing Kristof, Neel invited State Sen. Will Brownsberger and four Belmont High students to the lectern.

For Olivia Cronin, Maggie O’Brien, Ritika Sexena and Rose Carlson, the event was an opportunity to introduce A Path Appears’ effort by students to expand on last year’s success in creating a garden at the High School providing fresh produce to the Belmont Food Pantry.

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Rose Carlson (left, head turned), Olivia Cronin, Ritika Sexena (white dress) and Maggie O’Brien of Belmont High School.

 

“We want to connect Kristof’s ideas of change and put that in our community and we decided to focus on food and gardening as achieving that,” O’Brien told the Belmontonian before the talk.

The program will expand on last year’s model to include a multi-generational component, involving the elementary schools and the Belmont Senior Center, “connecting gardens around town and trying to use it to change our educational system and achieving awareness about food insecurity and having cooking classes, all done to make a difference,” said O’Brien.

Kristof’s journey from a journalist focused on international reporting – he won his first Pulitzer Prize (with his wife) in 1990 on China’s mass movement for democracy and its subsequent suppression – to writing about humans in crisis when he traveled to Cambodia in the late-1990s to write about child prostitution. There he came across pre-teenaged girls in a house waiting to be sold for sex, “just like slaves from the 19th century. That haunts me.”

“So it’s hard to go from that to writing about exchange rates,” he said.

He later returned to “buy” two girls from the brothel and brought them back to their families.

“In each case … I got a written receipt,” he said. “When you get a written receipt in the 21st century, you know that that is profoundly wrong.”

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“That’s why I got engaged, because of the people I met,” Kristof said. People such as the Ethiopian 14-year-old, who crawled 30 miles to obtain surgery after childbirth who then worked her way to became a nurse at the hospital.

“It’s kind of a reminder that we’re talking about is not just a personal tragedy, but also real opportunities to empower people, to serve themselves and their families,” said Kristof.

Kristof believes that part of the reason both philanthropies – which Kristof said is undergoing a revolution in seeking facts on backing initiatives – and government policy are not as effective as they can be is due, in part, to “an empathy gap.”

He noted the wealthiest families donate half as a percentage of its income than poorer families to charities. It’s not that they rich are less caring, said Kristof, but rather the affluent “are more isolated from need;” living in an upscale neighborhood with reasonably well-off residents.

“You are aware of disadvantage need but it’s more of an intellectual awareness, while in contrast, if you are poor in America today, everyday you encounter people who are truly are in need so when you encounter that, you reach into your pocket to respond,” said Kristof.

“More and more, I think this empathy gap is one of the real barriers towards making a difference,” he said.

To break this cycle, people should “get out of your comfort zone,” whether it is committing yourself to public service, travel or, for students, taking a gap year between high school and college. That should not be exclusively helping with need overseas as there is much to do in the US such as teaching literacy or working with those incarcerated.

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger (left) with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.

 

“But whatever you find works … will be a real part of your education and to chip away at the empathy gap,” he said.

Kristof ended the night answering a question from a woman who spent the past year working in Rwanda, who noticed how many aid workers were caught up in the “white savior” complex, coming of means to provide, without empathy, what their own government or people can not.

Kristof said everyone “should show dignity … and do a lot more listening” when going to assist people.

But he thought it would be a real misfortune if American were to back away from helping because of the fear of offending.

“Right now, the basic problem is not that too many people want to help Africa; it’s not enough,” he said.

“Acknowledging that helping people is hard. And the challenge is to find a way to pay some of that back.”

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Excellence: Foundation Honors Inaugural Group of ‘Outstanding’ Belmont Teachers

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Photo: Belmont High Biology teacher Suzanne Lijek named one of “Outstanding Teacher of the Year.”

Suzanne Lijek had no idea why Principal Dan Richards had called her down to the main office for a “meeting.” 

The AP Biology teacher at Belmont High School was preparing for the day’s classes when when she headed to the offices at 9 a.m. on April 15. 

It was only when she was ushered into the guidance room did she suspect that something was amiss.

Inside were many of her students, colleagues, Superintendent John Phelan and members of the Foundation for Belmont Education along with flowers, balloons and a certificate.

After a few seconds of being surprised, Lijek was informed by FBE President Jamie Shea she was the very first honoree of the foundation’s “Belmont’s Outstanding Teachers of the Year” award. 

The six honorees, from each of Belmont’s public schools, were recognized for their excellence in the classroom and for consistently making a difference in the lives of Belmont’s children. Recipients were nominated by students, parents and community members. 

“Teachers don’t receive the recognition they deserve in many places in the country, so this is a great opportunity for Belmont to tell them how important they are,” Phelan told Lijek and those assembled.

Shea noted that Lijek was the very first recipient of the award that the FBE hopes to make an annual event.

“I’m happy to receive this award because it validates the work all teachers do,” Lijek told the Belmontonian. 

In addition to Lijek, the 2015 honorees – all who were told in person at their schools – are: 

  • Katharine Caritey, Burbank Elementary, Grade 2 
  • Audrey Ruddock, Butler Elementary, Kindergarten 
  • Steven Tenhor, Wellington Elementary, Grade 4 
  • Danielle Pandolfo, Winn Brook Elementary, Grade 3 
  • Ben Ligon, Chenery Middle School, Grade 6 (Math) 

The ceremony to honor Belmont’s Outstanding Teachers of the Year award winners will be held on April 30 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School. The award celebration, sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank, is open to the public. 

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ConCom Approves Parking on Rock Meadow for Major Golf Tournament

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Photo: The location on Rock Meadow where parking will be located for a golf tournament in June.

The Belmont Conservation Commission narrowly approved a conditional agreement to allow the Professional Golf Association Tour (PGA) to use approximately 11 acres of Rock Meadow Conservation Land off upper Concord Avenue for up to 1,000 parking spaces to support a major golf tournament taking place at Belmont Country Club during the second week of June.

The 3-2 vote came after an hour in which the commission members and Conservation Agent Mary Trudeau debated whether the land – never used for such an activity – would be damaged by vehicular pollution or whether a “yes” vote would set a bad precedence versus the commission’s real need for outside funding to continue the upkeep of the land and the nearby Victory Gardens.

“I am literally begging to find grants and money as the [Town Meeting] doesn’t give [the Conservation Commission] a penny,” said Trudeau, in an impassioned plea to the board to pass the proposal.

The approval came with the proviso that all fees for using the meadow will be placed in the Conservation Commission’s Victory Garden Revolving Account to provide money to mow the meadow.

With the Commission’s approval, the PGA and the town – through its Town Administration Office – will begin negotiations on a contract that will include both fees for parking and for other town services. In addition, the PGA has made considerable charitable contributions to municipalities and

The PGA is scheduled to meet with the Belmont Police Department on Thursday, April 16, to discuss required traffic control and details.

Rock Meadow is 70 acres of public conservation land that includes a meadow, wetlands, streams and woods. It is a part of the Western Greenway, a corridor of undeveloped green spaces that connects the towns of Belmont, Waltham and Lexington. It is a favorite place for hiking, birding, biking, picnicking, cross-country skiing, and community gardening.

The meeting began with a presentation from the PGA’s Joe Rotellini and Geoff Hill to give a highlights of the Constellation Senior Players Championship, one of the five “major” tournaments for older (those on the PGA’s Champions Tour for players over 50 years old) but still very popular golfers such as Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Fred Couples and Vijay Singh.

Rotellini, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the tournament, told the commissioners that people will come out to see the marque players and it’s critical to have parking in the area. He stated that the PGA was also in negotiations with other nearby communities for parking.

As part of its extensive management plan, the PGA will require parking from Tuesday, June 9 to Sunday, June 14 with the number of vehicles “ramps up” during the four days of the actual tournament, starting on Thursday, June 11, said Rotellini.

The temporary parking lot will begin to accept cars at approximately 7:30 a.m. with most vehicles departing by sunset. During the week, Winter Street from Concord Avenue to Route 2 will be one-way towards Lexington.

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The parking plan will be laid out by a professional management firm hired by the PGA. Under the plan envisioned by the Tour, a pair of temporary curb cuts will be placed along Concord Avenue near the intersection of Winter Street (see image) that will allow a one-way circular loop where a shuttle bus will pick up attendees and deliver them to the country club. The cut will require moving large rocks that occupy the spaces.

“It is a temporary roadway that may require stones if it rains,” said Trudeau.

That portion of the North Meadow will be the location of the largest of three parking areas, used by 700 vehicle spaces from June 9 to 14. The activity will likely require moving a proposed sheep grazing site. (see image)

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The second lot, expected to be used from June 12 to June 14, is what most residents recognize as Rock Meadow adjacent to the Mill Street entrance and the Victory Gardens. Up to 250 vehicles can use this location.

A final, and smallest, parking area will be located to the south of the first two sites, accompanying 150 spaces. Rotellini said if it does rain during the event, it’s unlikely to use the second and third areas as crowd numbers will be dampened.

In addition to setting up and roping off the parking areas, the PGA is insured up to $10 million, is set to acquire all permits, will bring in public restrooms and trash containers which will be cleaned at the end of each day, and have the necessary number of shuttle buses available to allow for 10 minutes between trips.

Rotellini said he and Trudeau have had discussions on repairing and restoring the meadow for any damage beyond the normal wear and tear expected from the activity that week. He said the property will be video recorded before the land is used to resolve any problems.

“We are the PGA tour. We do things the right way,” said Rotellini, saying the PGA hopes to create a working relationship with Belmont so when the tour hopefully returns – the Senior Players Championship will be in other locations in 2016 and 2017 – “we can rekindle those partnerships.”

Trudeau said she had discussed the proposal with Belmont Town Counsel George Hall, who judged that there didn’t appear to be a conflict using conservation land, granted to the town via state charter, for this activity.

Commissioner Margaret Velie asked if it wouldn’t be prudent to request a review with the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs “because it is conservation land.”

In addition, she expressed concern for restoring the land and the possible release of pollution by the vehicles while on the meadow for up to six days.

Following on Velie’s line, David Webster said Rock Meadow was created “for passive recreation uses,” and by approving the plan, “how do tell our neighbors they can’t use the meadow for another uses?”

“This will set a bad precedence. What’s next? Soccer fields? Dog parks?” he said.

But Commission Chair James Roth said he didn’t see any long-term problems from having the vehicles on the site as the “hard and firm” soil is similar to farmland “just that we’re growing grass.”

For Trudeau, the concerns of conservation and possibly opening the area for other activity were trumped by the desperate financial state the commission finds itself. She noted that Belmont is an outlier from surrounding communities as it does not fund the Conservation Commission – what she called “our zero budget” – to pay for the necessary upkeep of the land.

“We’re in a tight spot, and there is no willingness by Town Meeting to fund us,” said Trudeau.

The PGA’s Rotellini reiterated that through the Tour’s “charitable side” that gives to locales where events take place, a donation to fund two years of necessary mowing – approximately $2,000 – could be forthcoming.

“That’s what interests us,” he said.

When it appeared that the commissioners were evenly split 2-2 on the measure – with Miriam Weil joining Roth willing to vote to approve the plan – Commissioner Charles Chiang arrived and immediately voted “yes” to move the plan forward.

The plan now goes to the town where a contract is expected by April 28.

Nicholas Kristof To Speak Tonight on Transforming Lives

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Photo: Nicholas Kristof.

Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author will speak tonight, Wednesday, April 15, at Belmont High School on the best-selling book co-written with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, “A Path Appears; Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunities.”

The 7:30 p.m. speech has sold out. The event will be broadcast by the Belmont Media Center.

“A Path Appears” describes how ordinary people can make extraordinary differences in the lives of others both globally and locally. The issues addressed include; human sex trafficking, domestic violence, poverty, hunger and many others, all closer to home then we may think.

The book inspired members of the Belmont community to gather together and initiate a local campaign, A Path Appears in Belmont: A Campaign to Make A Difference which has received wide spread support across the community from both community non-profits, to public and private entities.  

The ultimate goal is to identify the top concerns and to bring people together to find ways we as a community can Make A Difference in the Lives of Others.

Current community supporters include:

  • Belmont Against Racism,
  • Belmont Chapter of Amnesty International,
  • Belmont Health Collaborative, 
  • Belmont Human Rights Commission,
  • Belmont Media Center,
  • Belmont Public Library,
  • Belmont Public Schools,
  • Belmont Religious Council,
  • Founding Member: First Church in Belmont Unitarian Universalist. 

A Path Appears; Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunities provides a roadmap of sorts for how to navigate through all the different organizations and information in order to make the best choices for use of resources. It also highlights how giving not only benefits the receiver but also the giver. 

Several events were held to share ideas and concerns. There were community film screenings and discussions of the three PBS films based on the book.  Then for the first-time ever over 25 non-profits seeking volunteers all with links to Belmont were showcased, followed by a talk given by Rick Weissbourd, senior lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education and co-director of the Making Caring Common Project, who spoke about “Raising Caring, Ethical, and Happy Children.”

Donors who have supported these series of events and made “A Path Appears in Belmont: A Campaign to Make A Difference “ possible are:

  • Lawndale Realty,
  • First Church in Belmont Unitarian Universalist,
  • Belmont Against Racisim,
  • Jackie and Tom Neel,
  • Carl Brauer and Nancy Sheifflin,
  • Anne Stuart and Paul Santos,
  • Electric Rushe,
  • Hamill Builders, and
  • Donna Perry 

Belmont Baseball Comes from Behind to Take Opener vs. Stoneham

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Photo: Junior pitcher Joe Shaughnessy vs. Stoneham High, April 13. 

A three run, two-out sixth inning and a great relief pitching stint by junior Joe Shaughnessy saw Belmont High School Baseball reel in a tough Stoneham High team for a 8-6 victory in the team’s home opener at Grant Field on Monday, April 13.

The win raises Belmont’s record to 2-0 overall and in the Middlesex League. 

A 3-2 triple by third baseman Nick Call drove in junior right fielder Matt Kerans and sophomore catcher Cal Christofori to give Belmont a 7-6 lead before scoring on a wild pitch for the final run.

Starter pitcher junior Cole Bartels (7 strikeouts) got through the fourth before giving up a three-run, bases loaded double to Stoneham’s center fielder Justin Oliphant for the Spartans to go ahead 6-5. 

Shaughnessy then came in for the final 2 2/3 innings of shut out pitching including striking out three Spartan in the top of the 7th. 

Caucuses to Fill Vacant Belmont Town Meeting Seats

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Photo: Town Meeting.

If you live in three Belmont precincts, you still have a chance to become a Town Meeting Member as the town will hold caucuses to fill vacant seats for this year’s meeting.

Town Clerk Ellen Cushman, on behalf of the Board of Registrars of Voters, will hold caucuses in Precincts 3, 5 and 7 on April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Beech Street Center Multi-purpose Room. 

The Precinct 3 Caucus will elect two new Town Meeting Members: one to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Lucia Sullivan and one to fill the vacancy created by the death of long-term Town Meeting Member Anne Allen. 

The Precinct 5 Caucus will elect two new Town Meeting Members for one year seats: one to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Laurie Graham who moved and was elected in a different precinct and one to fill the vacancy created by a failure to elect – a tie in write-in votes – at the Annual Town Election, April 7.

The Precinct 7 Caucus will elect three new Town Meeting Members to fill the vacancies created by a failure to elect on April 7.

Each vacancy will be filled by majority vote of the elected Town Meeting Members present at the caucus.  Since the individuals will be elected at caucus, each will serve as Town Meeting Member only until the Annual Town Election, Tuesday, April 5, 2016.

These vacancies may be filled by any registered voter of the specific precinct.  Any person interested in running for this seat is encouraged to attend the caucus, but is not required to be present to be nominated. Please feel free to contact voters you believe will serve the precinct and Town well. 

Candidates interested in being nominated should contact their Precinct Town Meeting Members; a list is shown on the Town Clerk’s website to arrange for nomination at the caucus.

At least eighteen elected Town Meeting Members must be present at the caucus to have a quorum.  Those Town Meeting Members unable to attend are asked to call the Town Clerk’s office at 617-993-2600 or email  

“I strongly encourage the members of the precinct to be on time and make all efforts to secure a quorum,” said Cushman.

Trio Leads Belmont Girls’ Track By Reading in Spring Opener

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Photo: 100 meters.

A pair of personal bests in the throws, two wins on the infield and a double in the sprints allowed Belmont High School Girls’ Spring Track to rocket by Reading High in the home opening meet on a warm and sunny Monday, April 13 at Harris Field.

With three events remaining, the Reading coaches came over to congratulate Belmont’s Head Coach Melissa Glotzbecker as the Marauders held a 72-45 point lead.

“This is a really great opportunity just to start off the season since we didn’t finish our first meet [due to a sudden snow storm],” said Glotzbecker.

“It’s a great measure to see how people are performing and how all their hard work is paying off. So we’re actually excited where people are at and for the rest of the season,” she said.

The top performance came from junior Katrina Rokosz who make significant personal records in both the javelin and shot.

“It was a pretty good day,” said Rokosz, who won the javelin by nearly 40 feet with a throw of 107.3 feet and finished first in the shot with a throw of 26 feet, 8  1/2 inches.

“I’ve been working a lot with javelin with a teammate and that has helped a lot because we trade tips which is great,” said Rokosz. In the shot, she’s got some sage advice from someone close to home.

“My dad use to throw the shot and his tips were great,” she said.

Rokosz was joined by Anoush Krafian and Julia Cella as duel winners on the day. Krafian – the best freshman high jumpers in the state and a national finalist – took home her speciality clearing 5 feet, 1 inch as well as coming in first in the long jump with a 16 foot, 10 inch effort.

On the track, sophomore Cella, coming off a second place in the 200 meter state Div. 2 outdoor championships last year, took the sprint double, winning the 100 meter in 12.8 seconds (with Krafian in second in 13.4) and the 200 in 26.9 seconds.

Other strong performances included a dominating run by Meggie MacAulay to win the 400 meters wire to wire in 1 minute, 3.9 seconds, Kayla Magno took the 400 meter hurdles in 1:09.7 and Rachel Berets finished top in the 100 meter hurdles in 16.9 seconds.

Less is More Appeals to Many at Grove Playground Public Meeting

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Photo: The Activitas team, Jonathan Charwick (left) and Patrick Maguire, at the public meeting at the Beech Street Center.

Paths, trees, reconfigured ball fields, soccer field, exercise stations, new parking and tennis courts.

For Dalton Road’s Deborah Lockett, the question isn’t that these activities and features are “good things” (most are, she said) to be included in master plan for a renovated Grove Street Playground in East Belmont that was presented before 60 residents at a public meeting held Monday, April 13, at the Beech Street Center.

But for Lockett, what needs to be asked by the town, community, and the firm designing the new plan is if it is all too much for one park to incorporate.

“Any report that is written must identify when [the playground] reaches maximum usage,” said Lockett, a Precinct 7 Town Meeting Member.

The question and others were presented to the town’s consultants from the landscaping and planning firm Activitas as the Dedham-based company prepares to present a nearly finalized landscaping design as well as an estimated cost for revitalizing Grove Street, which has been the long-time home to Belmont Youth Baseball (with three diamonds) and Belmont Youth Soccer.

“I can be back here in about a month with an updated plan,” Jonathan Charwick, the Activitas associate who creating the landscape blueprint and design for the playground, told the Belmontonian after the meeting.

And from what he and Patrick Maguire, Activitas’ president, heard, the less, the better according to the audience.

For many of the abutters in attendance, even small improvements such as walking paths taking residents from one section of the park and formal parking, would take away the “rural” nature of the playground.

But for Maguire, “there are no issues that can not be overcome” as he presented two conceptional plans to the audience. In both, the designs were there to improve this “great” park that had become “rough around the edges.”

The first, dubbed Option 1, was the clear favorite of those in attendance. In the design (see the plan here and below):

  • the baseball fields would stay in their current location but with temporary fencing that will allow for multiple uses in the baseball off-season,
  • a removable double batting cage that is placed into the park’s prominent slope,
  • a new small hill that will create a slightly larger sledding hill during winter,
  • a reorganized playground along Grove Street.

In addition, Maguire pointed out there will be paved walking paths to be used by parents using strollers, children on bikes and older residents to transverse the playground; specified parking spaces on Dalton Road, Grosvenor Street and Foster Road; four exercise/fitness stations along the paths; and entry “plazas” that will provide seating.

The second option, which suggested more significant changes to the parkland – a 43 space parking lot at Dalton and Grosvenor, a new playground that would take two tennis courts and the ballparks would be cramped onto land that has two fields – was universally rejected by the residents attending the meeting.

Residents questioned ranged from where to store the removable fences (that will be determined in the future, according to Belmont Department of Public Works Director Jay Marcotte), how will the improvements will be paid (nothing set aside as of now, said Town Administrator David Kale, but likely it will come from a combination of funding from the Community Preservation Committee, the Capital Budget Committee and from public/private contributions) and if there could be a dedicated source of money for upkeep and maintenance.

There was also a request that the design does not have barriers such as bushes or seating as it attracts “sex and drinking” in the past.

“We will attempt to make sure there is no congregating or conjugating,” said Maguire.

A few abutters felt that adding walking paths, permanent parking, and exercise areas would bring the park “have an urban feel” that takes away from the “rural-ness” they had hoped to see.

For Charwick, a path would prevent the field from reverting to a “muddy” area.

Others suggested a stronger police presence in the area would serve as a better parking control rather than creating actual spaces.

After the meeting, Charwick said taking the residents’ suggestions (“keeping it as green as possible”) while attempting to enhance the park’s “programs” – be it youth sports or for just the casual visitor – “will take a balance of what we know works.”

Whatever the outcome, Lockett wants to see any master plan have specific language on how the town will determine when the park “hits its max” of the number of activities in Grove Street.
“And unless it’s in black and white, on paper, we will be back with the same concerns that began this,” said Lockett, referring to Youth Baseball’s initial attempt to place the batting cage on the site.

“Unless it’s written down, then there’s room for something else being brought into the playground,” said Lockett.

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