Playground, Rental Fees, Projects Underway At Local Parks

Kendra Bobowick

From playground equipment to party rental fees for Eichler’s Cove, the Parks and Recreation Commission members addressed a spectrum of topics Tuesday night.

First came a motion from Maureen Crick Owen to use gift fund money to purchase benches for locations in Dickinson Park. Regarding the tennis court location, recreation Director Amy Mangold said, “We’ve had a lot of requests for a bench there.” She priced a selected bench, plus shipping and installation, at roughly $1,000.

Speaking of a “particular group” of unnamed volunteers who had raised $550 toward this bench already, Ms Mangold asked the recreation commission members Tuesday, August 14, “Can we pitch in the rest from our gift fund?”

Chairman Ed Marks suggested purchasing two benches — the additional bench could go near Jack’s Grove, a wooded area across the parking lot from the tennis courts, named to honor late Parks and Recreation Department employee Jack Honan. Mr Honan’s family recently donated several thousand dollars to the recreation department, which could be used for a bench. Ms Crick Owen soon moved to use a balance of $500 from the department’s gift fund for the first bench, and $1,000 from Mr Honan’s family’s donation for a bench at Jack’s Grove.

Commission members then focused their conversation on a spot about nine miles away, Eichler’s Cove Marina, located where Route 34 runs into Monroe. The cove includes a small picnic area, beach, and boat launch offering access to Lake Zoar. Ms Mangold said, “We have had several requests from people to rent it.” She noted one woman’s hopes to hold a birthday party there for her daughter.

Without a current rental policy for that site, under town management for only a few years since Newtown purchased it from private owners, Ms Mangold and the commission talked about guidelines for making Eichler’s Cove available for parties. She felt that off-season availability was best.

“Parking is for the beachgoers,” she said. She did not want to see a conflict for parking space between park guests and party guests. Those renting the space would be required to carry insurance, place a deposit for the picnic area, and pay fees for lifeguards if they wanted to use the beach

While naming certain fees — $50 to use the picnic area and $24 per hour for two lifeguards, for example — members tossed out different costs and scenarios to charge for parties when Ms Mangold said, “This is just a hypothetical and a point to work from.”

Assistant Director of Parks Carl Samuelson asked if “the same protocol” could be used to rent space at Lake Lillinonah.

“Yes,” Ms Mangold said.

Members wondered aloud about other guidelines such as length of time, and number of people in the party regarding rental fees.

Renting the cove “sounds like a great idea,” said member Jan Brookes. “It’s such a great spot,” and she would like to see people thinking about bringing parties there, she said. Mr Marks advised that Ms Mangold work something out for the woman interested in renting Eichler’s Cove for a birthday party.

Ms Mangold agreed. “Rather than say no, we wanted to accommodate. We’ll see how it goes.”

In the future the commission can “establish something more formal,” said Mr Marks.

A diminishing playground facility also occupied more than 30 minutes of conversation. Crews have removed portions of FunSpace at Dickinson Park, most recently a swing set, that are beyond repair.

The nearly 20-year-old structure “has lost some of its play value,” noted Mr Samuelson. Unsafe areas have to be removed, he said, which most recently included the swing set.

Tossing out several ideas to replace the lost swings, Ms Mangold remembered another set currently in storage, which was intended for Eichlers’ Cove.

“Do we have room there?” Mr Marks asked.

“We do,” Mr Samuelson said.

Ms Mangold said, “We could put just the swing set portion [of a new playground for Dickinson] out to bid.”

“I don’t think that we should do something temporary. I think we should put it in at Eichler’s,” Mr Marks answered.

“Maybe we’ll get a fundraising effort going for FunSpace,” Ms Mangold said. She and others are aware that as time passes the structure and its features will continue to deteriorate. Although Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) include funding for a new playscape at Dickinson in the year 2013, the Board of Finance recently approved a moratorium on bonding. Parks and Recreation Department plans, along with other town spending aside from several key projects, will have to wait.

Regarding its “dilapidated” state, as Mr Samuelson stated, Ms Brookes worried that “people may not realize it has a time limit.”

While Mr Marks did agree that “we need to tell people it’s got a limited lifespan,” he did not support fundraising. “The more successfully you fundraise, the less successful you are at getting CIP funds,” he said. But Ms Brookes felt that if the town saw public support for a project, officials may say, “let’s fund that.”

Other projects this week were successfully underway. Promoting the motto reduce, reuse, recycle, recreation staff members Amandio DosSantos and Nelson Lopes installed a concrete fence to replace the wooden split-rail fence at Liberty Field near Dickinson Park. The concrete material had previously been in use at Oakview Field near Newtown High School.

Also, a band shell — a poured concrete base and scallop-shaped cedar roof and steel support beams — is almost completely installed. While the band shell frame stood nearby, another parks crew smoothed concrete where bands and entertainment will set up at Dickinson Park.