Approximately thirty people attended the fifth community meeting about the renovation of Perry Park, Tuesday evening, February 6, in the Academy Room at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington Street.

Alderman Maryann Heuston announced that, with Carlene Campbell, Community Outreach Director and Liaison to the City's Dog Owners Task Force, she had scoured Ward Two for prospective sites for off-leash recreation. They found a city-owned parcel at Boynton Yards (111 South Street), an up-and-coming neighborhood in Ward Two that will be transformed when the Green Line comes to Union Square. The area is larger than the area in Perry Park that was previously designated for off-leash recreation. There will be parking for the South Street Off-Leash Recreational Area.

A slide showing a satellite image of the neighborhood and highlighting Perry Park was projected on a screen at the front of the room. South Street was off the map.

Identifying himself as a dog owner, Mayor Joseph Curtatone recalled that, three years ago, we weren’t talking about dog parks. The opportunity for an off-leash area on South Street allows the Perry Park renovation to go forward. South Street is an attractive location for an off-leash recreational area, independent of Perry Park. The Administration remains committed to pursuing locations for off-leash recreational areas around the City.

Arn Franzen, Director of Parks and Open Space, suggested that South Street is in a period of transition. He reiterated that the location is a better location for an off-leash area than Perry Park, because it is a larger area and it is removed from residential abutters.

The two projects, Perry Park and the South Street off-leash recreational area (OLRA), will be coordinated to open at approximately the same time. Whereas the South Street OLRA will be designed this year and constructed next year, Franzen projected groundbreaking at Perry Park in Spring 2007 and completion of the renovation in Fall 2007.

Curtatone, Heuston and Franzen confirmed that people will be allowed to enjoy Perry Park in the company of their leashed pets. Moreover, Perry Park will be outfitted with a drinking fountain with a bowl for dogs (much like the one in Palmacci Park), and with dog valets (dog-waste bag dispensers like the ones in the Nunziato OLRA).

Antonia Bellalta, Bellalta 3 Designs, showed a slide presentation that recapitulated the presentation that was given on October 23, 2006, when the City proposed “Scheme D” for the renovation and led up to yet another design, “Scheme E,” which was identical to “Scheme D” except that in the northwest corner, where the off-leash recreational area was formerly to be located, there is now contoured lawn and a stone plinth, where, for example, speeches may be given and children’s theater may be performed.

While there was much appreciation for the compromise, some members of the community felt displaced by the relocation of the off-leash recreational area to South Street.

• A Hanson Street resident observed that the parcel is practically in Cambridge and that it is in an industrial area;
• A Preston Road resident was pleased that the City is being creative about finding locations for off-leash recreation and that the off-leash recreational area on South Street represents new open space;
• A Nevada Avenue resident was concerned that her elderly dog could not make the walk to South Street; she was also concerned that the South Street site might be a brownfield;
• A Properzi Way resident was appreciative of how much work City has done on the Perry Park renovation; he is pleased that people will be able to enjoy the Park with their leashed dogs;
• A Hodgdon Place resident expressed her appreciation to the City for trying to create areas for dog owners. She is looking forward to being able to enjoy Perry Park with her dog on leash, but she will not use the OLRA on South Street;
• A Dane Avenue resident said that we are being given a jewel and he has a lot of ideas about how to use the park;
• One resident said that he didn’t feel that the design represented a compromise at all and thanked the City for having the courage to stand by its commitment. He commended the people who have run the community meetings for listening, for their sincerity, and for their respectfulness despite the combativeness of people.

Several people asked about specific details in the park design:

• The Properzi Way resident observed that the area with play structures is the only exclusive-use area that remains in the plans; she asked if, in the interest of a green park, the City could select play structures in colors other than garish yellow;
• Another Hanson Street resident asked about a water feature and a basketball half court;
• Another resident asked about a basketball half court;
• A resident reported that a disk swing similar to the play equipment being proposed for Perry Park was recently removed from a City of Cambridge park.

One resident asked for reassurance that the City will maintain the new park better than it currently maintains the park. Heuston said that the improved design will make the park easier to maintain: dark areas will be corrected, park activity will be easier to monitor, vehicle access will be improved, and there will be more barrels.

Franzen added that the City counts on park users to bring maintenance concerns to its attention.

Maeghan Silverberg, Public Information Officer, announced that the City is organizing a Perry Park Advisory Committee, and asked people to sign up before leaving if they are interested. She also spoke about the City’s 311 service for making non-emergency reports to the City.