Southwick Park and Recreation Commissioner Dan Call appeared before the Board of Selectmen last night to speak on the present condition of Whalley Park. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – The punch list at Whalley Park is still long, but Park and Recreation Commissioner Daniel Call said progress is being made and he expects a spring 2015 opening.
Call met with the Board of Selectmen last night to discuss the remaining projects at the park and read from a letter written by R. Levesque Associates to contractor JL Construction, which was supposed to finish the project in 90 days.
JL Construction is the same contractor working on the high school track project. Call said the commission contracted with the company in September of 2013, before the track project was in place.
“This should have been done months ago,” said Selectman Joseph Deedy. “Is the track going to be done before this? Probably.”
Call said the commission told JL Construction its highest priority is to get the fields – particularly the soccer field – in good condition.
“The Park and Recreation Commission and our office have stressed the necessity of establishing turf per the project specifications within the disturbed areas of the park by November 1, 2014,” stated the Aug. 1 letter. “As you are aware, this will be no small task . . . we believe you understand what will be required of your company.”
The letter further stated that “our office is confident that you understand the resources required of your company, the critical path, and the importance of establishing this park by November 1, 2014.”
Because there were no drawings outlining the irrigation system installed prior to town acceptance of the park, which was a gift from the Whalley family, heavy equipment damaged much of the system’s sprinkler heads.
Down Under Irrigation is working on the system and Call said a drawing would outline the system going forward.
Call said the fields “need extraordinary work” to get them in playing condition.
“The key is October,” he said, referring to plans to reseed the fields this fall.
Call read through a list of items, including paving, moving mulch piles, removing gravel piles, lighting system training, and other items. He also said that water meters and backflow valves were installed.
“We’ve spent a lot of time up there,” said Call of commission members. “We’ve been monitoring what’s going on. We’ve kept you posted.”
“I see a lot of this is already happening,” said Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart as Call went over the punch list.
Call said there is much in progress and they plan to have paving done in September and fields reseeded in mid-fall.
Selectman Joseph Deedy asked Call when they could open the playscape area and said once paving is done, that part of the park could be open.
“We could consider that,” Call said. “It’s going to be an awesome park and it needs to be maintained and secured from use we don’t want up there.”
