In a room full of residents unhappy with aspects of the plan, Rochester’s Park Commission on October 30 approved an additional donation and an additional piece of equipment for the new Gifford Park playground and signed the contract to initiate the work.
Commission Chair David Hughes began the meeting by announcing the local non-profit “Tri-Town for Protecting Children” that donated the initial $45,000 to fund the playground has chipped in another $7,000. With that money, a ‘spring net climber,’ that will be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, will be purchased and installed. The board also noted that soft rubber pathways will make every other piece of equipment ADA-compliant and accessible. “The whole design is ADA-accessible,” design consultant Cindy Marks said. “It is over ADA guidelines.”
Despite these assurances, attendees crowding the town hall meeting room were quick to pelt the commissioners with questions emphasizing their concern that this playground could be better designed if the town started with a master plan for the park.
Commission chair David Hughes argued this plan to rehabilitate the playground is long overdue and the board can add more equipment with future donations. “We’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” he said. “We’ve been held back by funding. We are doing the best we can with what we have.” The 3,649 square-foot playground’s full cost will be $81,724.68. While half of that cost is being borne by the local non-profit “Tri-Town for Protecting Children,” the other half is being paid for with the town’s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds.
Karen Audette, whose home abuts Gifford Park, asked the first question, “Is there room to expand the park?” She noted she takes her grandchildren to other playgrounds outside of Rochester.
Hughes said there is room for expansion and the board would consider any proposal if there were funding or donations for it.
Audette said she would love to be part of a committee to make such plans. Hughes said a Friends of the Parks-type group would be welcomed.
Others in the crowd voiced concerns that one group, “Tri-Town For Protecting Children,” was dictating what should be in the playground and the money could be better spent creating a master plan for the park and the playground. Hughes argued back that ARPA funds have to spent by the end of the year. That’s one reason this must be the plan now.
“We’re digging holes before we have a plan,” Nathaniel Reece, a candidate for Park Commission in last year’s election, complained.
“In due time,” Hughes answered. “You should put your efforts into helping with this playground. We’ve got to start somewhere.”
Reece noted he sent a multi-point email to the commission regarding his concerns of hiring a designer for a layout of Gifford Park. He would like to see a design created for current and future projects including parking layout, traffic flow, playground location, and a reserved area for a public bathroom building.
“This site plan design would help prevent us from redoing work at a later date,” Reece said in that email. “For example, if a new playground spot isn’t ideal, and it gets relocated some years from now to accommodate traffic flow design; that would be an additional cost we could prevent.” In the meeting, Hughes responded, “I don’t do emails. Call me on the telephone.”
Resident Mary McCann noted the example of the new Marion bike path, remarking that the path never had a solid design plan. That started as a a great idea has become ‘dangerous and treacherous’ in the actual form it’s taken. Hughes responded that the Gifford Playground already has been designed and engineered by a professional firm.
Resident Meredith Russo asked if the town could purchase the equipment by the end of year but then take time to design a master plan before construction begins. Town administrator Cameron Durant said the town will have one year to execute the contract with the installation company now that that contract has been signed. Durant said he would have to do more research to know the details of that type of agreement.
In related action, the commission approve notifying the select board that it is declaring the old equipment of the current Gifford playground surplus.
The Park Commission adjourned without scheduling its next meeting.
Rochester Parks Commission
by Michael J. DeCicco