Questions and Answers
February 28, 2014
Playground Creation (Flor Fields/Lampron Park) - Northampton Rec Dept & OPS
1) Please provide the CPC a copy of the State grant application and award letter.
A copy of the State grant application is attached.
The award letter from the State was sent out in the mail to us at the beginning of the week and we
will forward once it is received.
2) Please provide a map indicating where the playground structures and other improvements will be
located.
Florence Recreation Fields
Lampron Park
3) Proportionally, what percentage of CPA requested funds would be used for Florence Fields and
Lampron Park, respectively? What is the proposed financial split between the two parks?
Half of the CPA request, $25,000 would be used for Florence Recreation Fields, the other half for
Lampron Park.
The total financial split will be determined once the public meetings are held and the needs at
each location are determined. We anticipate approximately half and half, $125,000 at each.
4) If not described in the State application, please identify the major components of each playground
facility to be constructed.
The major components will be playground structures such as climbers and swings. Also the
“wood fiber carpet”, which is the material under all the components, and fencing.
The actual playground materials and components will be determined once all the meetings are
held. (We will have some examples and pictures at the meeting)
5) Bridge Street School has progressed to the point of design drawings. The City Parks Dept has said in its
application for Lampron Park that “detailed design will be done in coordination with Bridge Street
School.” I’d like to know more about how the two (school playground and park) will be coordinated.
Mrs. Moggio, Director of Recreation, and Mr. Feiden, Planning Director, have been in contact and
have had meetings with the Bridge St. School administrators and playground advocates. Mrs.
Moggio also attended one of the Bridge St. public sessions. Once the Bridge St. playground
components are known, we will work with all involved to determine the needs and best
components for the Lampron Park portion.
Our Common Backyards
Application Form FY 2014
Please print double-sided
Please fasten application package with a binder clip, no three-ring or plastic binders!
Municipality: City of Northampton
Contact Person: Ann-Marie Moggio______________________________________________
Agency: Northampton Recreation Department___________________________________
Address: 90 Locust Street_________________________________________________________
Northampton, MA________________________________________________________________
Zip 01060______________________
Telephone (413)587-1043 Fax (413)587-1044
Email: amoggio@northamptonma.gov
Please note: the contact person is the official representative for this project, usually not the
chief municipal officer.
Attach certification of:
The Chief Executive Officer’s legal authorization to execute contracts. This is a resolution, motion,
or similar action that has been duly adopted or passed as an official act of the community's governing
body that authorizes the filing of the applications, including all understandings and assurances
contained therein (this is not a DCS form to be completed); and
1/22/2014 __________________________________________________
Date Signature of Chief Municipal Officer
David J. Narkewicz, Mayor______________________
Name and Title (Typed)
To January 2018_________________________________
Duration of Term
Mailing Address: 210 Main Street______________________________
Northampton, MA 01060______________________
Telephone: (413) 587-1249________________________________
Proposed Project Description #1 (NOTE: We request funding for two sites; 50% of the
grant for each.)
Project name #1: Lampron Park
Proposed project completion year: Calendar 2014/Fiscal Year 2015 (Design in FY2014)
Type of project: Playground Spray Park
Project address: Bridge Street at Parsons Street, Northampton
Project acreage: 1 acre
Is the property permanently dedicated for park, playground, or recreation purposes
(MGL Chapter 45, Section 3 or 14)? If not, please submit draft dedication language for DCS
review as all projects must be dedicated for park, playground, or recreation purposes.
Yes No
Dedicated language has been approved by DCS and has been submitted to City Council
for approval (attached).
Briefly describe the proposed project.
Overview: We are proposing to split the grant and our local match to serve two critically
needed playgrounds, one to serve the primary gap in how we serve our dense downtown
with its large environmental justice population (Lampron Park) and one to serve our new
recreation complex and the very large number of youth who flock there, as well as to serve
nearby environmental justice populations (Florence Recreation Fields).
Proposed work: We propose a new playground, with some accessible playground
equipment, a safe soft surface, a fence, and landscaping at Lampron Park. The site has been
identified but the exact equipment will be selected in a collaborative design process with the
neighborhood within walking distance of the site (which includes downtown) and with the
nearby elementary school neighborhood which draws from a larger area.
Site location: The proposed playground will fill a major gap in Northampton’s urban
playgrounds (see
Locus Plan, right).
We have smaller
playgrounds
downtown, on
the north side of
downtown and
the southwest
side of
downtown, but
no public
playgrounds on
the east side of
downtown,
serving some of
the densest
housing in the
city.
Locus
Plan
The playground will be situated on the western side of Lampron Park to keep it the maximum
distance from heavily traveled and noisy Bridge Street, and separated from the street by a
fence. (See Site Plan, right.) This location will allow it to serve the immediate neighborhood,
with dense housing, downtown Northampton, and the adjacent Bridge Street School.
Environmental Justice Neighborhood: The playground is not within an EJ neighborhood
but it is located in adjacent to several nearby environmental justice neighborhoods and is
within easy walking distance of the some of the city’s highest concentrations of poverty and
minority status. In addition, the playground will also serve the adjacent Bridge Street School,
with its very high EJ population. (There are already some playgrounds within our EJ
neighborhoods.)
Environmental equity: There are no other playgrounds close to Lampron Park that serve the
same population. We use a walking distance of 2,100 feet as the maximum distance that
most people will use to walk to a community playground. There are no playgrounds within
this distance of the Lampron Park.
The nearest equally high quality playground, Jackson Street School, is 6,500 feet away.
The nearest urban playgrounds, Agnes Fox Fields and Pulaski Park, are 2,800 and 3,100 feet
away, respectectively.
Tree planting: The site is will be designed this spring, as soon as we get the final approval
for the Our Common Backyards Program. We estimate that we will plant five shade trees as
part of the project and additional shrubbery to soften the appearance of the fence we will
install on the site.
State Priority Development or Preservation Areas: Not relevant to this project.
Open Space and Recreation Plan: This project will serve several recommendations from our
plan:
Page 144: “Meet special needs of… environmental justice populations and the needs of those
with disabilities.”
Page 147: “Add parks, greenspace…on city-owned land…to keep urban and village centers
attractive.”
Page 149: “Maximum use of recreation space with affordable and quality programs for
youth…Make capital improvements…of recreation facilities…provide …recreation opportunities
for individuals of all ages, socioeconomic levels, and physical abilities…
Page 149: “Use open space and recreation to ensure that the urban and village centers are
attractive places to live, work, and visit.”
Page 159: “Having sufficient land for active recreation is critical to helping create healthy
lifestyles.
Project budget: Preferred--Lampron Park receives 50% of funds (see also Florence
Fields in Project #2)
Our Common CPA & Total
Backyards donations
Design $ 12,500 $ 12,500
Construction: playground, surface, $ 87,500 $ 25,000 $112,500
fence, landscaping
Total $100,000 $ 25,000 $125,000
Alternative: Lampron Park receives 100% of funds
Our Common CPA & Total
Backyards donations
Design $ 20,000 $ 20,000
Construction (playground, surface, $180,000 $ 50,000 $230,000
fence, landscaping)
Total $200,000 $ 50,000 $250,000
Proposed Project Description #2 (NOTE: We request funding for two sites; 50% of the
grant for each.)
Project name #2: Florence Recreation Fields
Proposed project completion year: Calendar 2014/Fiscal Year 2015 (Design in FY2014)
Type of project: Playground Spray Park
Project address: Meadow Street and Spring Street, village of Florence, Northampton
Project acreage: 24 acres
Is the property permanently dedicated for park, playground, or recreation purposes
(MGL Chapter 45, Section 3 or 14)? If not, please submit draft dedication language for DCS
review as all projects must be dedicated for park, playground, or recreation purposes.
Yes No
Briefly describe the proposed project.
Overview: We are proposing to split the grant and our local match to serve two critically
needed playgrounds, one to serve the primary gap in how we serve our dense downtown
with its large environmental justice population (Lampron Park) and one to serve our new
recreation complex and the very large number of youth who flock there, as well as to serve
nearby environmental justice populations (Florence Recreation Fields).
Proposed work: Our Common Backyards will pay for a new playground, with some accessible
playground equipment, a safe soft surface, and landscaping at Florence Recreation Fields.
The site was set aside for a playground as part of the development of a recreation complex,
but to date there has not been funds to develop the playground. The exact equipment will be
selected in a collaborative design process with the neighborhood within walking distance of
the site and with the various recreation leagues and their families that use the site.
Site location: The proposed playground will serve what will become the most heavily used
recreation area
in the city. This
will be the city’s
first large
playgrounds at
Locus
any recreation
Plan
area where
league sports
take place and at
the same time it
will also serve
the nearby
neighborhoods
(see Locus Plan,
right).
The playground will be situated on the southerly side of Florence Recreation Fields to keep it
the closest distance of immediately adjacent scattered site affordable housing, a nearby larger
public housing complex, the Florence Community Gardens, and the shortest distance from
the village of Florence. (See Site Plan, right.) This location will allow it to serve the immediate
neighborhoods and also serve families using other facilities at the Florence Recreation Fields.
Environmental Justice Neighborhood: The playground is not within an EJ neighborhood
but it immediately adjacent to scattered site affordable housing and a long walk from a larger
public housing project that is isolated from any other park and playground in the city (both
sites owned by the Northampton Housing Authority). In addition, the league sports that will
also be at Florence Recreation Fields serve the Northampton EJ populations.
Environmental equity: There are no other playgrounds close to Florence Recreation Fields.
The nearest high quality playground, Look Park, is 7,200 feet away.
Other small playgrounds, Maines Field being the closest, are not much closer at 5,200 feet.
Tree planting: The site is will be designed this spring, as soon as we get the final approval
for the Our Common Backyards Program. We estimate that we will plant five shade trees as
part of the project.
State Priority Development or Preservation Areas: Not relevant to this project.
Open Space and Recreation Plan: This project will serve several recommendations from our
plan:
Page 144: “Meet special needs of… environmental justice populations and the needs of those
with disabilities.”
Page 147: “Add parks, greenspace…on city-owned land…to keep urban and village centers
attractive.”
Page 149: “Maximum use of recreation space with affordable and quality programs for
youth…Make capital improvements…of recreation facilities…provide …recreation opportunities
for individuals of all ages, socioeconomic levels, and physical abilities…
Page 149: “Use open space and recreation to ensure that the urban and village centers are
attractive places to live, work, and visit.”
Page 159: “Having sufficient land for active recreation is critical to helping create healthy
lifestyles.
Page 160: “Developing [Florence] recreation area, consistent with the 2010 Berkshire Design
Master Plan, is the top recreation priority for the City.”
Project budget: Preferred—Florence Fields receives 50% of funds (see also Lampron
Park in Project #1)
Our Common CPA & Total
Backyards donations
Design $ 12,500 $ 12,500
Construction: playground, surface, $ 87,500 $ 25,000 $112,500
landscaping
Total $100,000 $ 25,000 $125,000
Alternative: Florence Fields receives 100% of funds
Our Common CPA & Total
Backyards donations
Design $ 20,000 $ 20,000
Construction (playground, surface, $180,000 $ 50,000 $230,000
landscaping)
Total $200,000 $ 50,000 $250,000
Attachment: City Council order to permanently dedicate Lampron Park for
parks and recreation and to fund both projects in anticipation of state
reimbursement (after contract is approved).
February 6, 2014
Upon the recommendation of Mayor Narkewicz
BE IT ORDERED
Open Space and Recreation Plan: 2011-2018
WHEREAS, The recommends
expanding Recreation opportunities throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Our Common Backyards Grant provides up to
$200,000 reimbursement for playground and splash park improvements
and is a reimbursement program which requires that the City demonstrate
that it has all of the funds necessary to make the required improvements;
and
WHEREAS, The City’s priorities are developing a new playgrounds at Lampron Park,
off Bridge Street near downtown, and at Florence Recreation Fields, near
Florence; and
WHEREAS, The grant will require up to a $50,000 local match, for which Community
Preservation Funds are being applied for;
WHEREAS, Transferring Lampron Park, located off Bridge Street and Parsons Street,
to the care and custody of the Recreation will ensure that it is permanently
Open Space,
protected for parks and recreation purposes, consistent with
Recreation and Multi-Use Plan: 2011-2018
, and create new eligibility for
grant improvements to the parks; and
WHEREAS, Any transfer of Lampron Park will leave out the small portion of land on
Parsons Street that is not part of the active park and that is needed for a
safe school bus loop; and
WHEREAS, Florence Recreation Fields is already under the jurisdiction of the
Northampton Recreation Commission and is already permanently
dedicated to park and recreation purposes;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDERED,
That the Mayor is authorized to transfer the fee title and the care and custody of Lampron
Park, excepting a small portion along Parsons Street, to the City of Northampton through
its Recreation Commission for park and recreation purposes, under the provisions of
MGL Chapter 45, Section 14, Northampton City Ordinance 22-60, and consistent with
Article 97 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution.
Further, that City Council appropriates and authorizes the City Treasurer, with the
approval of the Mayor, to borrow $250,000, under M.G.L. c.44 §8C, or any other
enabling authority, for the purpose of developing new playgrounds at Lampron Park
and/or the Florence Fields Recreation Area;
Further that the Recreation Commission is authorized to file on behalf of the City of
Northampton any and all applications deemed necessary for grants and /or
reimbursements from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts deemed necessary under the
Our Common Backyards Program and/or any others in any way connected with the scope
of this Article, and the Northampton Recreation Commission and the Mayor be
authorized to enter into all agreements and execute any and all instruments as may be
necessary on behalf of the City of Northampton to affect said improvements.
That any other grants and donations be allowed to be accepted and expended for these
playground purposes.