City Considers $2.7 Million Rehab of Lincoln Park
Plans could bring artificial turf and a seasonal ice rink to the park.
The city is looking at ways to rehabilitate Lincoln Park, near the Argenziano School outside Union Square, and initial plans include converting much of the existing field to artificial turf, adding basketball courts that could be converted into a seasonal ice rink, building a field house and conducting landscaping and drainage improvements.
The cost to the city for all these changes would be around $2.5 to $2.7 million, according to Hayes Morrison, director of transportation and infrastructure with the city.
Morrison said the city is still investigating some of these options.
The city held a community meeting about the plans Monday night at the Argenziano School, and it has two more meetings planed, on Sept. 12 and Sept. 24, according to Morrison.
Artificial turf and a seasonal ice rink
Morrison said the current field, used mostly for soccer, is in "pretty bad shape," and one of the goals in rehabilitating it is to get more use out of the space.
An artificial turf field "can stand a lot more use over time," she said, and it doesn't need to rest for one season out of the year like a grass field.
The city would keep a smaller grass field next to the artificial turf one, she said.
"The city has heard a call for an off-season use in the park," Morrison said, which is why it's investigating plans to build a seasonal ice rink. She said basketball courts would be built out of concrete, as opposed to asphalt, allowing the city to convert the courts into a rink during winter. Morrison said it's possible to make ice even when temperatures are as high as 50 degrees.
An "amenities building" would house a Zamboni, a storage area, a skate rental office, a concession stand, an office and restrooms.
Morrison did not have specifics about the timing of these potential rehabilitations. "With the field"—the first thing likely to be rehabilitated—"we would like to do it when school is not in session," she said, which means next summer at the earliest.
Gale Associates, Inc., is the design firm working on the plans, according to Monday's presentation, which Morrison passed on to Somerville Patch.
In This article
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Lincoln Park
Lincoln Pkwy & Perry St, Somerville, MA -
Dr. Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park
290 Washington St, Somerville, MA
AP
8:13 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
It’s a shame: At the Aug. 6th meeting (which I am told was the second of only two meetings planned for community design comment), there were only +20 residents, many who criticized what seems to be a fast-tracked, under the radar plan to break ground in October. The first meeting (I was told) had only 11 residents. Walking through the neighborhood, not a single property abutter I came across knew the extent of the construction. We were told at the meeting on Aug. 6 that the turf replacement was ‘a done deal’ and that it would move forward despite opposition.
In Q4 2011, The City of Somerville built an ice rink at Conway Park for +$3million. Do we really need another? Shouldn't the money be spent to beautify the park instead of dividing it into separate areas by the construction of a permanent structure, only to have it serve a niche audience (skaters)?
Lincoln Park and city-wide residents have the right to ask the City to follow the same process as is customary with other multimillion dollar city renovations: well-advertised, non-contentious community design meetings and truly open public comment periods. Hire a professional meeting facilitator to capture all opinions and ideas. Present a Master Plan for the entire park and include important information like budget, financials, environmental impact and parking analysis. Please don’t piece-meal it out to us, hoping that no one notices.
JF
8:28 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
We are very fortunate that our city is getting their hands on big money and are doing everything they can to improve our city. But this whole thing seems to be starting off on the wrong foot. A better mixed use plan for the park, with neighborhood buy in would drive this project in a much more positive direction.
Ellen f. Mc Pherson
2:00 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Ditto ditto...development projects of all kinds ought to include authentic community input.