Parks and Community Programs Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes from 4/14/2009
The meeting was called to order by Faith Varney at 4:05 PM.
Present: Bonnie Troubh, Faith Varney, Lucky D’Ascanio, Teresa Pierce, Dominic Sette-Ducati, Anna Gabor, Steven Tenney
The minutes from the special March 31, 2009 meeting were accepted.
Lucky reported that the Parks Division is busy preparing Legion Field for the baseball/softball season. All of the fields look good, largely due to the dry weather and early snow melt. The tennis nets are up earlier than usual. The Community Parks gate will be closed for another 2 weeks. The Division is working on washed out trails and bridges, also attempting to prevent recurrences. The mulch area near the entrance will also be improved.
Lucky reported that the Community Programs brochure was mailed and well coordinated with Active.Net. There is already considerable signup activity. There have been complaints resulting from classes filling up and some residents not receiving their brochures as early as others. This is due to the Post Office’s 10 day window to forward bulk mail.
A considerable amount of time was spent discussing the Village Park Ice Rink proposal. Members of the Ice Rink Committee were not present, but had discussed many of PACPAC’s previous questions and concerns with Lucky. Establishing and communicating specific benefits to the town are a primary concern to them. To generalize, PACPAC feels that there are numerous issues that need to be addressed, but the proposal has enough merit and they have demonstrated a need for more ice time to recommend that the Town Council listen to the presentation. A motion was made by Steve to have the Town Council listen to the presentation and consider specific issues such as a change in zoning and a long term lease of the land. The motion was seconded and passed 4-0. Lucky and Faith will draft a letter
of recommendation to the Council.
Steve reported on the community event hosted by the Community Facilities Planning Committee. Primary findings were the need for a larger library, town hall and intergenerational center, not necessarily in their current locations. In addition, there were strong opinions that the current school site not be sold, as well as a desire to be fiscally responsible. Steve, Theresa and Lucky will work on the specifics of an intergenerational center to present to the Facilities Committee. The Committee was asked to brainstorm individually, their concept of an Intergenerational Community Center and forward those ideas to Lucky. Lucky will email the outcome of the last Community Center concept draft created in 2003 and updated in 2007 as a “jumping off point”.
Teresa updated the group on the building of a new elementary school. Funds have been appropriated to begin construction on the new athletic fields and the wood chip boiler. Ground will be broken in the fall on the new school building, and an effort will be made to minimize the interruption of fall sports.
The next scheduled meeting is: May 18
The meeting was adjourned at 5:14
Respectfully submitted,
Steven Tenney
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