Athol residents push back on Fish Park proposal

ATHOL – The Planning Department and Open Space and Recreation Commission unveiled a new design plan for Fish Park on Oct. 29, but many residents pushed back, saying the project overwhelms the historic five-acre space and overlooks other long-standing maintenance needs.

The meeting, held at the Athol Public Library, was done to gather public feedback on proposed improvements to the park. Attendees were invited to fill out comment forms or speak during the discussion to share ideas or concerns.

Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith began with a brief presentation on the park’s history and its role as a neighborhood recreation space since 1920.

“Fish Park has been used for everything from baseball and circuses to concerts and sledding,” he said, noting that the goal is to ensure any future updates respect that legacy while improving accessibility.

“Keep what we have, improve on what we have and take care of it.”

Joel Shaughnessy

Smith then introduced the design plan developed by Sneha Shinde, a UMass Amherst landscape-architecture graduate student and intern with the Planning Department. Her masters degree project proposed ideas such as an amphitheater-style bandstand, a paved plaza for community events, and new walking paths with added trees and parking.

One key element – an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant playground funded through a $250,000 Municipal ADA Improvement Grant from the Massachusetts Office on Disability – sparked the most debate.

The playground would replace the existing swing set area with inclusive play equipment featuring rubber surfacing, musical instruments and adaptive swings. Smith noted that final confirmation from the state is still pending.

Several residents raised concerns about this idea, saying that Fish Park is already limited in space and that the town should prioritize maintaining existing features.

Rebecca David, owner of the local Pre-K Kidz childcare program, said she loves Athol’s parks and has utilized them for years. She highlighted that the Lake Park playground has been closed for four years because it lacks proper surfacing.

“I’ve offered to pay for mulch and even spread it myself, and nothing gets done,” she said, adding that she worries Fish Park could face the same fate.

“If we can’t maintain what we have now to keep it safe for the kids, how are we going to replace a $30,000 playground floor when it doesn’t work in six years?”

Assistant Town Planner Heidi Murphy said the playground grant stems from the town’s transition plan, which identified Fish Park as a high-priority site for accessibility upgrades.

“The playground was deemed unsafe by the state in 2021,” she said, noting that the funding cannot be redirected elsewhere, but designs could be adjusted after feedback.

“I would rather have a site visit than give back $250,000 worth of ADA playground equipment,” she said.

Longtime resident Joel Shaughnessy argued that the park’s size makes large additions impractical and takes away from existing features.

“Five acres may sound like a lot, but it’s really not,” Shaughnessy said.

He added that the tennis and basketball courts are regularly used, and that the historic bandstand could easily be revived if the town repaired the stairs.

“Keep what we have, improve on what we have and take care of it,” he suggested.

Shaughnessy also said many residents were frustrated by how far the design process had advanced without public input, noting that plans for the playground had not been well publicized.

Smith thanked residents for their commentary and acknowledged that planners were unaware of how strongly some felt about the proposal.

“I really appreciate all your voices and input that was received today,” he said.

The Open Space Committee will review public comments when it meets on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m.