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Water Recreation Assessment ApplicationWater Based Recreation Assessment 1 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECT APPLICATION COVER SHEET I: Project Information Project Title: Water Based Recreation Assessment Project Summary: CPA Funding is sought to hire a qualified consulting firm to assess existing informal swimming areas in Northampton to assess possible improvements to make them more usable as informal swimming areas, identify which one or two have the greatest potential for more formalized improved swimming areas and one or two which might have potential for more minor improvements, and create a preliminary design for such improvements sufficient to apply for outside grants. Estimated start and completion date: For assessment phase: 2021 CPA Program Area (check all that apply):  Open Space � Historic Preservation � Community Housing  Recreation II: Applicant/Developer Information Contact Person and or/primary applicant: Wayne Feiden Property Owner (if applicable): Various waterfront parcels. Organization (if applicable): Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability Mailing Address: City Hall, 210 Main Street, Second Floor Daytime phone #: 413-587-1265 Fax #: 413-587-1264 E-mail address: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov III: Budget Summary Total budget for project: $65,000 CPA funding request: $65,000 CPA request as percentage of total budget: 100% for the initial assessment phase. This will create opportunities for leverage of additional funding sources for implementation. Applicant’s Signature: Date Submitted: September 18, 2020_______________________ Water Based Recreation Assessment 2 Project Overview: According to the American Rivers Institute, “Time spent outside recreating in open spaces and along rivers are an important factor in a healthy life. Unfortunately, many communities do not have recreation areas available close to their homes. Communities across the country face serious health and social issues including obesity, diabetes, and depression, among others, and a sedentary lifestyle is seen as a major contributor towards the many different health and social issues we face. Improving access to outdoor recreation in and along rivers is a great opportunity to improve healthy choices and connect communities with local treasures.” Northampton is fortunate to have two significant river resources in the Mill and Connecticut, but swimming access to these areas is limited, while demand for water based recreation increases each summer. CPA funding is sought to conduct a feasibility study of the most viable swimming areas on the Mill River and the Connecticut River (five in all) and explore what it would look like if we made major improvements for primary swimming areas at two (Maines Field and Connecticut River Greenway) and minor improvements at three (Leeds/Orange Dam, Leeds/Cook Dam, Pine Street/Cross Street/Nonotuck Mills Dam) 2. Initial concept drawings (10 to 25% IF there is time and budget) of the selected option to We would use this process for public engagement and get far enough along to apply for future state and/or federal grants to implement a portion of the study that sparks community support and partner and city support. Contributes to the preservation of Northampton’s unique character, boosts the vitality of the community, and enhances the quality of life for its residents Northampton’s riverine resources contribute significantly to its community character. The Mill and Connecticut are enjoyed for boating, fishing, and through pathways and trails through their riverfronts. Access for swimming is very limited, and this project seeks to create additional opportunities to fill that gap and serve more people. Addresses recommendations contained in the Sustainable Northampton comprehensive plan and/or the Northampton Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan 2018- 2025 or is consistent with other city-wide planning efforts that have received broad- based scrutiny and input and can demonstrate wide community support Creation of water based recreation facilities was identified as a priority in the Open Space and Recreation Plan. Serves under-served populations One of the major goals of the project is to create water access for everyone; including all populations. Receives endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and/or departments and City residents. Water Based Recreation Assessment 3 The project is supported by the Office of Planning and Sustainability and Recreation Department. The project is in its initial stages, but we look forward to additional dialogue and community discussion and support once the assessment begins moving forward and details and options are established. Leverages additional public and/or private funds, or demonstrates that other funding sources are not readily available or sufficient CPA funding is being requested at this point only for an initial assessment and development of 25% design plans. This will create opportunities for additional leverage and funding for implementation, but funding availability for the first phases are very limited. Demonstrates a high benefit/cost value The entire project will provide a huge value to the community and surrounding region at a relatively low initial city CPA investment. Can be implemented expeditiously and within budget If the Committee is amenable, we are requesting that review of this application be conducted at the first meeting of the funding round cycle rather than waiting for the full round decisions. We are hoping to go out to bid as soon as possible to allow us to engage a consultant and begin public outreach over the winter, with designs potentially to be ready to progress to full engineering and implementation in 2021. The project also meets many of the specific Open Space and Recreation criteria: Open Space Criteria: Provide opportunities for passive recreation and environmental education Provide connections with existing non-motorized multi-use trails or potential trail linkages Preserve valuable surface water resources, including rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, buffer zones, vernal pools and riparian zones Recreation Criteria: Support multiple active and passive recreation uses; Serve a significant number of residents; Expand the range of recreational opportunities available to Northampton residents of all ages Enhance the appreciation of the natural world and its conservation Contribute to the positive health status of its citizens Benefit conservation and recreation initiatives Maximize the utility of land already owned by Northampton Water Based Recreation Assessment 4 Promote the creative use of former railway, waterways and other corridors, including connecting corridors, to create safe and healthful non-motorized transportation and exercise opportunities Incorporate environmentally friendly design and long-term maintenance ATTACHMENTS Preliminary Assessment 1 | Page   Increasing Water-Based Recreation in Northampton Preliminary Assessment (8.15.2020) Challenge: There is a clear demonstrated demand for more swimming opportunities, both at informal and managed swimming areas.  Heavy recreation use at informal swimming areas demonstrate strong user needs of desire lines.  Recreational use has increased dramatically, driven by increasing periods of summer heat, by word-of-mouth and social media awareness of these swimming opportunities, and, in 2020, with Covid-19 restrictions on alternative recreation opportunities.  Sites are being loved to death, with trash, human waste, noise, and traffic problems.  Neighborhood complaints and conflicts have increased dramatically with increased use and abuse.  Private property owners, where some of these swimming areas are located, are unable to address all of the abuse.  The City has limited resources to manage existing recreation and conservation areas and resources to support increased use and new recreation needs are limited.  Public or private enforcement (nuisance, parking, trash, waste, and noise) cannot extinguish desire lines or address all issues.  Because recreation users are disproportionately populations of color, enforcement actions would disproportionately affect populations of color.  The City and the community needs to explore improving formal or informal swimming and whether resources (from grant funds, user fees, other public funds, and/or other sources) can be made available to address these needs  Immediate operational changes for private landowners and public agencies may be needed for 2020. Increased recreation opportunities, however, will take multiple years. The city has performed this preliminary assessment to open the conversation. All findings are preliminary only and subject to change. Our next major step will be apply for CPA funds to conduct a technical assessment and develop cost estimates, while combining that effort with a community engagement process. Depending on the outcomes of that process, we will prepare the necessary grant applications for implementation. For more information, contact Wayne Feiden, FAICP, Director of Planning & Sustainability, WFeiden@NorthamptonMA.gov 2 | Page   Existing Formal Swimming Areas Summary: All five of the existing public and quasi-public area are popular and serve the public well. There are limited opportunities for expansion. These sites cannot fully meet the desire lines seen at informal recreation on the Connecticut River for low cost, outdoor swimming and picnicking areas. Opportunities: The clearest opportunity is to identify funding to underwrite memberships, parking, and picnic fees. Action agenda: These sites are not in need of major improvements or future study as part of this project. The primary opportunity is to explore new funding streams to lower the costs at Musante Beach. Area Ownership Management YMCA pool Massasoit St. YMCA Day use and membership Northampton Country Club pool Spring St. Country Club Membership only Aquatic Center pool at JFK Bridge Rd. City Day use and membership Musante Beach Reservoir Rd. City Day use only (pre-covid-membership) Look Park Spray Pool North Main St Look Park/ City Fee for parking and picnic tables. Entry is free      3 | Page   Informal Swimming Areas with Opportunities for Improvement Summary: All six of these sites are heavily used for swimming, meet a very strong public need. All of these sites, however, also have overuse and abuse challenges. Opportunities: There are opportunities to: 1. Reduce abuse and reduce use at some sites 2. Make modest physical and management improvements at some sites. 3. Make significant physical (e.g., sanitary facilities) and management improvements at a key site(s). Grants funds are probably available for physical improvements at public sites, but addressing long term management needs will not be grant covered and resources must be identified. Action agenda: Apply for CPA funds in September 2020. Engage the community to analyze these sites in more detail. Consider which sites should have modest investment for improvements and which sites, if any, should receive more major investments. Any area actively managed by the City needs City ownership, easement, or lease. All sites need to address noise, trash, parking, and user conflicts. Management models can include: 1. Free access, with a part-time or work-study river steward coordinating management. 2. User fee or significant funding staffing. This allows better self-sustaining management but makes it harder to either keep sites affordable. 3. Parking fees (or residents-only parking with paid parking non-residents) to cover management costs. 4. Privately run sites or partnerships.   Area Ownership Issues Conn. Riverfront Park Damon Road City *Could accommodate major improvements 1. Heavily used 2. No water/sewer 3. Swift currents Mill River, Maines Field Riverside Drive City *Could accommodate major improvements 1. Heavily used 2. Available parking and controllable entrance 3. Bathroom needs to be upgraded 4. Flood prone Mill River, Nonotuck Dam Cross St. & Pine St Private Could accommodate small improvements 1. Heavily used 2. Majority is private property 3. Unsafe dam 4. Neighborhood conflicts 5. Very limited or no water, and sewer 6. Water quality and need for testing 7. City maintenance resources limited Mill River, upriver Cook Dam Spring Street City Mill River, Cook Dam Spring St Private Mill River, Orange Dam Florence St/Mulberry Private    4 | Page        Sites Infeasible to Provide New Swimming Opportunities Summary: Other sites that area either desirable for swimming, were previously used for swimming, or have small dipping pockets are not feasible for expansion. Limits: These sites either have legal and health limits (e.g., public water supply), no longer are feasible (e.g., Clear Falls), or will continue to serve as areas to get wet but don’t have the capacity to serve swimming and recreation at increased rates.   Area Ownership Issues Mill River at Paradise Pond, Northampton State Hospital, and Look Park State City Private Very small wading or dipping areas and difficult access. River steward could monitor but not room for swimming Manhan River, Clear Falls Drury Lane Private Historic swimming area closed. Environmental and physical limits would prevent full restoration, although small dipping areas remain. Conn. River Greenway at Elwell Island and at Rainbow Beach City Very heavily used but only accessible by boat. Vehicle access is no viable. Storm devastated beach at Elwell Island Conn. River Greenway Rainbow Beach City Only accessible by boat. Road access would be extremely difficult. Fitzgerald Lake, N. Farms City Mucky bottom, not desirable except for swimming from boat. Building sandy beach is not viable Water Supply Reservoirs City Water supply- not viable 5 | Page   Recreation User Interviews (August 2020 at Nonutuck Mills, Cooks Dam, and Orange Dam) Questions asked of recreation users Responses (summaries) How do you use this area (e.g., swimming, picnic, play, and barbecue)? Family fun, recreation, cooling off, swimming, relaxing, picnic, read (when there’s not a lot of noise), morning prayer, meet up with friends. What other areas did you consider using (e.g., your backyard, Look Park, Musante Beach, parks in other towns) None this year, Huntington because they have bathrooms and trash barrels, not a lot of other places to choose from, many parks and public pools are closed, beach (but it is far), Cape Cod, Orange Dam, Cooks Dam, Pufton pond, Connecticut river, Chapel Brook. Why didn't use other recreation areas? No free parking, this is closer, live nearby, many places are closed to the public, not as fun for the kids, don’t know a lot of places (new to the area), this one is my favorite. Many expressed frustration that other options are not open. Where do you live? Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield, Worcester (one group at Cooks Dam), Florence, Easthampton, Westfield. (From random sample majority came from nearby towns.) How did you learn about this site Friends, grew up here, family, word of mouth Would you use the site if that required following rules (e.g., carry out trash, user fees)? Yes, just about everywhere you go you have to carry your own trash out, It’s common sense, That would work, We would pay to enter, Need restrooms, Need trash receptacles, Parking, Not really…we’ve been coming here all of our lives – we don’t want to pay a fee now, We keep it clean when we come, Yes of course! Who would influence your use of the site (e.g., signs, group norms, enforcement, friends, family, a river steward)? River steward would be nice, opening and closing hours to alleviate traffic / noise for neighbors, signs, family, friends, more structure and facilities, My girlfriend. Many people expressed frustration with the amount of trash left behind. Where do people go relieve themselves? Woods, river, wait to get home, don’t go except at home Do you worry about Covid? Yes, no because we’re outside, I try to wear a mask around other people, a little bit, not really. Are you aware that you’re supposed to wear a mask when in large crowds or in the bike trail? Yes, no, didn’t know about the bike trail mask rule, I am aware and I try to.