Approximately twelve residents attended a public meeting in the Conference Room at Somerville Community Access Telivision, to learn about and discuss the upcoming renovation of Stone Place Park in Union Square between Stone Place, Sanborn Court, and Homer Square (see figure below, which is from the City of Somerville Open Space and Recreation Plan). Representing City Hall were Gerald Boyle, Director, Capital Projects Management Department; Carlene Campbell, Community Relations Manager; Arn Franzen, Project Manager; and Sherri Geldersma, Director of Urban Design.

The City Hall contingent invited park users to speak about their experiences in the park. People related that the park accomodates desirable usage especially in the afternoons, after school, when children enjoy the playground with their parents and other members of their families. What most disturbs the residents who enjoy the playground is the rotting wood in the park's landscaping, which is infested with red ants, and the bees that seem inordinately numerous. The drinking fountain in the park does not work, but it is not really missed, as residents are concerned that the water in Somerville is not safe to drink. The Park also enjoys a lot of usage during the morning and evening commute, as it is a convenient shortcut to Union Square, which would otherwise only be accessible to many residents by a circuitous detour.

The park also suffers from undesirable usage: one commuter reports that she frequently sees someone sleeping on a park bench in the mornings; teenagers steal into the park to drink under the cover of darkness; and irresponsible dog owners allow their dogs to run loose in the park and neglect to clean up after their dogs.

Carlene Campbell addressed the problem of dogs in city parks in general and advised the group that she is leading the city's Dog Owners Task Force, which is investigating options to address the need for off-leash recreational areas in the city where residents can safely and legally allow their dogs to play with one another without interfering with other park activities and park users. She invited interested residents to contact her for more information.

Sherri Geldersma presented several slides depicting the foci of the Stone Place Park renovation project: rotting wood, the inferior (and outdated) playground surface, cracked and heaving asphalt, out-of-date playground games (hopscotch), improper trash receptacles (oil drums), and old playground equipment that does not conform to current regulations--in particular, there is not a sufficient safety zone around the swingset.

One of the most lively moments in the discussion followed the request of Arn Franzen for suggestions about a possible theme for Stone Place Park. The theme could be incorporated into games and interactive educational activities that could in turn be painted on the park surface (e.g. the state stars that emphasize the theme of American History at Corbett Park, on the corner of Munroe Street and Prospect Hill Avenue). Residents joked that the "history" of Stone Place Park is that it used to be a parking lot. Geldersma joined in and suggested that maybe Stone Place Park could have cars as a theme. Residents thought this might not be a bad idea after all, given the amount of traffic that goes through Union Square every day and given the interest among area residents in getting the Green Line extended into Union Square. One resident suggested painting an interactive map of Union Square, which children could navigate on the park surface. Geldersma observed that transportation could be a great theme for a playground as public transportation is not only an important life skill but also fascinates many children.

Franzen asked the community to consider whether we would prefer a secluded park, one that de-emphasizes its linkages to the surrounding neighborhood and does not not invite in users from Union Square, or a park that emphasizes linkages and does invite people in from the Square, maybe to eat lunch or just enjoy a quiet walk away from the hustle and bustle of the Square. Pros and cons of each option were discussed: there was strong support for maintaining the park as a short-cut between places that would otherwise be difficult to access.

Gerald Boyle gave residents an idea of what to expect in terms of a time-line: Ground-breaking for the renovation could begin as early as Fall of 2005, but that might mean that the park would remain closed that winter until the renovation could be completed in the Spring. Alternatively, ground-breaking could be postponed until Spring 2006 for completion by that Fall.

Residents were advised that the next meeting to select a preferred plan for the renovation will be in mid-November.