Photo: Clay Pit Pond
Repairing another of town’s tennis courts, installing a walking path and revitalizing a well-known park are some of the seven projects that past muster with the Community Preservation Committee after it announced which applications were approved in the preliminary round of assessments.
The seven applications moving forward in the CPC process are:
Accepted:
- $75,000 Town Hall Exterior Railings Improvements (Gerald R. Boyle, Town of Belmont – Facilities Dept.)
- $50,000 Conservation Fund (Mary Trudeau, Agent, Belmont Conservation Commission
- $250,000 Construction of Intergenerational Walking Path at Clay Pit Pond, (Mary Trudeau, Agent Belmont Conservation Commission)
- $150,000 PQ Park Revitalization (Julie Crockett, Friends of PQ Park)
- $325,000 Winn Brook Tennis Courts (Jay Marcotte, Town of Belmont – DPW)
- $100,000 Preserving Belmont’s Original Vital Records (Ellen Cushman, Town of Belmont – Town Clerk)
- $60,000 Digitizing Belmont’s Town Meeting Records (Ellen Cushman, Town of Belmont – Town Clerk)
The only project that did not make the initial cut was the largest request this year: $1 million to renovate Hittinger Field – which is adjacent to Belmont High School – from a request from Belmont Youth Baseball and Softball Association, which is adjacent to Belmont High School, by replacing the grass field with a Turf surface. The rejection came after it was determined artificial turf is prohibited under Massachusetts General Law from receiving Community Preservation Act funds.
The remaining applicants are now required to submit more detailed proposals to the committee. A final committee recommendation on funding any of the remaining projects will take place early in 2015. The 2016 annual Town Meeting will have the final say on allocating CPA funds.
The Community Preservation Act was adopted by Belmont voters in 2010. The fund is financed by property tax surcharges and annual distributions received from the State “Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund.”
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) will be holding a public meeting on November 12, 2015 in the Selectmen’s Room (Town Hall) at 7pm, during which the selected applicants will give a presentation on their project proposals. This is an opportunity for both the CPC and members of the public to ask questions and provide valuable feedback to the project sponsors before they submit their Final Applications for review.