Politics & Government

Meeting Tonight on Proposed Legacy Playground

Organizers of the Legacy Playground project plan to make a new pitch for Greeley Park. See the video of the site here.

A plan to build a new playground at Greeley Park will be up for discussion Monday night during a specially planned Board of Public Works meeting.

Organizers have spent the better part of the past two years fundraising and exploring possible sites for a universally accessible playground. Preliminary plans were to replace the existing equipment located for the past several decades near the gazebo, with what is being called a Legacy Playground, designed to be accessible to all, including those with mobility issues. 

After some initial push back from homeowners near that side of the park – as well as from some residents who maintain that the park is already overdeveloped – the group, all alumni of Nashua Chamber of Commerce's  Leadership Greater Nashua program, decided to rethink the plan.

The playground plan was the culmination of their year-long leadership training course, which tasked them to come up with a plan to "give back" to the city in some way.

Eric Brand, one of the playground proponents, will be on hand Monday night to present a revised proposal that should include a schematic, something he said he was working to prepare in time for the Dec. 2 meeting. 

In his corner is Chris Williams, President an CEO of Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce. He is fully supportive of the alternative Greeley Park site, which was recently staked out behind the stone house at Greeley Park by a city crew so those interested could get a sense of the size and proposed location prior to Monday's meeting.

Williams said those who are concerned about the Legacy Playground negatively impacting Greeley Park should understand that the playground group shares their respect for the history of the park, and its existing legacy of open space to the city.

"The proposed playground will actually increase the amount of open and green space at Greeley Park rather than decrease it, thanks to the fact that the new playground has a much smaller footprint than the playground currently existing at Greeley Park," Williams said.  "Additionally, people will be pleased to know that the current proposal for the Legacy Playground will not require additional paving or removal of any trees."

Several residents spoke against the playground proposal during a November 13 Infrastructure Committee meeting, citing various concerns  – from increased traffic and parking issues, to destruction of trees, sprawl, and a lack of consideration for the wishes of Joseph Thornton Greeley, who left the park to the city in his will.

Resident Imelda Murphy has also raised the question of how many acres were bequeathed to the city, citing discrepancies in city documents and current master plan reports. Murphy said that before a discussion on where to place a playground continues, it's necessary for the city to sort out its boundary issues.

Williams points out that the new site proposal has a smaller footprint than the existing playground, near the gazebo, which means the playground will actually provide an upgraded playground that is ADA compliant, but also will return some green space to the public.

The new site measures 11,800 square feet. The existing site measures 29,900 square feet.  

"Everyone wins through placing the Legacy Playground at Greeley Park – park enthusiasts win by gaining more green space at the park, thanks to the new playground's smaller footprint; families and veterans with disabilities win by having the state's first all-accessible playground in our city. And the city wins by finally replacing the dangerous and dilapidated playground equipment currently at the park," Williams said. "And Nashua's taxpayers win, thanks to the fact that the playground is entirely funded by private donations."

The group has launched a fundraising campaign and raised about half of the projected $250,000 cost of building the playground. Some critics of the playground have also raised the issue of maintenance cost.

Find out what's happening in Nashuawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mayor Donnalee Lozeau sees discussion over the new site proposal as a positive way to explore options.

"From my perspective there is more than one option. Either the legacy playground goes there –  if the Board of Public Works recommends it, and if legislation goes in, and if the Board of Aldermen approve it – or the current playground is replaced, and we can consider whether to relocate it closer to the picnic area. I think, either way, the side with the picnic tables and BBQ area is a better side for a playground," Lozeau said. 

Find out what's happening in Nashuawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Under either of those circumstances, the existing playground would be removed and left as green space, and the city would likely add some trees to help with poor drainage in the area where the old playground currently exists, Lozeau said.

RELATED STORIES

July 1, 2013: Legacy Playground Project Reaches First Fundraising Goal

Editor's Note: An earlier version of the story had an incorrect figure for the current playground site in square footage. That figure has been corrected as of 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 2.


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