Resident Holly Robbins speaking at City Council meeting. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Following the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence for the passing of School Committee Vice-Chair Kevin J. Sullivan, the Westfield City Council opened its meeting on Thursday with public participation.
Among those speaking was Holly Robbins, a resident of Cortez St. in Westfield. Robbins spoke about the disturbance in her “historic neighborhood” by the trucks coming and going from the Parks & Recreation building on Holcomb Street, and the “crumbling” state of the building.
“They have truly outgrown the building causing a hardship on the home-owners in the neighborhood,” Robbins said. She said the front entrance of the building is well cared for, but the sides and the back area are a different story, which she said could be enhance by tree plantings. “Since there are no plans to build a new facility in a non-residential area, or to demolish the crumbling building,” Robbins said, she talked about the garage door being left open while work was being performed, about an unsightly trailer that had been parked on the side of the building, and non-Parks & Recreation trucks from DPW parking on the narrow streets during lunch breaks, running trucks and blocking driveways.
“We are not invisible,” Robbins said about her and her neighbors, many of whom she said were retired. “I hope these issues can be resolved over the next few weeks,” she added.
Also speaking was Thomas Smith, who he said was a part-owner of a property on Cross St., who spoke about plans being discussed to create an all-abilities playground in the park. Smith said the people on Cross St. feel they haven’t been made aware of ideas being formed around playground. He said he was happy that money is being sought to improve the playground.
“My concern is the people haven’t been included in the assessment and development of the playground,” Smith said, adding that nobody knows the boundaries and traffic issues better than they do. He said including neighborhood input is environmental justice policy. “Let them have a chance to be included so we can all believe that what is put on paper is true,” he said.
During the meeting, a report on the status of the all-abilities playground for which grant money is being sought was submitted to the City Council on the shared drive. At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty requested that the report also be posted to the city website for public viewing.
Also on the agenda was a bond order in the amount of $1 million for the rehabilitation and construction of municipal outdoor recreational and athletic fields to include basketball courts, pickleball courts and the all-access playground. Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy made a motion to refer the bond to the Legislative & Ordinance sub-committee and to the Law Department. Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise amended the motion to refer it to Finance sub-committee, with Flaherty adding to send it to Finance first. The motion passed.
