The Board of Alderman Special Committee on Parks and Open Space met on Monday, October 25. Michael Lambert, Office for Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) told Ward Six Alderman, Rebekah Gewirtz, and Ward Two Alderman, Maryann Heuston, that "a dog park at Dilboy is probably one year away" according to the meeting minutes, which are posted online through Intelligent Meeting Management Solutions (IQM2).

Chairman Gewirtz responded by saying that it is unacceptable for the city not to provide a location in West Somerville and Alderman Heuston added that a number of tasks could still be performed without funds being allocated, urging the city to pursue a plan, even without site control. Alderman Heuston asked OSPCD to consider what is possible for a dog park in West Somerville and she expressed concern about the reasons that the city isn’t moving to immediately identify and construct a dog park.

Dilboy Field is one of the prospective sites for an OLRA in West Somerville identified by the committee in February. Dilboy Field, on the Alewife Brook Reservation, is controlled by the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The Committee is still waiting to receive from OSPCD a draft of a letter to HUD [Housing and Urban Development] regarding CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] eligibility of the proposed West Somerville Off-Leash Recreational Area (file #189736). Maryann Heuston originally requested the letter on June 7.

The Somerville Patch ran a story on the October 25, Parks and Open Space meeting last week.

The Parks and Open Space Committee meets next on Monday, November 22 at 6:00 pm.