He's also done a fine job promoting the upcoming hearing, Tuesday night at the libary.
Now, I gotta say, I hate the stated favorite Plan E.
I wish I could publish the photo, but you'll have to make due with the chimps. But if you check yesterday's article on the Daily News or click on this PDF (page 3) you'll see what I'm talking about.
I still think the Senior Center would be better situated downtown, and I like the idea of including it as part of a mixed use parking garage, like the one the News reported on here.
But if that's not going happen I feel the senior center shouldn't completely dominate Cushing Park[ing lot.] I'd envisioned it taking perhaps one-third, maybe half of the parcel. But I I'd prefer to see half the park remain just that.
The planning director acknowledged the plan calls for more parking than might be necessary.
Planning Director Sean Sullivan also said that version, Plan E, "appears to
be the most user-friendly."
Plan E, one of six versions contained in a feasibility study available online, calls for 75 parking spaces, a drop-off area, access from three different streets and a landscape buffer between the structure and the neighboring residential streets, Sullivan said.
Sullivan said he believes 75 parking spaces would be "a maximum number" and likely all would only be used if a specific event was occurring. Sullivan said
he envisions 30 full spaces would be more typical on a regular day.
Perhaps the extra parking is a nod to residents who need someplace to stow their cars during a snow emergency, but I'm not sure such a thing will still be allowed.
As I stated earlier, tuck it in the corner of Washington and Kent, blend it into the neighborhood. Series E, as it stands, would fit better in Byfield, West Newbury or some other pastoral community.
I'll try to attend the Tuesday night hearing, 6:30 p.m. at the library. You should as well.
11 comments:
It's a good thing your friend and neighbor Mr. Cameron is not the councillor for the area he's pushing to put the senior center in. He'd lose the election. This is not a NIMBY issue. This is a bad design in the wrong place. The seniors need a more visible, central place for a center. They were promised a downtown location years ago and it was never delivered. Now this?
plan E gets rid of the basketball courts, which i believe were to remain untouched as they are part of the park and not the parking lot. typical, we're told one thing to get the approval, and end up with something totally different...
Well, anon, the design isn't decided upon yet. You should attend Tuesday's hearing.
Wow, I think the Plan E I saw at the last meeting still had the basketball court (but I had to leave before the end of the meeting). It was to be used as overflow parking, and/or for residents in the winter ... there's more green in this Plan E than there was in the previous Plan E.
Tom,
I hope your commenters are able to go to the meeting on Tuesday night.
Re Ward 3 Voter: "This is not a NIMBY issue. This is a bad design in the wrong place. The seniors need a more visible, central place for a center. They were promised a downtown location years ago and it was never delivered. Now this?"
Please see my long and torturous narrative from last June http://edcameron.blogspot.com/2008/06/cushing-park-and-senior-center-why-i.html which I think answers the question "Now this?"
Re Anonymous: No, this isn't a bait and switch. In the Committee meetings prior to the Council's vote on the change in designation, some people said they liked the basketball court, others said they wanted more green. Hence the meeting on Tuesday to continue the public input process.
Hope to see you there.
Ed Cameron
i thought this was about putting in a senior center, not redesigning the park?
Wait a minute, now they're looking at getting rid of the basketball court? Do they plan to tick off all the neighbors now?
Again, that's only one of the plan. There are several under consideration.
I'm guessing one of the benefits of E is it would create a buffer between senior center and neighbors, but I'm not sure that's necessary.
Again, you got gripes go to tomorrow night's meeting.
what does ed cameron care about ticking off the rest of the neighbors, he doesn't live in that ward, and we don't vote for him. Thanks Ed!
I'm a Ward 3 voter, so I figure I should weigh in despite being about 25 years removed from AARP status. I'd love to hear from the abutters, though, especially those that park at Cushing in a snow emergency.
Anyhow, I think the arguments for a senior center are well founded, and the city is correct in addressing this need. Even the small town I grew up in, Rehoboth, had a Senior Center. It was tiny, but the senior services existed in one central location (and on a personal level, I know my Grandmother made a lot of friends there).
As for the proper location, I think Ed's narrative made some very compelling points for Cusshing Park. There really does not seem to be a good alternative that is convenient and cost effective. When you consider that the city already owns the land, it ALMOST seems like a no-brainer.
Almost, because I do oppose any plan that eliminates a big chunk of snow emergency parking and the basketball courts. Our streets are narrow and densely populated, and we do get a bit of the white stuff in the winter. Where will the 50-plus cars that will lose spaces go? Ed supports one-sided parking, but I can't get behind that. There are no streets in Ward 3 wide enough to support it once the snow starts to pile up. Heck, even without snow our streets are difficult to navigate.
The basketball courts at Cashman are frequently used and can get crowded, and one would expect they would get more crowded without courts at Cushing. Not to mention the countless tikes that practice on their bicycles, tricycles, etc would lose valuable training space.
I'm all for a senior center, but there has to be compromise. While we take care of the aging citizens, don't take away from the youth. We don't need more kids turning to their Wii's or Xboxes because their neighborhood playground was landscaped over to dress up a Senior Center. One of the reasons my wife and I moved to Newburyport was that it's close-knit neighborhoods possess ample recreational space. I think it would be a shame to take away a very useful recreational facility when there are plans that appear to incorporate them nicely and satisfy neighborhood concerns.
Did you know that senior centers have long waiting lists for the Wiicreation programs? Wii golf, Wii bowling, Wii tennis - they're great activities for young AND old. Newburyport doesn't offer Wii yet, but when we have a senior center that can be a great intergeneration opportunity.
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