ATHOL – The Open Space and Recreation Review Committee hosted an open house at the Athol Public Library Tuesday night to give the public an opportunity to share their opinions and ideas about what is most important to them regarding plans to revitalize Silver Lake Park.
About 20 people attended, several of whom gave input on what they felt should be considered priority improvements.
OSRC chair Brian Hall started the informal meeting with a synopsis of the Silver Lake Park Master Plan which was created by two graduate students from the Sustainable Landscape Planning and Design Program at the Conway School. Large maps illustrating the students’ findings and final design overview lined the walls and covered tables and easels, filling the library’s Program Room.
Hall explained that the plan is “zero percent settled,” and that public feedback is important to the decision making process. He said any additional plans must be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant and noted that there has been increased police presence at the park.
OSRC member David Small said the most important thing is security, and that it has been proposed to have staff onsite during the day, seven days a week. The Department of Public Works is putting together a proposal that includes a job description and cost to be considered in the town budget.
Hall said the park improvements project is going to be a “long process,” taking two to three years. Small added his estimation of five years. Town Planner Eric Smith said there are state park matching grant programs available.
Hall said local business groups such as the Athol-Orange Rotary Club and the Athol Lions Club have offered to help out with suitable volunteer work, and the establishment of a Friends of Silver Lake Park committee or the like is being considered.
Suggestions and concerns were jotted on stickers and placed in areas on the maps that pertained to slopes and views, soils and geology, drainage and watershed, vegetation and wildlife and design alternatives.
Comments included:
■More parking spaces needed, especially on the southwest side
■Way too few parking places for the beach
■Add handicapped parking spaces near the main parking area and the ball fields
■Charge non-residents a parking fee
■Concern about the Lincoln Street hill to the park, especially during winter
■Establish a sensory playground area for vision impaired and autistic children
■A bottom of the hill drop off point to a kids beach with parking away from the beach
■Don’t shrink the beach area
■Natural play area
■A sandy area for ball games/tetherball
■Add underground electricity for the pavilion before any repaving is done
One person’s note asked what the “classroom” would include that is mentioned in the Meadow and Peninsula portion of the final design. The students reported that in a previous public meeting as the Master Plan was being developed, the community requested the peninsula and area of the concrete slab be converted into vegetative spaces for picnicking and nature-based activities such as outdoor education and wildlife viewing.
In the pond and stream corridor design, the stagnant water, which does not pose a threat to human health, has been identified as a high-priority problem area aesthetically, possibly affecting the quality of the park experience and the perception of park safety. A note left on this design asked that if the area is restructured into a vegetated stream corridor as suggested, will it affect water temperature and or water quality in the lake.
Participants were also provided with three green stickers to choose their top three park priorities from a list.
Hall said 70 people have responded so far to the online Silver Lake Park Conway School Survey which went live on Tuesday. The deadline for the survey is Dec. 12 at 4:30 p.m. and can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SilverLakePark.
The Silver Lake Park Master Plan can be viewed on the Town of Athol website.
Reach Kathy Chaisson at
978-249-3535, ext. 656 or kchaisson@atholdailynews.com.