Boston City TV, MA City of Boston Parks Department, 19 Jan 2022

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From YouTube: Winthrop Playground Design Meeting #2 - January 19, 2022

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Winthrop Playground Design Meeting #2 - January 19, 2022

A

Well, uh thank you for joining us for our second community meeting for winthrop playground. My name is nathan frazee, I'm the project manager from the park, boston parks and recreation department. Next.

A

So um a little housekeeping tonight's meeting is being recorded and will be available on the project website. uh Christine. Do you mind posting the link for that?

A

That link is going to be at the end of the presentation, but it's also in the chat now so feel free to share with any neighbors or constituents that maybe weren't able to attend but would be interested during the presentation portion. We ask that you keep your video and mic off. However, during the discussion um period we hope and if you're comfortable with it, you certainly can turn your video uh on next.

A

So we want to ensure this conversation is a pleasant experience for all and that community members are comfortable sharing their comments, questions and feedback. Please be respectful and mindful of each other's time, as we only have an hour and a half together tonight.

A

Let's keep the questions and comments, project specific and on point, and please wait until all attendees had the opportunity to ask a question or provide a comment before asking a second one. Additionally, my contact information is at the bottom of the screen. It will also be at the end of the presentation and it's on the project website.

A

So if there is anything that you want to continue discussing or anything uh privately, you can certainly feel free to reach out directly to me next.

A

So I know we're all zoom pros at this point, but just to run through uh all of the items associated with zoom.

B

A

As we mentioned, as I mentioned earlier, if you're uh comfortable, you can turn on your cam cameras during the discussion portion. During that time, you can raise your hand and unmute yourself uh when you're called upon there are additional prompts for anybody uh that you can do yes or no, so you can also answer questions uh by clicking those.

A

uh If you have a question during the presentation, you can add that to the chat box um and we'll do our best to answer those throughout the presentation.

A

Please only use that chat for comments and questions related to the project.

A

During our discussion, as I mentioned, you can turn your video on. uh We miss seeing everyone's face. So hopefully you know we get that allowing uh your cameras on. Can we we can.

B

Simulate an in-person.

A

Meeting as much as possible um next so tonight's agenda includes uh introduction of the design team project overview, a presentation from the design team that includes previous site analysis and design concepts and then we'll open that up to a listening and a discussion and then we'll end with closing remarks and next steps. Next.

A

So, as I mentioned, my name is nathan frazee, I'm the project manager from the parks department overseeing this project. uh Our moderator tonight is christine brandeo, who is also our department's outreach coordinator in in charge of external affairs. Her contact information is there she's, also an excellent contact for friends groups. So, if anybody's interested in establishing a friends group, she would be our point of contact from our design team. We have bsc. Group is monique hall, she's, the landscape, architect, and then I also included the office of neighborhood services contact for desean.

A

So if there's any questions, concerns or issues in the neighborhood, that's not specific to the park, he would be the appropriate contact for those next.

A

So this project, uh here's our project, schedule and funding- uh consists of a capital commitment of 2.375 million dollars, of which we have four hundred thousand dollars from a park grant from the state funding.

A

uh We are in our second meeting uh tonight january 19th, and we already have our third scheduled for march 9th, so mark your calendars now and we'll all come back and join at that point. um Following that meeting, the design team will continue to advance the construction documents and we anticipate going out to construction this summer with an opening of the park in spring of 2023 next.

A

So you may remember, these are from our first meeting, but uh just a reminder. These are there's a lot of considerations that go into uh park design. uh So within our project it consists of uh community input that way where we are tonight: safety and regulatory guidelines, city of boston priorities and parks and recreation goals.

A

Next, so just really going to run through these quick just so we can get to the concepts and the meat of the meeting city of boston priorities include expanding walkable access to parks, addressing equity, climate resiliency health and housing and community building.

A

Next, the parks department goals include accessible and available to all diverse, balanced and efficient mix of uses, meaningful inclusion, inclusive community engagement, adaptive and resilient landscapes and promote connections next, so the elements that go into play- uh this is the science of play- include uh social, physical, cognitive, sensory in communication.

A

At our previous meeting, we had a slide that goes into examples of each of these things, so if you interested in and reading back on, those feel free to go back to our previous presentation, but I want to keep these five elements in mind when we start to look at the concepts that monique's going to present next, so a little bit of history, the park was established in 1911..

A

uh The playground was last renovated in 2008., uh the basketball courts recently had a crack repair and repainting in 2020. During that process there was a lot of community feedback and it highlighted the need for a community process and that's a good example of community engagement and how you guys are helping direct and lead the process here tonight.

A

So with that being said, I'm going to turn it over to monique and she's going to go through the site analysis from previous meetings and concepts based on the input from the previous meeting. The one thing I do want to make sure you are aware of so she's going to show you several concepts.

A

um Your feedback tonight is, is you know, are these concepts reflective of the input you provided before, but also it's not 100 on that design? So if you like elements from each one, we want to hear that and then what monique and her team will do. They'll they'll take that information they'll uh combine that all down to a preferred plan and on our march meeting we'll be reviewing that making sure we're still on the same page.

A

We still are reflecting the input you guys provided to us and that that's the plan we want to proceed with so with that being said, monique take it away.

C

Thanks very much nate. uh Once again, my name is mooney call, I'm with bsc group and joining me this evening from bsc group is sing. Ninkwo and tanya pandey uh we're all very interested in hearing what you have to say at the end and we'll all be taking diligent notes to make sure that the park meets your needs in in a meaningful way.

C

So just a brief review of the site. Can everyone see my cursor if I move it around? It's hovering over the john winthrop school yeah yeah.

A

C

Okay, so we have a john winthrop school and then um that bounds the park to the north to the south. It's been bounded by residential properties and then to the west by dacia street into the east by danube street. The park consists of two play areas in yellow.

C

We have the two to five-year-old playground which I'll commonly refer to as toddler age, there's a splash pad in the center and then a five to twelve-year-old playground, which I may refer to as school age on dacia street, there's significant grade change, it's about elevation, 53 and then a 10 foot wall to elevation 63 for the playground. So this magenta line represents a large retaining wall.

C

A primary portion of the park is uh made up of two courts. We have a basketball court and we have an underutilized or never utilized tennis court in the center and then that's surrounded by an open field and outdoor fitness equipment and then sight lighting scattered throughout a long dashes along danube street. There's some game tables and chairs, and then the path of sun is through this south.

C

So, with regards to circulation the light blue shows the accessible routes, so really the only accessible routes that are wheelchair accessible are from danube street. So you could enter this way and have access to the field.

C

You could come around this way to have access to the school age playground or to the toddler age playground on dacia street right now. There's currently two sets of stairs so there's no accessible route, there's no wheelchair access, the white lines that you see are flights of stairs. So there is sidewalks and and stairs there, but there it is not an accessible route. So that'll be one of the things that we'll be attempting to address in all three of the schemes that you'll be seeing.

C

Next is ensuring that they're successful route from both danube street and dacia street.

C

So this is scheme a and we're going to call this central sports courts. This is essentially the same program in the exact space, but everything gets renovated and upgraded. um I shouldn't say the exact space. We still have the two quarts in the center, but they are pushed away from the edge and the reason for that is we'd like to open up sight lines throughout the park.

C

One way to do that is to take down some of the fencing where it's not needed. So we did talk about doing multi-sports courts where we could do basketball could be volleyball could be, tennis could be street hockey.

C

So the court that you see at the top of the page would be a basketball court but could also have a center net, and then there would be fencing on both sides for high flying balls and then at the lower. It would still be a multi-use court but again pushed away from the sidewalk so that we could begin to take that fencing down at the edge of the sidewalk.

C

We would provide like a timber guard rail because we still see you know balls could go into the street, but most of the play action is happening on a north to south or left to right axis on this on this option.

C

This provides a large multi-use lawn to the south, it's about fifteen thousand square feet and then as an opportunity to do some upgraded fitness equipment um off in this corner. We think the fence line that's existing at the south edge, it's leaning, it has several trees growing into it. Some of these trees are nuisance, trees and then some of these larger, mature trees.

C

They appear to be in a state of decline, so we would have an arborist come in, look at all the trees and evaluate the trees for health, but just from general appearance, we're thinking that most of these are on their way out, so we're proposing all trees along this fence line and then erecting the fence line to be to be straight and erect.

C

We talked about access around the park, so we have a perimeter path that goes around so, in addition to the sidewalk at danube street. This would be inboard and this path is about an eighth of a mile. So if you did eight laps around this path, you would have walked a full mile and then flanking this path. We could have picnic tables.

C

We talked about having seating for that's wheelchair accessible. So that's the three seater, but we also talked about having seating for for card games. So there's some several four seat tables we could do benches throughout and then seating in between the two courts as well at the toddler age playground. This is pretty much the same footprint and the multi-use splash pad is still pretty much the same footprint and the school age. Playground is still pretty much. The same footprint the exception being is that we now have an accessible route from dacia street.

C

So there would be a ramp that comes in here turns comes all the way down and then provides access to danube street.

C

So what that looks like is shown in here in the cyan color, so if you're coming from dacia street once again, it's almost a straight shot to get you into the park without having to go up any stairs.

C

The numbers are just kind of showing the elevations to give you a sense of where you are so. If dasha streets at 53, then danube street is at 63., so it's 10 feet great change and then the school age playground would be sloping, and so it would kind of be a playground. That's built into a hill with this concept, there's a couple of large linden trees here that provide shade on the school age playground to provide the circulation.

C

These large trees would have to get removed and we would replace them to to provide shade, and you know they do- provide a significant amount of overhead canopy, whether that's good or bad. But we we are. We are proposing replanting trees where we take them out, but also adding additional. The large green circles are canopy trees and the smaller pink circles would be kind of ornamental smaller trees, like cherry trees,.

C

So this is scheme a the courts remain in the center of the park. They're spread out so that we can take down some of the fences.

C

We have a perimeter path, the play spaces are at the same locations and we have an accessible route from dacia street to danube street, and then the fitness equipment gets upgraded kind of in the same location.

C

Moving on to scheme b, we could take the footprint of those courts and move them to the south in doing so that would create a large central lawn this lawn's about 11 000 square feet. It's pretty good size. This gives us an opportunity to do like a trike track, so a safe place to ride a tricycle or for kids to rollerblade around, as well as having a walking path that circulates around as well.

C

In this scheme the central lawn could be flanked by picnic tables benches. We could have some game tables to the side as well, and then the sports courts the same thing. We would do a court that has that would be multi-use for tennis and basketball and volleyball and soccer, and we would have one that would not have a net in this option.

C

The outdoor fitness area gets relocated to the street, but with a with a buffer up against the sidewalk, so there's a little bit of landscape that happens in between just for separation in between the large lawn and the courts, there could be a small secondary lawn, so at the large lawn you know.

C

If there's a, if there's a yoga class for like 50, maybe at the secondary lawn there's a yoga class for like five or six or that could be for smaller, more intimate gatherings in this scheme, the multi-use splash pad moves from the center, which gives us more space to do more play equipment for the school age we talked about.

C

Maybe doing some swings swings do have a large footprint, so this would allow us to to look at doing larger structures for school age, but also have the potential for installing some swings, in which case the splash pad would get removed to this corner over by dacia street the toddler age playground pretty much stays the same and then along danube street. We would do a low fence just so, if there's a soccer game going on, the ball is kind of traveling east west, and so we don't want the ball kind of moving into the street.

C

So this line would be like a low fence circulation wise. It's almost the same. It's it's not a direct route. It's a little bit of a zigzag.

C

The accessible ramp occurs closer to the school, and then you can exit on to danube street or into the park. So to recap, scheme b the courts moved to the south edge. We have a large central lawn and a smaller secondary lawn. We would expand the school-age playground once again, this remote. This means removing the large canopy trees and then replacing them with new new trees. That would provide shade over the years, but it wouldn't be instantaneous and then having the splash pad in this corner up at elevation, 63.

C

and the third scheme, that's uh kind of a departure from both of them, whereas both of the previous schemes had uh the play area in the same place adjacent to the school. This one takes the toddler age and the school age and places it parallel to dacia street on the upper level.

C

What that does is allows two lawn areas for for um multi-use areas, so these are a comparable size. um It also expands the play area for the school age playground. So once again, we're looking at trying to provide some larger structures and then the circulation happens in kind of a u-shaped all at once, around the splash pad. So what that looks like is the splash pad happens where the school age playground is right.

C

Now, so there's a big 10 foot wall right here, so dacia street's at 53, the splash pads, where the existing playground is right. Now at elevation 63.

C

in this scheme, the two existing linden trees, which are kind of these stick figure trees, would remain in the same location. So we could preserve those in place.

C

We have the two lawn areas both on danube street and then this is just a different configuration for the courts which have now moved to the south. I don't know why there's a ornamental tree in the center of the court. It's it's an era in my graphic, but we're not proposing an ornamental tree, but once again we have the tennis net, so it could be, um it could be uh two half courts or the net could be moved off to the side. You could have a full basketball court plenty of room for outdoor fitness.

C

We have some picnic tables benches kind of uh at different locations throughout the park, and then we have a fence uh along danube street to keep the balls from going into the street, so fence along the courts fence along the lawn, and there should be a fence here as well. Excuse me for a second.

C

Okay, so those are the three schemes I'm going to talk briefly about proposed, play equipment and then we'll move into listening and discussion. So some of the general play elements that we like to see in playgrounds are spinners.

C

So there's single spinners, there's multi-user spinners, where you know you stand on it and someone pushes you and then this is a nice fun spinner that there's a center wheel, so you could be actually in the spinner and spinning spinning yourself- um and this is one of my favorite pieces of equipment. This is a supernova, so it's all about balance and spinning and it's fun for all ages.

C

And a little bit about swings, this is a new swing. It's called a face me swing, so uh there's several over several varieties of it, but this one has a bucket seat for like an infant or a toddler and then a regular seat. So uh you don't have to push the smaller child. You can be on the seat facing the child.

C

At the same time, you could also do it with an inclusive seat. So here we have an adult with a smaller child.

C

I think this would be a great element to have for the two to five age group and then for the five to twelve, because we are limited on space. We would probably propose the nest swing where you can get multiple users and then, depending on the final layouts. If there was space, we could consider incorporating some single user swings for larger groups. Larger age groups.

C

Because we have the 10 feet of grade change between dacia street and danube street. That gives us a great opportunity to take advantage of that's 10 foot slope. So this is harambee park and you know this is the traditional slide. That's built into the slope. So, instead of having a ladder at the back of the slide, there's an opportunity to climb up some rubber surface mounds and there's some footholds, it could be a rope ladder that goes up this.

C

We did talk about color at our last meeting and I just want to say for all of the play equipment, there's multiple options to provide color to customize the color, so there's options to pick out the colors of the panels of the of the slides, there's options to pick out the colors of the rubber surfacing.

C

So if you see something here and it's a color, you don't like don't feel like you have to be tied to that that color, so we can certainly work through color schemes, but these are just images just reflecting precedence that have been built.

C

Another way to do to take advantage of the slope is to do a wide embankment slide. So I think uh anyone who has kids knows that kids will go up slides as much as they will go down slides and we always get the kind of traffic jam when there's a kid kind of going up and the kid coming down at the same time. So having a wide embankment slide is an option to have multiple users at the same time and then here's that kind of like rope that goes up the slide.

C

So the primary structure at the two to five inclusive playground currently is just a traditional post and platform like we see here. um This is great for younger age groups. uh The typical play activities involve a series of steps.

C

Some platforms could be some little houses or hutches a slide, there's typically a ladder or two and some sensory panels. So that's what we see on the left hand side. Here's another three-dimensional view again: we've got the platforms, there's probably some steps behind here.

C

Here's the ladder, there's several options for the slides and then the kids feel like they've, achieved something at the on these platforms and it's a great place for them to look out on the right hand, side there's an opportunity to still do the traditional post and platform, but maybe incorporate some additional activities for play. So in this top one we still have there's stairs, there's the slide, here's the ladder, but maybe there's a climbing net or maybe there's a spiral climber off to the side.

C

This is like a little. It's got a tether, so it's not a true swing, but it's a little balancing kind of spot for our child and then in this bottom image. Again, it's ladders, but just in in a non-traditional form. The platform is here, there's a slide here and then there's a little net, it's hard to see, but there's a little net for more adventurous youth. So this is the kind of feedback we want to hear for the two to five in inclusive playground. You know what should the primary structure be?

C

Should it be traditional post and platform? Should it be a little more more?

C

I don't want to say adventurous. Should it be a little more dynamic? You know for for this age group.

A

And- and you you all can continue to comment in the chat feature, uh we're recording all of that as well. So that's all going to go into our input in the design process.

C

Yep um at the two to five inclusive playground. I think we also there's always a need for sensory panels. So having like something that the kids can move, whether it's a face of a clock or counting beads or having numbers or having a blackboard where you can actually write on is is a key element for play.

C

uh A balance. Beam is a very simple one that kids have always loved the springer it it's a timeless classic that never gets old as as well as the seesaw um and then for the five to twelve, the school age group. Once again, we have a romby park so post and platform with some hybrid elements. So um the platform is, is the ramp leading here and then there's more platforms, leaving up to a higher elevation.

C

We have two fun twisty turvy, slides um in between there's some steppers here, there's a kind of a rope stepping kind of form in here that's similar to this image. That's on the right, so that's kind of more traditional or do we want to be a little more adventurous and maybe there's a slide. That's not accessible by a platform that that's a net climber. um This is another. This is another uh piece of equipment that was just released last year, so there is post and platform here.

C

There's the large curving slide, there's a little neck. Climber there's some hand holes to do some kind of like uh wall climbing and then the sensory panels as well, and then this is just the back view. So you can see you know there is post and platform and the kids kind of climb up into a little nook area to get to the top of the slide.

C

Again, we have some sensory panels. We have the kids on the net.

C

So that's the hybrid.

C

And then just refreshing our memory when we say trike track. This is what we mean a place where kids can ride around safely.

C

uh The splash pad will be upgraded from what it currently is, which is a single use spray, so we'll have different spray elements, some that shoot at different angles, some that spray up and down- and this will all be activated by the user, so you can turn it on at will.

C

And for the multi-sport court, so the bottom image shows what we're thinking, which has a center net on one court.

C

So the court could be used for basketball but could also be used for street hockey and soccer could also be used for volleyball or badminton or tennis.

C

And then the second court would not have the net and we got a lot of feedback at the last meeting. That color is a key element to park identity. So there will be opportunity to do something interesting on the courts with regards to art and color, just to make sure that we brand the park to be a fun friendly child safe place to be.

C

So fitness equipment- this is a park, that's nearby. This is mary hannon that has five pieces of fitness equipment and we did get some positive feedback about the equipment here. um So this is the image and it's kind of hard to see in this image, but the pieces of equipment that are here are an overhead ladder there's magnetic bells. These are basically weights on a post that can move up and down and then there's some signage here as to 20 or 30 different exercises. You can do with that.

C

There's a climbing wall with net there's a bench with a pull-up bar and a vertical ladder. um Sometimes we'll tie like uh exercise bands to the ladder to do like the rubber band exercises and then there's parallel bars. So we could duplicate mary hand. We could take some elements out. We could add other elements.

C

uh Other elements that we could add or substitute would be like a dip bench. There could be an incline press there could be. This is called a core twist. So there's some resistance in these poles, but they basically rotate around. This is mostly kind of an upper body workout and then this would be like a leg lift. So that would be like an abdominal workout at the station and then there's I don't know. I don't know how many different things you can do on the steps.

C

um So we're looking for feedback for that and then, when it comes to seating, I think at the last meeting we showed this kind of modular seating for the bench areas that would have a back rest and arms, but it could also be something a little more streamlined, maybe around the lawn area. It could be um kind of a traditional bench or it could be traditional armchairs, maybe at the basketball courts in between the courts, there's double-sided seating and then, with all of these options you know, there's there's, there's no limit to whatever colors.

C

We would want to choose to help just kind of brand and give a unique feel for the park.

C

For table seating, there's opportunities to do some uh picnic tables and we would make this accessible for wheelchairs by either elongating this table or shortening a bench. We talked about doing cafe, style, seating with four chairs or three chairs or two chairs, and we talked about maybe incorporating some laser cut game tables uh game boards in into this to the table, tops and then, once again, with these there's, there's multiple color options that are available.

C

I will say the only thing that we don't have the opportunity to do a lot of different colors is the fitness equipment it's available in orange and green, but everything else can is: there's there's plenty of opportunity to make sure that the community has its stamp on this park.

C

And then the last thing I want to talk about is edge definition, so this top image is the existing metal bollards at the edge of the field. I think in one of the options I showed. Maybe there could be a wood guard rail where we don't need really separation or we're not worried about a ball entering in the street. Maybe there could just be single wood post and then so.

C

We should also talk about fencing, so the existing fencing is this black picket fencing around the play areas and then around the retaining walls and at the sports courts we have black chain link fence, so there's some opportunity where we're installing new fence to maybe substitute the chain link fence with a welded wire fence. This is over at mary hannon playground and the advantage of doing something like this in a gray is that it promotes visibility throughout.

C

So if we want to clear sight lines and make it make the park feel safe and secure and that you can see everything that's happening all at once, then the gray wire mesh is is a great option and then this bottom image is just showing that we could incorporate color in the post. So once again you can see everything, that's happening behind the fence and then we've got a little bit of color at the post, just to kind of accentuate and make the make the area feel more dynamic and inviting.

C

So that brings us to the listening and discussion portion and.

C

Once again, um this this recording is going to be at the boston.gov winthrop dash playground site um last. uh The last meeting is also there um and I'll turn it back over to nate. Thanks.

A

Monique, um so uh I think what may be beneficial is is still keeping the presentation up so that we can jump through the concepts. There was a lot of great chat in the in the chat feature where people were talking about uh each concept that they were interested in. um So with that being said, especially in relation to the play, I want to reiterate the five components of play again, which is social, physical, cognitive, sensory and communication. There's already been some great comments about how each scheme relates to that.

A

So with that being said, I'm gonna open it up to comments. Questions so feel free to you can both put it in the chat I'll. Do my best to incorporate and answer that, but also, uh if you want to raise your hand, you can unmute yourself and then you can make your comments.

A

Anybody want to raise their hand, I see that in the chat feature, but you can certainly raise your hand and on mute and then answer as well. um I I saw one chat um asking about if there's been any talk about a name change of the park that has not come up through our department, yet um if that is something that is interested, uh the community is interested in doing.

A

There is a process to do that, and I can have that uh outlined and everything for our next meeting, and I can also include that in our uh meeting minutes to share back that is typically community led. um We don't want to be naming it internally, so we look to the community for naming so that that process will be led from the community.

A

With that being said, christine who's our first hand up. Did you see.

D

E joseph, you can mute yourself.

B

Okay, thank you um hi good evening everybody. I just wanted to say it was a really nice presentation. It looks like a little a lot of really good thought went in there. um So thank you for that, but so my suggestion with the incline is maybe like a mini, zip line. I was concerned about that drainage. I put some of those things in the chat, but um what about dogs? Are we going to put signage up to make sure that um you know when the kids go down for the bedtime?

B

There's not it's not going to be overrun by dogs and then the cleanup that comes with it. Thank you great.

A

Good points um we will be, including our typical signage, which so dogs will be allowed in the park as long as they are leash just like they are in all city city parks. Well, most city parks, so the leash law will still be in the effect. um Dogs are not allowed in the playground spaces, but lawns for the most part, are could be still used.

A

D

Amigos you're gonna mute yourself.

E

Hi guys how y'all doing um I'm actually going to go off the dog question, uh my my suggestion would be if we can add a dog park, there's tons of dogs in the area and nowhere to take them. um If there's a way that you know a piece of the park can be designated.

E

So we don't have that issue of having you know, dog poop across the whole area. But if there's something that we can do to accommodate the folks in the area that do have pets.

A

Yeah, that's a good comment. um I think one of these schemes does have some extra lawn space that we could look at right. Now, that's not in our cost estimate, so so dog recreation spaces. uh We typically include um you know a drinking fountain for the pets. uh It also has a fairly elaborate drainage system to make sure it stays. You know sanitary, um so we would have to be looking at kind of the the priority list of that um and what size that is.

A

So I think in this scheme in particular, we have that larger space, that's right, adjacent to the school um there. It might be a conflict, putting it right against the school. So that's something we could certainly look at you know is that something a buffer or something that we can put between the school, but we could we can continue to explore that.

D

Next, we have alexandro.

F

um So I have a few little things, so first one is trash. um They're, like you, guys, have a like an idea of how many trash cans would be up where they'll be located.

F

If there's a way that we can get big trash cans, colorful trash cans, so they can be seen because we do spend a lot of time cleaning the park after we do. What we do and a lot of that reason is because of um there's only like two trash cans and it's they're like one and one's in the beginning and then one's on the other side, and sometimes it's just like there's none like by the court areas. So people have to walk to um those two designated areas to throw trash.

F

There is the school dumpster, but sometimes that gets full or it's just a little pain to get it open. So trash is one thing that I definitely get a little worried about with the part.

A

Yeah we so we definitely will be it clean. Certainly, uh we definitely will be including trash cans throughout the park. um We do have a standard trash barrel that uh you may see those over at mary hannon that has the park's logo etched into it.

A

um I know as a department where we're in the process of that evaluating those trash barrels which are are larger, but we're also trying to incorporate a recycling program um so that the barrel selection is still kind of an evaluation is still underway for those, but we definitely will ensure that there's uh a mix of both temporary. You know barrels that are out during the high use season, as well as permanent barrels for the rest of the year, so we that will be something that once we're uh down to a preferred plan.

A

We can get a better idea of where those would be.

D

They can I interject about trash barrels, also yeah, when there's events um feel free to reach out to me, and I can make sure, there's actual extra trash browse there, that our park maintenance will drop off and then pick up right. After also.

F

Oh, that would be great.

F

And um yeah, the other thing is just um if maybe we can get um a little bit more track space on, um because I like, I really do like um the scheme c, because scheme c like um talisha was pointed out. It definitely gives us give give our our kids more recreation space. So they can, we can add more things there for them and we still have our own space when it comes to.

F

um We still have our own space when it comes to um the chords and stuff like that in that nature, but it seems like the track. Space is a little smaller with scheme c, so there's maybe a way we can make that a little bit like scheme a's track field looks pretty pretty big and a little bit more. So so it's not just like.

F

I can like, for example, like my son he likes to like ride his bike and stuff like that around a track, but when it's small he'll literally come up to me and he'll, be probably, this is too small. This is boring.

C

F

C

It could be that um so with this with the playground areas, we do fence those in completely, um so it could be that maybe there's a smaller track, that's interior, and maybe we look at trying to connect the walks here and maybe there's a secondary, larger track.

F

Yeah, that would be perfect all right. Thank you. That's all.

A

I see some other comments, I'll just point out from the from the chat. There was some comments about um about it, including uh activities for people with disabilities and not just children. um I think we're certainly aware of that. We're trying to include that both in having an accessible entrance off of deja, as well as uh having full accessibility throughout the entire site. So so any users, whether mobility, impairment or not, has access to every single element.

A

Any benching benches or picnic tables will be fully ada compliant with both wheelchair and companion seating um exercise equipment is fully accessible for for any mobility impairments to go directly to it.

A

That's correct, you can't engage with it, so I should say not just to it but engage it right.

C

um And then I saw a couple of comments about the zip line and I saw nate that you addressed it, but just so that everyone's clear, the zipline was the first thing that came to my mind with the slope, but um because of the clearance that's needed all the space around it. It has to be uh utilized for safety zones. So then it would just it would virtually take away from the playground areas. So you could either have a zip line or you could have a playground.

A

Can you go to option b for terry.

C

Wrong way, come on.

C

A

So so one other thing just where we talked about those trees that are in the existing uh playground area and the potential of removing those. Obviously we don't want to remove any trees if we don't need to um the one thing that is where in conflict with those two trees in particular, is that um that specific type of tree has a debris that comes off of it. That tends to be like a black coating so that you, you see that on the rubber surfacing in there.

A

So, if we're looking to um keep the playground in that space and and keeping it as clean as possible, that that's one reason why those trees might be in conflict, um the scheme that we showed those preserved, it is where we're proposing the splash pad, underneath of them where the water will help clean that area. We can spray that down and clean it easier.

A

So so that doesn't become quite as uh specific of an issue. Yeah.

C

Yeah, so that the school age playground the rubber surfacing, it looks like when I first saw it. I thought it was asphalt, but it's actually like a bright blue rubber or like a royal blue rubber surfacing, but it just looks black with all of the staining from the tree.

A

uh E joseph as much as I would absolutely love that I don't think any lawyer would allow that from uh so one thing with all play: equipment we're governed by uh what's called cpsi, which is certified, playground, safety, inspection um and uh yeah. I I definitely feel you on that. uh Sometimes it does in. If you look at it very pragmatically, it can tend to take away some of the adventure and the risk.

A

So what we like to do is allow kids to be adventurous to have some of those elements. So that's where that that are risk but safe. So that's where looking at embankment slides things like that, I know we talked about some people made comments about rock climbing earlier.

A

Those are all ways that we can introduce uh risk assessment for kids, but do it in a safe enough manner that they may get hurt, but it won't be any uh permanent injury and that's where kids learn you fall. You learn and you see what your body can and can't do so that those are all elements that we put into our playground design.

A

I see the comment about a book or magazine stand. um I haven't installed one of those before I don't think. That's necessarily something um that would be outside of the realm that we could do. I know my daughter's school has one, so I certainly think that would be a possibility.

C

Yeah, we see those everywhere popping up in in neighborhoods organically, so.

A

C

Would be an easy thing, certainly to provide and.

A

It would be great if we had a friend's group that could help manage that if christine wants to um plug her her work in establishing friends groups.

D

um Eat jokes: if you can mute yourself.

A

B

So sorry, I'm like really lobbying hard for this zipline. You know the um the air, the playground that so not a traditional zipline right, the the area playground that is um behind white stadium. You know that that's a nice big play area you familiar with that franklin park on the.

C

B

End of white stadium.

C

Yeah, so just if we were to do a zip line, where's my annotate.

A

Is that tiffany moore you're talking about I'm sorry didn't hear? Is it tiffany moore playground.

B

I'm not sure the name, but it's not like a zip line like in the sense that I'm saying right, the child hangs from this um apparatus and then propels themselves from one end of this apparatus to the next. So it's not overhead at all. It's part of the there's like a structure yeah, it's part of the plate structure on the lower level.

D

B

I only see it like, maybe eight feet wide and I'm thinking maybe make that a little bit longer and I it looked like one of those uh playground apparatus would allow for that. So not zipline. I know anybody think I'm like advocating for sending your children down superman style through these trees, but something a little bit longer than just um what is in that playground.

B

You know the the jp area over there behind white stadium.

C

Yeah but you you just set it eight feet wide and then you'd need 25 or 30 foot length and that's that's the size of half of a playground that we have right now.

C

So it would be a zip line or it would be three or four place structures.

A

They're yeah they're, so the other thing that's again uh just looking at how uh safety is is in the cpsi dictates play you need six foot of use zone on each side of it. So even if you for any elevated play, so if you put a single balance beam, you need, it actually has to be at minimum 12 feet wide, because you have to have six feet on each side of it.

A

So that's where um sometimes it's deceiving how the size of the structure and then the use you have to put around it that's what oftentimes is is the limiting factor.

A

uh Charles I'm curious, um I think I have another hand, but I just saw his comment. I'm curious of any of the concepts you're seeing and you can feel free to answer and chat lean more towards a grilling area or grilling section that you prefer.

A

And then I there's another hand up, so we can certainly call on that person. I don't see who it is, though,.

D

Mangoes should be able to unmute yourself now.

C

So I I I think, with these picnic table areas, we could extend these pads so right now, there's five feet around so that you can get wheelchair access around them, but I think our next iteration is to maybe extend the concrete pads around the picnic table so that you could get a grill in there as well.

C

I think, um in this option b the picnic tables are right, adjacent the streets and then the sidewalk is wide enough, so that you could pull I'm thinking you're coming from the sidewalk, and then the picnic table is right. There there's, probably a trash, can that's located right there as well, so that would be your grilling area and then you still have the circulation into the park. But there's no reason why you know the grilling stations could be further into the park as well.

C

You know they could be close to the sidewalk. They could be further in so that you really feel like you're in the park setting.

E

Hi, can you hear me now? Yes, thank you guys. I just wanted to suggest emergency call boxes.

E

F

We have them at, we have them.

E

At ronin park and a few other parks across the city, uh I know this is you know.

A

I think we might have lost you, you trailed off there at the moment.

A

Sorry, you trailed off right after you said uh at ronin park.

E

All right, sorry guys, my bluetooth and my car picked up. I was just a suggestion if we can put emergency car boxes in the park in case of an emergency when someone doesn't have access to a cell phone.

E

As you know, you know it's a beautiful area, love my city, but we're playing with different types of violence uh across the city and that's something that was added a few years back to ronin park when a young lady was assaulted and the gentleman lost his life uh trying to help. um So, if we can add, you know an emergency call box for any reason uh for someone to access that would be a great addition to the park.

A

Yeah, that's that's a great comment, so any of those that are put in our parks. We have to coordinate through the um police department and and basically they they evaluate. You know the infrastructure and the ability to manage those. So we can certainly raise that to the community resource officer and see if that's something they would be interested in exploring for here, but that that has to be approved through their department.

D

Anyone else want to raise their hand.

A

I think um still feel free to chat and and add comments, but I think one of the things monique if we can jump through, um maybe some of the play equipment, slides um or the sport court slides or any of those things, and we can get some input on any of those structures or equipment that people are thinking. um You can start with the first one. If you want, we could just go through these again, real, quick and and with.

D

That yeah, I was going to say, domingo.

A

You can grab uh on mute again right there.

A

Oh, I think he was just.

E

I was just texting it in the message who do we have to contact with bpd to get that ball rolling.

A

Because I think that.

E

Is yeah please I'll.

A

Do that from ours.

E

Yeah, that's one of the most important pieces we need across the city. uh I grew up in this area. I've as a kid playing in that park. We found you know we found dead bodies as kids um we've we've had people robbed, we've had you know, seniors get assaulted, we've had sexual assault like we've, had a good amount of incidents within that area within that school area that you know this would be something that would be a great benefit um to bring that park to up to speed to the 2022 phase. Certainly,.

A

Yeah, no and that's I mean that's- certainly nothing any any child should ever see so I'll reach out directly to the district uh outreach officer and see if I can get that process started. Thank you for that, though.

A

So, looking at the uh two to five structure here, I see see uh e joe's farties commented that she likes the hybrid approach um and then jennifer commented that she likes the supernova the wide embankment slide in springers. um So just looking at this slide real quick, um it sounds in some of the comments earlier. It sounds like people really don't lean towards the hybrid approach, with both the platform and some sort of uh net climbing component that that you know offers a little bit more dynamic, a little bit more options.

A

um So we can certainly explore that and and see what fits into the concepts.

C

I'm going the wrong way. Sorry sorry.

A

um Then, for the um I see another hand raised, so you can.

F

uh So with the um the equipment that you got that right there yep so um as long as we can add like some type of monkey bars or um definitely have a platform on it and uh um a slide, that's like kind of sufficiently high enough for kids or even if it's like a swirly slide. That does a little bit of extra swirls or something like that.

F

That would be kind of that would be good too, because the slides that we have now are kind of like for, like my son's, only six and even he's like.

F

He's all about big, big everything he's so small, but he's all about big everything. He wants everything to be big, long and fun so yeah. So if we can get like a more like a bigger slide and platforms, and things like that is great, that's it um a monkey bar only because I grew up on those monkey bars that's already in the park.

F

A

Thing that I had a lot of fun.

F

With was the monkey bars, that was one thing that we always had. That was like. Okay, our monkey bars is cool, so I I'd like to keep that concept in to kind of like keep the tradition going of the monkey bars.

C

Yeah, I don't know if you can see it in this lower right hand corner, but there the monkey bars is different. It's got like the central line through it, but it's an interesting twist on a monkey bar where this little kid is.

F

Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah, that's that that's that I'm all about technology, I'm a software engineer, so yeah yeah yeah that looks cool. That looks like I would want to use it yeah. I like that.

C

Yeah, my little guy was on all the big kids equipment well before he should have been, and I was running up behind him and underneath him making.

F

Sure he didn't fall yeah, like there's that big big slide on adam street in dorchester that they that they built and you like, walk all the way like it takes like it looks like a stairway that they ended up taking off and turn it into a slide. That's.

A

F

He loves that stuff. My son loves that slide like we go on our way to go to that slide so yeah, but yeah yeah. I like the way it looks as long as we get um some type of monkey bars and a nice big slide. Even if we can um incorporate the rock climbing one that we had that that you guys are showing, then it has the slide. That looks like a real nice slide as well with the rock climbing, and then you get the rock climb up, and then it's not high.

F

It's not too too high too. So it's kind of perfect, like you've seen before it still incorporates safety with a little bit of risk. And then you have the slide part and then, if maybe we can add on the other side of that rock climbing part, um another a wider slide, so that we can stop the congestion, because every child needs to go up from the bottom up.

F

Every child, like one of our um neighborhood members, chris christian, just had his son and he just posted his son on snapchat, is only like two and he's going up the slide up. The slide before he goes down the slide yeah, so this is it's bound to happen, so um controlling congestion. There would be great if we can kind of incorporate both. That would be great.

C

A

Just saw one question about how long you have to decide so this this meeting, both the recording of this media, is going to be posted online, as well as a pdf of this presentation.

A

um You certainly can share this with other community members, especially kids input or any any other park. Users would be great, um feel free to email me. Any additional feedback. I'll include that in the meeting notes share that with monique, um and then we will she's going to be looking at, including that that feedback in the preferred plan.

C

You didn't hear this from me, but if you know somebody were to attach a rope to a tree, I I wouldn't say I wouldn't say anything.

A

And I'm gonna act like I didn't hear that so.

C

I'm just kidding.

A

I'm just kidding.

C

I love the zip lines too and if there's any way, you know what four zip lines um there are some elements with the post and platforms that are uh their hand, holds on a post and platform structure. That's like a zip line, so it would be the length of like a monkey bar, but you would actually hold on to a handle and zoom from one platform to the other. We could do that. That would be kind of like a zip line. Yeah.

A

Yeah, that's so that's one of the things at least this the two structures, and maybe this one on the bottom on this slide, um you know talking about those zipline or monkey bar type elements. Those are all these are all um customizable.

A

Those are all standard pieces, so we can select what elements we like to add on those. So uh I know I somebody was talking about monkey bars earlier. That's why I bring that one up, so we can certainly look at how those those components could be incorporated on any of these structures.

A

I see domingo says it likes the gray, fencing with the yellow posts. uh Another thing with you know the yellow posts are the ones reflective of that mary hannah and that match the playground, but any of the color schemes we come up with here. We could get those posts to match. I believe.

A

Jennifer comments: she likes the course further away from school, so b or c nice.

A

um Monique you want to flip through any of the um site, amenities ones. We could look at the benches or the tables. I know we already had the comments about the grills, so that's certainly.

C

Fitness equipment.

A

There was one comment in the in the chat about, I think, an additional pull-up if I said that wrong I'll look back at the chat record, so I will get what you did recommend right.

C

About an additional I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. I.

A

Think he that somebody made a comment about an additional pull-up bar.

A

Yeah so we'll we'll look at that and there was extra club. I did get it right, perfect.

A

um And then there was other comments about double-sided seating around the courts. That's a great way to kind of differentiate those. I think some of that comes into play on um excuse me on between you know, if it's a basketball and we are including something with a tennis or or volleyball, we some of them had may have side netting on it, just to keep those those balls from going off the side, but you still could have something like that. That's engaging both sides of that and then the laser cut tables uh yep.

A

That's that crate that eliminates the pooling. So you don't have to worry about water sitting on them for a long time. um The other reason we like that is uh and monique had this one. This one over at mary hannon is that we already had the the perforated tops of it for the drainage purposes. So what they did on this one is they use that perforation pattern and make it made it a game table? So it's serving both purposes, which is great.

C

Yeah- and this is a two seated table- you know this- this table could be located with concrete on both sides, so it would be wheelchair accessible on both sides. Yeah.

A

And that that middle graphic shows one that is uh accessible on that third side or fourth side. Sorry, um and then some of the tables that are shown so like right now, this red table, typically when those are the 88 compliant ones of those, are elongated, so that anybody in a mobility device can wheel directly to the table.

A

So they uh monique, do you want to answer the questions on on how the uh how those site furnishings are handled in the heat.

C

Yeah so they're, actually not you know they, don't they they're actually comfortable in in the summer time. Obviously, the lighter the color the better, um but I've never sat on a metal bench and burned my bottom in the summertime.

C

Although it seems like that would be the case.

A

So that yeah they're they're coated a coated metal so that that certainly helps dampen the heat. The other thing I will say is you know, for the most part, we're locating these under trees and and on areas that will be semi-shaded um so that that should help on any of those issues as well.

C

And so the reason why we ch we like metal is because it's durable. um There are some recycled plastic options, but no, I haven't seen one that hasn't faded or buckled over the course of the years it or cracked. um If we're going to put a a recycled plastic or a high density, polyethylene table adjacent to grill area- and you know, god forbid- somebody puts a hot utensil on it. Then it could melt. um You know they, don't they don't wear in the sun very well. Just you want to keep your.

C

I think we want to keep this park looking new and fresh for as long as we can and metal is the best option for that. Yeah.

A

And just like this red one shows, you know we can do these as as bright vibrant colors that uh fit into a color scheme throughout the park as well.

A

What were some of the other slides like there was some um yeah so that actually, that slides a good example so that that uh the pre, the previous slide right there. So there you see the color options of um any of these benches can come in. So it's pretty pretty extensive.

A

C

I think putting some arm chairs and maybe a little side table just to do like conversational seating is fun, so it could be like your outdoor seating area, your outdoor living room.

C

Any other thoughts on fitness equipment, I'm not a fitness person, so.

A

I see there are some comments about uh asking about flower beds, so we typically do not install flower beds. um Just you know, within the capacity of our maintenance uh to upkeep, we rely on friends groups for that um with that being said, we could have, if that's something we're looking at uh establishing here, it's something we can. We can discuss and see. What's if it's something we could help install and then that friends group takes over maintenance of it.

A

We also also have a daffodils uh bulbs, planting program that friends can get bulbs through the parks department to put into the park. So that's another way of including flower beds in the design.

C

Yeah, I know our neighborhood gets like usually a thousand or two thousand bulbs every spring, and we do a big community effort and it's fairly simple.

C

um I think the other reason for flowers was just kind of um besides the maintenance. It's a good place for hiding unwanted things. Adjacent kids areas, so kind of low and pretty is, is an easy way to keep things free from from sharps and other things that we don't want in the playground.

C

Nate, do you want to talk about a rower at the fitness area.

A

um The rower that we don't do so so what we we typically see with with the fitness equipment is, we tend to stick with stationary equipment or things without gears that need greasing, um so some parks have um like rowing or or cycling equipment, but what we tend to have happen with that is that, because they are out in the weather, dirt snow ice gets into those and and they break down and they're, not uh usable in the long term.

A

So what we you know what we did at mary hanna and we had the magnetic bells, um which those are movable, so they go up and down. So you can do lifting with that, but they don't have any mechanical components of it. All it is, is a sleeve over the bar, so that uh you know we don't see that as an ongoing maintenance issue um and then on what we're. Also looking at with this one is these core twist ones which are similar similar system?

A

It's it's a bar, that's rotating in there, and so that gives you a more engaged, more dynamic workout without having the risk of of equipment that will be breaking down on us. um So that's that's. I I think I saw some other information about including more steps in the fitness area. So that's uh one thing we can work at in including um and then e joseph yes for the bulbs. um I will share the contact for the bulbs.

C

Yep, I put the link in the chat it's on.

A

The boston.gov.

C

A

Perfect there was some comments about um a variety of the site, furnishings and tables. So it's not all just four seaters or things like that. We can certainly look at you know doing a mix of two three and four seaters.

C

Yeah, I think a few of the tables will be four seaters, but I think the majority of all the tables in the seating will be wheelchair, accessible.

A

All right, um let's keep going through anymore, so we already got good input on that. The toddler trike loop got in good input on that play.

A

I think we got some good input. Let's go to the swings, I don't think we talked much about the swings.

A

Do you guys have any inputs? I know when I was flying for this uh for the meeting I I saw at least two kids and both of them commented about swings and and that there were no swings and they wanted swings. So, um as far as I know, the face me swing that that's shown here. We do not have any of these in our parks department uh as of right now, but one of the things we like about that is the engagement of caregivers as well as uh siblings.

A

The the image on the left shows an older sibling, whether I assume sibling with a with a younger one. So you get um the ability of engaging multiple ages as well as caregivers with the children. um So that's that's one thing we would think would be a really good addition to the park.

A

C

That face-to-face interaction is so important, especially at early developmental ages, and then you know my son when he was in the bucket seat I'd. I would always stand in front of him, so I could see him and you know he'd kick me half the time, um but it was kind of worth it. I got. I have some great shots and mean to see the joy on a kid's face while they're swinging to me. It's just amazing.

A

That's and my daughter is five and she still likes that part of kicking me while she's on the plane. She thinks it's hilarious so, um but as a as a caregiver I mean all, I can think about. Is you know? I'd rather be swinging than just standing there. So it's it's a way of you know, because all I can think about is that that um that woman in the in the bluish, sweat sweater laying down there, I mean she looks like she's having a ball right. So I just love that idea.

A

So it look, it sounds like people are in favor of that I see some other people ask that have talked about the single swing. um Yeah there we go.

A

You got to teach the kid to pump so that you're, the one actually getting getting getting pushed right. um So we can. We can look at uh within those concepts, including you know, a variety of these options and seeing what what's available great.

A

And then the spinners, these are all again great ways of engaging. You know a lot of kids on a fairly small footprint. um You see on the supernova one there's four, um the one on the left has what at least one two three four five, six, seven kids in that piece of equipment, which is just remarkable, yep.

C

My son always likes to push. I get tired of pushing. I like I like the center wheel and you can make yourself move around. That's like the old sit and spin, but a larger version.

A

C

Yeah that supernova is a favorite. um I have terrible balance, but it's it's one of those. It's one of those challenging exercises that I've seen like little two-year-olds lay on it right and kind of like use their foot and rotate around, and then it's one of those things that a kid can go back to because it's always challenging and they could they can just get better and better at it.

C

So it's not a piece of equipment that you know someone's going to get bored with it's it's something that's going to grow with the child as they age.

C

So the spinners are advanced merry-go-rounds uh yeah. I think the multi-use spinner like this one is kind of an advanced merry-go-round, but the thing with the merry-go-round is you get tired of pushing like I will. I will actually sit my butt on the platform and use my leg to push. um That's my that's my little trick for for pushing the merry-go-round because yeah, it's a great domino sets it's a great arm workout, but I am so out of shape.

A

Yeah, my only worry with that one is it's so little that I can only imagine I would be dizzy after, like the second rotation.

A

um So one thing I I saw he just have made a comment about um water friendly spinner. um So I, as far as I know, we don't one our water play is usually on concrete um and again any of these types of play. Equipment need to have the safety surfacing around them, so they don't tend to be uh in the same area as well as most of the manufacturers. Don't recommend you being wet on them from a safety standpoint slipping.

A

um I don't think it would be a rust issue because the equipment's designed to be outside, but um so that's that's the one factor with that. It did raise the point, though speaking of water, that one thing we haven't talked about at all in this is that we will be incorporating a bottle filling drinking fountain in into the park design. So that's both. It has both a drinking uh fountain side to it, as well as bottle filling.

C

Yeah and the other thing we didn't talk about, nate was sight lighting and we should say that sight. Lighting right now is kind of inconsistent through the park.

C

We will be providing sight lighting in the final scheme and we'll show the lighting locations, but the intent is to ensure that all the seating and all the pedestrian walkway areas are lit at night and we'll also be looking at locating site lighting and avoiding conflicts with tree canopies, because I know you know it doesn't make sense to have a light pole and that pulls up in a tree, and you all you get is a bunch of shadows.

C

So sight lighting is, is an important component uh to the park. Improvements.

A

There there are spotlights on the basketball courts. um The one thing with that is obviously those are done with timers and everything so that the ports aren't lit all night long. um So that's something um that will be incorporated as well. They usually have uh solar sensors with timers on them.

A

um I see the comment about bathrooms or porta potties, so we don't have the ability to put anything permanent uh in the park, just the sheer cost and maintenance and upkeep of those. So we tend not to do that. What we have done in the past is anywhere. There are events which I know, there's basketball, uh tournaments and everything that are here.

A

We do sometimes put concrete pads for where a porta potty could be placed and secured uh for those events, but there they would not be permanently uh permanent fixtures of any sort and and with those porta potties, those are not put in by the parks department. Those are done through the leagues or or permit holders.

A

I'm just I there's a rush of comics. So now I'm trying to scroll back up.

A

So I think those are mostly about the porter john's.

A

And then power outlets? At this point we do not um have outlets that are accessible just because they get damaged so easily, and then it becomes a safety hazard.

A

um I I see the question about when, when do we, um uh when do we anticipate construction, starting and ending?

A

So our our next meeting, uh which monique and our team is going to take all of the information we got tonight, they're going to revise the concepts and come back with a preferred plan, make sure we're all on the same page for that that's going to be on march 9th, and then she and her team are going to work through putting that into construction documents and then we'll go out to bid with, and we anticipate construction starting in july with a spring of 2023 opening.

A

And then I see stanley made a comment about cell phone station chargers, so there was a pilot for those cell phone uh chargers. I don't think we put any of those in parks because, again, most of the time we were seeing that the the in, like the plazas and everything downtown the outlets in for plugging them in were actually breaking. So you would have these uh charging stations that nobody could actually connect to.

A

um And then I saw the power outlets comment. So but again we just see that they get vandalized and then they don't actually work.

A

So and then stanley, when does your league end you can put in the chat or on you either or.

A

End of august um we'll have to see what that does for our schedule. It might be tough because, obviously uh we can't do construction during the winter months. So we're really looking at um you know our end of summer fall construction and then spring construction, and we want to limit the amount. This goes into um spring of 2023.

A

We ideally don't have it go into the summer months, so we.

D

A

Can look um we'll look into that and then we can definitely talk once we have a contractor on board, so this will all be publicly bid. Once we have that contractor on board, we can. We can work more detailed out with that.

A

All right with that said, I see our clock. uh The timers getting close. Is there any other uh last minute comments, anything uh domingo, yep, sorry.

E

um Yeah, I'm going to be real about this power um situation um because across the city, different leagues, I run a program out of clifton park.

E

Stanley runs a few different leagues in different parks and we're required to pull a special permit to be able to use generators to power equipment that we bring on for these different events that we host at these parks and last year was very costly because we have to get a licensed electrician to be able to pull the permit, to be able to use the generator through the fire department and through isd.

E

So I mean I know in new york- uh it's something that they have at just about all their parks and it's under lock and key that the individual who was actually going to utilize. The park would get a code to be able to access that power outlet.

E

So they don't have to bring it generated, and I think we here in boston can come up to that speed uh because you know we're going to put in you know 3-4 million dollars into this park, but we don't have no power out we're not able to utilize the park at its full potential because we're still behind the eight ball instead of being in front of the eight ball.

E

So I mean, I know, there's ways that we can go about um having things brought in to make these things work, uh like I said in new york, they have it at just about all their parts and it's on the locking key and the person who pulls the permit gets a it's sort of like a lock box. Sure you get a key code to it. So.

A

You know I mean yeah. We can certainly look into that. um That comes with fairly extensive electric upgrades, um so that's something we can look into for this um and just see what extent you know. What's the extent of that um with what we're proposing here so that we can look into that, but, like you said it would be something that is locked and secured yep.

C

Before we go, I see I see. Talisha's feels very strongly about scheme c and I just want to say.

C

C

Hazel has the larger school age and toddler age playground, together with the splash pad. That's up, but scheme b also has a larger school age and toddler age playground.

C

The one thing so both could accommodate swings. The one thing that's different also is that scheme b has the grade change in the school age playground. So there's an opportunity there to do the embankment slide so from going from 53 up to 63, then that gives us opportunity to do like hills and valleys in the play area, whereas scheme c.

C

This is all at the same same grade, so there there's no embankment slides everything's all at the same level, but both both are expanded, play areas again scheme c. We keep the trees, and this is concrete, underneath the trees and the hope is that the water, it's it's not going to be black stained concrete and then scheme b the trees go away. We put new shade trees that will mature over the time, but this is like a this is like a a sloped hill.

C

Where scheme see it's it's a wall kind of as it is currently so those are the two um I didn't hear a whole. I didn't see anything about scheme, a which is kind of the existing layout, but um if we could get some feedback from the group about scheme b and c, that would be great and then we can.

A

Stanley just made a comment and the hills and the valleys would wear the kids out stanley. If you know my daughter, you'd want her worn out. um So that's that, but again, that's one element of you know using the site and the topography as all as an element of play.

A

um The other thing with that being said, scheme b in both in scheme c, you know they're what monique and her team can do is they can look at pulling some of the elements of each and then we'll come back with a concept that pulls some of those together and it's not just one or the other.

C

Right, if the only thing that's driving the favoritism for scheme c is the larger play area. I just want to point out that scheme b also has a larger play area.

A

To answer charles question: yes, there's still two chords.

A

And then I did see one one question about parking, uh so we can't take any parkland for parking, so we would not be uh having any parking space on this.

C

I'm still reading the new messages I.

A

Know it's hard to keep my screen's, not big enough to have it scroll, so I can see them all um so, certainly feel free to keep adding adding comments and everything monique. If you don't mind going to the very last slide just so, they can see contact information.

A

So I just want to reiterate so: here's the website for the project tonight's meeting, which was recorded, will be posted on that, as well as the slide deck, so you can feel free to look through those we'll also be posting. The meeting notes on this um if there are any other con for whatever reason you didn't feel comfortable commenting today, um you can certainly feel free to email me any feedback. You have I'll share that with monique and her team, so that will be incorporated as feedback as well.

C

And talisha love scheme c there you go all right.

A

So uh with that being said, I think we're we're out of time. uh I appreciate everybody coming out tonight. uh If there are any ongoing issues or concerns of the park certainly feel free to reach out, and I strongly suggest uh using 3-1-1 for those.

A

So we get immediate responses um we'll our next meeting will be march 9th between now and then do not hesitate to reach out share with your friends and neighbors, and we look forward to that meeting where uh monique and her team will have a preferred plan that I'm sure we will all have some good feedback on and and agree upon. So all right thanks everybody and have a great night.

C

Thank you. Everyone.