Two recent Fairfield Hills Authority (FHA) meetings found members reviewing a Newtown Parks & Recreation Department proposal for a children’s bicycle playground.

During the group’s June 28 meeting, held in the Municipal Center’s council chambers, Parks & Rec staff members continued pitching the idea about a bicycle playground at the Fairfield Hills campus. Parks & Rec Director Amy Mangold reported that biking at Fairfield Hills has grown in popularity over the years.

That is in part thanks to the established bike share program, which allows people to borrow a children’s bicycle from the Parks & Rec office for use on the Fairfield Hills campus. The program has been very successful, especially with many people looking for outdoor activities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parks & Rec Assistant Director Carl Samuelson informed the FHA that multiple locations at Fairfield Hills were reviewed for the bicycle playground and that the proposed location was chosen for its accessibility on campus.

Newtown resident Paula Burton also spoke to the FHA, saying that she is an advocate for cycling and works with the New England Mountain Bike Association. She explained that having a bicycle playground for children will teach them safety and handling skills. She also noted that other towns — specifically Madison, Bristol, and Tolland — are already installing public pump tracks and skills parks.

Parks & Recreation Commission Chair Clinton DePaolo was also in attendance at the June 28 meeting and talked about his support for the project. He said it would be an asset to the community and would help provide a safe, contained location for children to ride their bikes away from the roads.

Newtown Bikes and Trails Committee member Brad Accettella, who works for a children’s bike company, also discussed the advantages of the bicycle playground. He mentioned that there are a variety of health and educational benefits for children riding bikes and that this playground is a low-cost amenity that could be very popular with the community.

Mangold then presented a slideshow detailing the specifics of the proposed bicycle playground.

It explained that a bicycle playground is “a playground designed with features for kids to ride. Bicycle playgrounds include features like ladder bridges, rollers, tunnels, and even teeter-totters specifically designed to offer a variety of fun obstacles that safely build cycling confidence.”

The presentation highlighted that bicycle playgrounds are safe places for children to learn to ride; that they encourage children to play outside and interact with others; and that they teach young riders balance.

Mangold shared that having the bicycle playground in town would also create jobs for adults and teenagers in Newtown. It will operate like the local playground with a first come, first served approach for usage, and it will be geared towards children ages 3 to 12.

The preliminary design includes “natural design features, permeable surfaces, no permanent structures, and low environmental impact,” according to the slides.

Per the proposal, it would be installed 22 feet behind Plymouth Hall and will be more than 15 feet away from other buildings.

The proposed parking area would be between the bicycle playground and Cochran House. It was noted that the space would have 24 marked spots and just needs patch paving.

Funding suggestions included a crowdfunding campaign, grant sourcing, corporate and private donations, and municipal budgeting.

A discussion took place after the presentation. The FHA expressed concerns about the location, which is close to a building that will soon need to be demolished. Members expressed a desire to walk the site for a better understanding of the location before voting.

August Update

On August 23, the FHA met again in the Municipal Center’s council chambers to continue reviewing the proposal.

After a brief recap of the June meeting, Mangold explained the work her group has done since they last spoke to the board.

Samuelson created an outline at the site to show the location of the entire track and fencing, to help people better visualize the size and scope of the project.

“The total enclosed area is about 18,000 square feet, so it’s about a third of an acre,” Samuelson said.

He reiterated that the bicycle playground would be a great place for young riders to become more proficient and help them develop their skills to one day be able to enjoy the many bike trails in town.

Mangold mentioned that the playground would also be a beneficial spot to hold educational programs, such as workshops on bike repairs, which have taken place at the Fairfield Hills campus before.

Christal Preszler, deputy director of Economic and Community Development, asked if they had considered putting the bicycle playground in the cleared grassy area near the Newtown Community Center, since it would then be close to already usable parking and the bike share program.

Mangold said she is not opposed to shifting the location if that is best for the project, but that the location Preszler mentioned would change the accessway.

“The only thing that Carl and I discussed was that if you push it too far back, you wouldn’t be able to access it from Keating Farms [Avenue]. We had talked about maybe eventually opening an access from Keating Farms directly into a parking area where the basketball hoop is — that would be an access-in. So, I think if we put it too far back, we may not be able to do that,” Mangold said.

FHA member Melissa Beylouni mentioned that the design is a lot larger than she thought it was going to be when she saw it staked out, but that it is not necessarily a bad thing.

She went on to say, “I envision it… in between NYA and the community center in that whole big open space.”

Mangold responded that they did propose that location previously and were told they could not put it there; the space in question is the Newtown Community Center’s property.

“It’s a shame it can’t be there,” Beylouni said.

Impacting Projects

The FHA then requested Preszler describe any upcoming projects taking place at Fairfield Hills that might impact the bicycle playground.

Preszler replied that there is currently a proposal by WinnDevelopment for mixed-use buildings — those with a residential and commercial component – to be built at the campus.

The project would entail renovating Kent House and Shelton House, which she estimates will be about a $50 to $70 million investment in the campus.

Preszler explained that from a strategic economic development perspective, that big project is where she starts when considering other projects in the area.

She emphasized, though, that she is an avid bike rider herself and thinks the bicycle playground is a “wonderful thing.”

Preszler added that she would prefer to have attractions such as the bicycle playground “sprinkled throughout the town,” so as to support other local businesses.

FHA Feedback

There was some discussion from the FHA of having the bicycle playground at Dickinson Memorial Park by the skate park.

Mangold explained that the area is utilized for a variety of programs, including outdoor concerts that are growing in popularity, and that the field sometimes gets flooded.

Moving on to the topic of fencing around the playground, Mangold informed the board that the proposal includes fencing in the area near the road, but not necessarily the entire area.

Then, circling back to the topic of development at Fairfield Hills, Mangold said, “One of the reasons we were asked to wait to propose a second location was to [hear] the development plans come forward. Now the buildings they are talking about developing are not near this playground.”

Prezler said that while those two buildings that are part of the mixed-use development are not nearby, Plymouth Hall and Cochran House are in the vicinity of the proposed bicycle playground. She added that the capital improvement plan allots money in the coming years for those buildings to be demolished.

The FHA then inquired what would be done to the bicycle playground during demolition, and if it would need to be closed or dismantled.

“My understanding is when these buildings are remediated, they are encapsulated and it’s very well controlled. I would think we can work very carefully with understanding the best way to protect the playground and the apparatus. We wouldn’t want anything to be unsafe for the children,” Mangold said.

FHA member Terry Sagedy said, “The concept is brilliant. I wholeheartedly support it. I think we need to work out this issue of location.”

Other members voiced concerns with the location and requested the alternate location mentioned earlier be staked out.

Preszler proposed, “Why don’t we stake it out, then we can visit it?”

The FHA then requested that Parks & Rec create a new outline to be reviewed at a special meeting to expedite the voting process.

If the bicycle playground gets approved from the FHA, Mangold and her team will present the project to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

For more information on the Fairfield Hills Authority and upcoming meetings, visit newtown-ct.gov/fairfield-hills-authority.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.