ORDER-2023-21 : Acceptance of Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in the Amount of $75,000 For Enhancements to Recreational Developments and Parks

Transcript (~8 min @ 50:44)

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▶ 50:30 Jen Grigoraitis: motion to recommend Second, so we have emotion to recommend made by counselor gemaldine seconded by President sonella all in favor. Aye any opposed so that will be recommended to the full Council for passage. Thank you. Thank you very much. Cello

▶ 50:46 Speaker 1: Moving right along we are at order 2023-21 acceptance of Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation DCR in the amount of 75,000 for enhancements to recreational developments and parks and I believe we have superintendent Parks dumbbell here. Good evening. Hey, don't worry. So this is a state earmark for 75,000. It comes perfect timing because we've had in the last couple of years a lot of interest from our skateboard community. That is that that has been looking for some upgrades. We did the skateboard back in 2014. It's almost 20 years old it could it could use some 10-11 Kia they're looking for a couple different pieces something a little bit more challenging. We have a lot of young kids at skate in there. But we also have an adult crowd that comes in and skates. And we also have families that skate together. So each group has been in touch with us and has kind of given us a little bit of input. I've also gotten some input from a little little scada that came through the man's office that met me down at the park and was willing to put the money where his mouth was and go own and sit the agreement that I made with him was that you know, it would be nice. If you could if you could go down there and talk to the people who come in here and have a conversation. I know what you want being, you know, 12 or 13 year old skater, but you know with we have a lot of different age groups in here and to get something that kind of fits. Everybody would be nice. So if you can spend some time down here. Meet with the groups and come back and tell me you know, what people are looking for which he did he gave me some some proposals that are in American ramp as the the company that we use previously. So they're they're giving us some pricing finding out what can actually fit what can't fit the equipment itself. It needs a special kind of paint the older pieces. It's a two pot Epoxy paint. That's kind of expensive. I think the last time we did it was a thousand dollars for four gallons of it. So the old pieces need to be repainted with like to get a couple new pieces and then some of the equipment because of the area that it's in has kind of gone below great a little bit. So we have some lips that's kind of dangerous when you come off the board, so we'd like to get that work done as well. Once we find out, you know what that that price tag is we would also like to go back. We evaluate a couple of the basketball courts around the city that have cracks that could use some ten to Loving Care and repaint. So we have two that I think depending upon what kind of money we have left over. We're going to try to look at Gooch Park the common You know, I looked at like Lincoln School. It's the basketball court itself isn't so bad, but it's not painted like the lines of faded. So just those type of things. So we're just kind of we want to take care of the skateboarders for us. They've been waiting a long time to get some pieces and then we're going to see what's left over and do some upgrades on the basketball courts around the city. Oh Mary Livermore Park. I'm sorry was the best Bowl just

▶ 54:10 Paul Brodeur: see the little sense of How good the student was these in the middle school now and I was there a little bit I was there last week to judge a debate a student versus teacher debate. This kid was climbing up on stage and said On the skateboard guy again. I think I got it. I got it that there's a meeting coming up and we've also had a contact from a from a high school student and they don't the to the both of their credits. They don't just ask they said this is this is like the way of the land this is the way this stuff works quite frankly. I want to speak for Joan, but they know a heck of a lot more about it than I do a school them for sure. And you know that student advocacy piece was just very very impressive. It's definitely it's definitely a need it is a place that is that it's very well used and there will be there will be you know, as Joan described there's money to do some other things as well. And I do want to thank if it hasn't been said yet Senator Lewis and replica for their efforts as an earmark that came through the FY 22 operating Budget might be 23, but it was piece of the operating budget. So it is a to the extent you concerns. It is no match required kind of no strings attached. Grant

▶ 55:42 Speaker 1: Any questions or counselors? counselor Stewart

▶ 55:46 Robb Stewart: Thank you madam chair. Thank you, Mr. Miriam Isbell for this good news. As representative ward 3 were excited to hear about both Gucci and and the Lincoln School both could really use it. The one question I would have is Mr. Right May appreciate this as well is is there signs that could be put up to remind the residents that a certain time that you shouldn't be dribbling the basketball for example, after nine

▶ 56:18 Paul Brodeur: o'clock at night as someone who's been asked to leave the Park good probably because he called so there's certainly always opportunity. We don't want to over sign but it's really Jones Village. I think

▶ 56:31 Speaker 1: that all our Parks if they don't have signs in them. The majority of them do so if they don't then we got to get back to putting them up because passive Parks Parks, they don't have lights neighborhood parks open from sun up to sundown so they shouldn't

▶ 56:45 Robb Stewart: be in there. Right? Right. Just last night. I walked in the dog by in eight o'clock at night and a couple guys are out there drilling the ball. So and I don't think there's a sign. Yeah, we can check that. Okay, great.

▶ 56:55 Speaker 6: Thank you. Thank you madam. Chair Council girlfriend. Yeah.

▶ 56:59 Mark Garipay: Thank you for being here. Just one quick question regarding the skateboard park with the investment that's going to be in there recently over the summer over the summer. We've had some vandalism the image down between Lewis monkey and a skateboard park. Is there any way to include some sort of security cameras in here in this part of the project for for that so we can try to eliminate some of the vandalism some of the breaking break-ins with the marvelous Little League. Yeah into the

▶ 57:28 Speaker 1: their Trail like a broken into we can look into I think a smile or idea would Be to get some cameras that we can move around to different packs like not just to having it one park because it kind of flies up at different times you have different. So, I think that's an investment worth looking at. Okay. Thank you.

▶ 57:50 Manjula Karamcheti: councilor Carm JD more of a comment than a question, but I just wanted to note for the for the park submission my appreciation of investing in the spaces and places for youth to go outside of the traditional structure like opportunities that are available youth are always asking for and looking for places to be that are safe that they can pursue their interests outside of school and organized like sports. So just want to appreciate that the Parks Commission decided to spend the money in this way and listening to to the voice of kids who were looking for improvements. I think that's really important. So we'll just want to say, thank you.

▶ 58:43 Speaker 1: What is the will of this committee motion to

▶ 58:47 Jen Grigoraitis: recommend for passage? So we have a motion to recommend for passage made by counselor? Karmchatie seconded by Vice chair Migliorelli all in favor. Aye any opposed that will be recommended at the full Council. Thank you very much for being here tonight Ms. Bow.