WESTFIELD The Community Preservation Commission yesterday approved a funding request to construct the city’s third spray park at the Sadie Knox Playground on the city’s north side.
Principal Planner Jay Vinskey presented the detail of the spray park proposal to the CPC and explained the funding process for the project which has a estimated construction budget of $281,000.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik has requested the CPC approve an appropriation of $300,000 for the project and contingency funding which still has to be approved by the City Council.
Community Development Director Peter J. Miller Jr., said this morning that the Patrick administration is offering communities the grant through the Division of Conservation.
“It offers each city the ability to construct a playground or spray park in a neighborhood in need of services,” Miller said. “It’s a small grant program, but we’re excited that we’re bringing a spray park to the city’s north side through this reimbursement program.”
Vinskey said the state will return $200,000 to the city’s Community Preservation Act accounts through that grant.
“There is a state grant, of up to $200,000 for playgrounds and spray parks, with the condition that the city put up $50,000,” Vinskey said. “But the state needs a commitment from the city before it approves funding.”
“So the city’s $50,000 gets $200,000,” Vinskey said. “We don’t know the project cost so we built in a $50,000 buffer. It’s a fairly fast track. The plan is to do the construction this season.”
“The City Council has to approve an appropriation of 100 percent of the cost prior to the state (grant) contract and it must be committed by June 21, 2014,” Vinskey said.
The proposed Sadie Knox spray park will be about the same size at the park at Municipal Field near Franklin Street, but will have facilities similar to the recently constructed Chapman Playground spray park.
CPC members questioned the cost of maintaining the existing facilities and damage related to vandalism.
“Once they’re up and running there is minimal maintenance,” Parks & Recreation Department supervisor James Blascak said. “There was a problem at Municipal Field with the coating on the concrete which we power washed off. Chapman is an updated design with color put right into the concrete.”
The CPC members also asked Blascak about the impact on the current Sadie Knox facilities.
“Really nothing in the area (where the spray park is proposed) there is really nothing there now,” Blascak said. “We’re not cutting trees. In fact, we’re planting shade trees.”
Blascak said that vandalism at Chapman Playground decreased after that spray park was opened.
“People started bring their children and having people using the playground deters vandalism,” he said.
CPC Commissioner William Porter made the motion to recommend appropriation of the CPC funds to the City Council.
“It seems in my opinion that the city gets a spray park at one third of the (construction) cost, so I’d be in favor of this,” Porter said.
The motion approved last night is subject to the state approving the $200,000 grant which will reimburse the CPA undesignated fund account.
