Park board meeting notes: 09.09.24
A Quincy Votes! member attended this meeting. While care has been taken in their creation, these notes are not official meeting minutes and may contain errors or omissions.
Click to read the City’s official minutes of this meeting
The September Park Department meeting was unusual, as there were two presentations by groups that are looking to partner with the City on various sporting efforts. These sessions were to provide information to the boards and set the groundwork for future discussions on next steps. There were no commitments to do any specific activities at this time. These were information sessions for the board. Details are below in sections 2A and 2B.
Under new business, discussing what is possible to do to reduce the number of unleashed dogs in Pageant Field. There was (another) incident of a child getting bit by a dog during an event. Discussion of what is the law vs what is being enforced. No decisions made, information on the current law (as written) will be distributed for further discussion with the board. Commissioner Murphy is researching what other towns do as well.
Details of the presentations and other topics in the meeting are below if interested.
Presentations
A. AFC Club Soccer - Field Proposal. Peter Johnson / Edris Senyonjo (This proposal is to inform the board, and the board will need to discuss it. The club is working with a few parents and might be able to fund the fence, but the lights, etc., would be a joint venture. Group is looking for guidance, and wants to work together.) Natural Resources Commissioner Dave Murphy: this is a progression type of program. There are complicated issues around jurisdiction (with Milton). Board should discuss this at a future meeting. Dave Murphy thinks the board should deliberate on it. Paul: move this to old business and discuss through the winter.
Small club, 300 players (had 350 try out)
Nonprofit, minority-owned, low cost (1/4 to 1/2 price of other clubs)
Focused on Quincy (AFC started as an extension of Quincy Youth, 15 years ago). Remains as a Quincy club, but services Quincy area. (Quincy kids are 47% to 54%, so 170+ kids). Club offers $16,000 in scholarships for Quincy kids who can't afford to join.
Challenges: many programs are trying to use the fields at the same time. High School has preference, then Quincy Youth, then club teams. It means 7- to 11-year olds are getting out of practice at 8:30 at night (later start times (7:00 pm). Also think that some fields have been underutilized.
Suggestion: Quarry Hills soccer field, make improvements and invest in capital to improve the fields and facilities, and get usage priority at this underutilized space.
Requesting better utilization of fields, example splitting permits when one organization only requires limited field space due to low player usage.
Encourage High School permits to be followed and holding them accountable to the times issued in the permit? Once later times are permitted, adjustments should not be made without agreement from organizations in later permitted time slot.
Discussion from Dave Murphy: Soccer fields have been built at other locations and teams want to use the turf fields at Kincaide, etc., and so Quarry Hills is underutilized. Being used by dog owners and golfers.
Some suggested improvements: Put in fencing (some fencing has fallen down); replace goals; lighting in the parking lot; building field lighting (long-term), similar to baseball fields; turf (to alleviate poor drainage in spring)
Estimates: 4-foot fence $10,000; parking lot lighting $2,000 for solar; field lighting would be $100,000; turf would be between $1 million and $1.5 million. Phase 1 would be fence. Lighting would help keep people away; also there is a gate that could be locked.
Recommend: High School end practice by 6:00 or 6:30 at the latest. Flexibility is needed for weather and rescheduled games. Discussion: the earliest HS could get to the field is 3:00, and need 2 hours. Issue might be spring lacrosse. Board member said lacrosse does not leave the field unused, that they are balancing girls/boys and games. Do practice in Milton and rent space in YMCA. Practice in Quarry Hills now.
B. Morrisette Baseball 2025 State Tournament (Steve Maze)
Head coach (of 20 years) of Morrisette team. Has run the state tournament twice and was a huge success. Last year State asked Morrisette to run the 100th anniversary team. July 26th to August 2nd, 2025. Eight-team double-elimination tournament, with four teams advancing to the finals.
Need: three to four workers between games to drag, line, etc. 15 games.
Wants to get ahead of 400-year activities. Will be meeting with the mayor next week.
Not looking for money, etc. Mayor has waived the fees in the past, but if Morrisette has to, will fundraise. Kids never pay.
High School to College freshman (ages 16 - 19).
No request for practice fields (cage use before the game).
Attendance really depends on what teams are in. Buys 500 wristbands per day, and they all get distributed. Majority people come at 4 pm and 7 pm games (and fewer at 10 am and 1 pm games)
Dave Murphy: This is a tremendous amount of work for Steve. It's a gift to the City. He is willing to do anything to support this.
No police details are needed.
Board: proposal to support Steve's proposal when he goes to the mayor. Unanimous support for the proposal.
3. Pageant Field: Boston Chinese Neighborhood Center: 5k Family Fun Run. Fee $225. Run is through the park (running the paths). No cooking or food vendors. Approved.
4. Faxon Park: Vignesh Narayanasamy: for children's birthday party. No fee. Approved. Sat, Sept. 14th.
5. Veterans Stadium: Lawrence Taglieri of QPS wants to use 5/21/2025 for Community Fitness Night. Approved.
6. Mitchell McCoy: Laura Martin of mayor’s office, Sat. Sept. 28th. Recovery Softball tournament. Approved
7. Fore River Clubhouse: J. McGrath, bridal shower on Nov. 2. $250 fee. Approved.
New business:
8. Signage for Pageant Field Pavilion, indicating park is closed for an event. Hoping to discourage people from setting their dogs free. Last week a child got bit by a dog (not the first time). Need to begin a discussion of level of regulation that balances the full community's need. Discuss adding "off leash" areas and restrict "off leash" elsewhere. The law has not been enforced. Now have a new animal control officer who was a former park employee. There is no magic wand here; we should begin a process of regulation or hours (like a beach). Concern though, the board should not be offering an option that is not supported by law. (Meaning if there is a leash law, we should not be offering exemption). Discussion: maybe some detailed articles in The Quincy Sun about starting enforcement of animals being "on leash" and offenders would be fined $50 or $100. Some discussion of what are other towns doing? We are a victim of 20 years of inaction and lack of enforcement. (Examples of dogs taking a baseball during a game, dogs running through games and events, etc.) Dave M. will gather ideas from other towns. Options include certain hours, or certain locations (like trails) and in future meetings we can discuss enhanced regulations over the winter, and come up with options for signs. Discussion, also seeing potential problems up at Forbes Hill. Want to see the current ordinance in print for our discussion. If we are going to make changes, it needs to be enforceable. New dog officer has written some tickets for dogs off the leash. The dog officer is looking to work with us, and Dave M. will ask for additional resources from the mayor if needed. Current ordinance will be emailed to the board ahead of next meeting.
9. Next Board meeting: Oct. 7th: 5:30.
10. Projects: Report by Commissioner Dave Murphy:
Faxon Park Pavilion is done. Restroom will be done Spring of 2025. Electrical is still ongoing.
Forbes Hill
Playground is fully installed. When Dave is up there, he sees it often used.
Basketball and tennis court is in (and lined for pickleball).
Still need to do paths and remove invasives and install 30 trees.
Have some finish drainage work to do.
Pickleball:
Designated courts being done on Fenno Street.
After Fenno, then go to the Faxon Park (old high school site).
Tree Planting:
Starting earlier than usual
Planting 330 new trees. Look at every location to make sure it gets the right tree.
Tell Mike [Casinelli] when you see "holes" without trees. Three or four years ago, did not do soil augmentation, and the warranty was only one year. Now it's two years, but there was a higher failure rate of trees planted those years. OK to tell Mike when you see trees missing. Also, ask residents of the house if they want trees, to avoid putting trees where people don't want them. Also do a full survey of the street when they are being repaved.
Wants to commend Doc: High school sports season is underway. Lots of work being done.
Update on Furnace Brook Parkway. Going to clear a little bit more of Furnace Brook Pkwy and plant some signature trees. The flood control project will help alleviate flooding, and planted some wetland plants that need "wet feet", so they are not necessarily the “usual” plants.
Billings Road: Will plant elm and honey locust trees on new islands. About 20 trees. Design will protect trees from salt that gets used in winter.
