Saturday, October 15, 2016

Bliss Park: The only logical place for a new Senior Center

This letter was submitted to LongmeadowBuzz blog by Julia Moulton, Longmeadow Resident
-------------------------------------------------------
 
Recently I have read and heard from a few people that have expressed their opposition to our town building a new Senior Center at Bliss Park.  As someone who regularly uses the town’s senior center for recreational activities, I have taken an interest in  the Select Board’s Adult Center Building Committee search, and have reviewed all of the documentation they provided to the Select Board. 

This committee investigated ten sites in town, including the existing site at Greenwood Park.  The location they determined is the best site for a new Senior Center is  a small, neglected corner of Bliss Park.  I have personally walked the area and agree that this somewhat abandoned area of the park is indeed in poor condition.  It is a dirt area that our dog walkers use to access the rear trails.  The field house is in poor condition.  The basketball court floods each spring.  The tree roots are damaged from the haphazard parking  all over this area.   I could immediately see the reasoning behind choosing this location. 

Locating this 3 acre project on this corner of the park would do nothing but improve the park.  It would provide parking for access to the walking trails, as well as to the ball fields and basketball court.  This location takes away nothing from the other active recreational activities at the park.  Add to that, there is a substantial buffer zone to the residential streets  that are on the north and east of the park.  To the north, there are actually around 35 acres of wooded land that will be a buffer zone.

There are over 4400 senior residents in town, and I understand that the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has determined that there will be a 30% growth by 2030 of elders in our town.  We will represent over a third of the residents.    We also want to participate in recreational activities, both indoor and outdoor.

I applaud the Park Board for taking the unanimous position to support this location.

I have often heard people say the senior center should stay where it is.  I am sure they are unaware that an expansion of that building would mean that there would be a loss of two ball fields at Greenwood PARK and it would mean that most of the open space would be parking!    Greenwood Park is a 9 acre park.  Bliss Park is a 45 acre park.  Frankly, I think it is only logical that the new Senior Center be built at Bliss Park. 
 
Julia Moulton, Longmeadow Resident 
_____________________________________
 
The LongmeadowBuzz blog welcomes town residents who want to offer their own viewpoints.  For details see blog Guidelines.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Clarification on Bliss Park Project

This letter was submitted to LongmeadowBuzz blog by Marybeth Bergeron, Chair, Adult Center Building Committee.
-------------------------------------------------------

I am writing today to clarify a point that is of concern to some residents in our community.

The Select Board Adult Center Building Committee has never discussed an exit road from the proposed site of the new Senior Center at Bliss Park onto Oakwood Drive, Eton Road or Farmington Road. The proposal calls for an single entrance and exit onto Bliss Road.

The committee did discuss having a crossing guard as well as a "right turn only" restriction onto Bliss Road (--> west) from the parking area.  This type of exit would be similar to that found at the north side of Longmeadow High School onto Bliss Road (--> east).  The committee also discuss shifting the primary open hours for the Senior Center in order to minimize the impact on school children walking home from school.


The town  has not as yet hired an architect or a landscape designer.

Article 7 that will be considered at the upcoming Special Town Meeting on October 25 will allow the town to hire an architect, complete engineering studies, conduct a traffic study and complete a landscape design to enhance this area of the park. 

Our vision is clear.  The proposal is for a new town building that would house a new Senior Center and Town Recreational Center that would serve all age groups.

The town needs to hire professional firms for their input and design, and hopes to engage everyone in our community for their input during this next step design phase

Marybeth Bergeron
Chair, Adult Center Building Committee