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Vol. 2, No. 18
Tuesday, September 12, 2000
[Home]
Welcome to all those receiving the Wellington News for the first time. Citizens for Wellington Park has been updating its list recently and many more people have email now and can receive the newsletter by that method. You also may have received a call recently from one of our committee people to inform you about the upcoming playground build. Please visit our website at www.wellingtonpark.org to see all the latest information on the park. This newsletter is a bit longer than average since it contains a lot of detail about the playground build.
Our new play structure is finally going to be built this coming weekend. But we need volunteers to help on our build day, Saturday, September 16 and in the week following. No experience is necessary, so all are welcome to help. If you are available to help on the build day, we ask that you sign up so that we can be assured of having a sufficient number of people. Many hands make light work. We will have lots of different jobs to do including digging holes, assembling the pieces, carpentry on our border timbers, providing snacks and drinks to the crew, etc. The easiest way to sign up may be to send email to build@wellingtonpark.org. Alternatively, please call 969-6222 and leave a message on the machine (it answers as Recognitive Sciences, Inc.). Please leave your name, address, phone, and email if we do not have it. We will be working all day on September 16 or until completion. We will have two shifts, one from 8 AM to Noon, and another from Noon to 4 PM. Sign up for one or both shifts (if you need to get out excess energy). Please also let us know which portion of the day you may be available for.
We will be installing both a play structure and a new swingset (4 swings). The play structure will be located close to the Kilburn Road fence roughly between the existing gate and the current swingset. The new swingset will be in roughly the same location as the existing swingset. The play structure will be in a raised area (1 foot) surrounded by timbers and filled with Fibar wood chips. We will also frame the swingset area with timbers as well. The swingset area would then be surfaced with sand as it is currently. There will be a timber border between the sand and Fibar areas.
Prior to the build, the existing 2 bay swingset will be removed to be replaced by a 4 bay swingset using the existing 2 swings and 2 new ones. The existing benches will be removed. These date from the WPA (Work Progress Administration) and have settled into the ground causing them to be somewhat uncomfortable to sit upon. They are probably not salvageable when they are removed according to the city. If our fundraising allows, we hope to replace them with new low maintenance benches made with recycled plastic lumber, similar to the ones you have seen around town.
On our build day, Saturday, September 16, the main job will be to assemble the play structure under the direction of a GameTime supervisor, Peter Budish. Doug Knotts, our GameTime representative and Newton resident will also be present. Bob DeRubeis, Assistant Director of Newton Parks and Recreation, has also kindly volunteered to help that day.
After a rough assembly of the basic frame, the structure will be moved into an approximate position and the hole locations marked on the ground. It will be moved aside and then we will dig holes for the posts. Between the structure and the swingset we may need to dig about 35 holes. We are renting an auger to help in this process. If we run into some huge boulders, we may have to adjust the position of the structures a little. The holes will be dug and the rest of the structure assembled. The structure would be moved to the holes and then leveled off.
After the final location of the structure is determined, then we can outline the play area with the timbers. We need to generally keep the timbers at least 6 feet away from the structure to meet safety requirements (more in the case of swings). We will be putting down two courses of 6x6 timbers around the structure. We may need to cut some of the timbers to fit (saws needed) and we will also drill them for the 4 foot rebar stakes that will hold them together and hold them into the ground. If necessary, the timber work could be done or finished on Sunday.
On the build day, we may also have some mulch there for sprucing up the Kilburn Road fence where we planted bushes. Additional mulch may inhibit weed growth. We may also have some irises to plant, courtesy of Lena Fried.
The following is the schedule for events at the park related to the playground build as we currently know it. We will need volunteers on Saturday, September 16, 8 AM-4PM, and the following Tuesday and Wednesday, September 19-20, from 4-7 PM. Of course, if it rains heavily on Saturday, things will be postponed. The main build would be put off until Sunday, September 17. If it rains the whole weekend, we would postpone the build until the following weekend. If the build is postponed for any reason, we will change the message on 969-6222 to reflect it or you can check the website. If it's just mostly cloudy with just a sprinkle or two, we expect the build to go on.
We would ask those who have volunteered to confirm that they are coming by email if possible. Let us know what shift you are planning to come on Saturday (you can stay all day if you like!). Or let us know that you are planning to come on the following Tuesday or Wednesday to help. If you wish let us know what sort of volunteer activity you would like to do. In addition, please let us know which tools from the list (later in this newsletter) that you have. On build day, please come by the park during the shift period for which you have volunteered. Here are a few specific jobs for which we would like volunteers to sign up earlier.
The following is a list of tools that will be needed for the build on Saturday.
The number of each suggested is in parentheses. Let us know which tools you
have. Make sure that you label each of your tools with your name before coming
to the park with them.
A meeting was held on Tuesday, August 29 at the Kuklinski's to make plans for the upcoming build. In attendance were Lorraine Miller, Ann Dorfman, Ann Myers, Valerie Razis, Phil Corbett, Nancy and John McGrath, Mollie Moncreiff, and Ted Kuklinski. We were most happy to welcome newcomers to the neighborhood, Nancy and John McGrath who kindly offered to host a volunteer's barbecue at their house (60 Lindbergh Avenue) after the build on Saturday, September 16th.
Phil Corbett had joined us for some of our very early meetings and recently has been one of our most instrumental members regarding the build. He brings a good deal of experience to the process and was instrumental in obtaining a key donation of our considerable concrete expense from Contracting Specialist, Inc. of Attleboro, MA. for which we are most grateful. They may also lend us a generator for use on-site to run the power tools and the auger. In addition, he has researched timber suppliers and has arranged with National Lumber (of Newton) to obtain our boundary timbers at a considerable discount with free delivery to our work site. We are pleased to work with National Lumber, which has been so generous in donating supplies for the Newton Serves project.
Lorraine Miller reported that Maria Plati, a local resident who works at City Hall, has volunteered to make up some several large signboards (and posters) about the Wellington Playground build which will be placed in high visibility locations such as the island in West Newton Square. If you have one of the City of Newton calendars, you may notice many of Maria's photographs around Newton in the calendar.
We discussed a day for the grand opening in conjunction with our second annual Wellington Parkfest. October 15 was selected based on the mayor's better potential availability. We will also invite local aldermen and legislators to the event as well.
Ann Dorfman volunteered (along with Ted Kuklinski) to call around to the folks on our list to let them know about the build day. Ann also made up a flyer which, on one side, describes the build day, and on the other side, invites folks to the Parkfest. These flyers would be distributed door to door around the park neighborhood. Other flyers with tear-off phone numbers would be posted on poles in the area. They were also placed in the City Hall lobby, at the Library, and at NCSC. Lorraine would be posting flyers in various supermarkets and stores. The Tab and New-TV were also to be notified about the build. If there are any volunteers who would like to drop off flyers on your street in the next day or two, please contact Ann at 244-932.
It was discussed as to how to acknowledge our donors and volunteers. Phil Corbett suggested that a certificate for business donors might be appropriate. Perhaps we would have a photo of the completed playground on the certificate. When we get enough funds to purchase a bench for the play area, perhaps we could make up a small plaque there including the names of donors and volunteers. Plaques on benches are a common method of acknowledgment.
It was suggested that we should make sure that Dig Safe is contacted to make sure we don't have any major gas lines under the play structure. The Parks and Rec. Department has been contacted about this and a Dig Safe check will be conducted.
Jane Quinn recently volunteered to look into having a Wellington Park sign made up. She will work through the city and perhaps talk to the Newton North High School Graphics Department. The most likely location for the main sign would be on the Kilburn Road fence. Alternately, it might be better to put it on the tennis court fence where park users would know it. We have been plagued by an unawareness of what the name of our park actually is due to a lack of a sign for so many years. This is why we put a map on some of our flyers.
Our second annual Wellington Parkfest will be held on Sunday afternoon, October 15, 2000 from 1 to 4 PM. The raindate will be the following Sunday, October 22. Like last year we expect to have balloons, ice cream, soda, hot dogs, and games. At 2 PM, we will have the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for the new playground. We are hoping that Mayor David Cohen will be in attendance. You may have received a flyer in your mailbox about this event meant to help you meet your neighbors. So mark it on your calendar and come on out! Watch for further information. If you would like to help with this event please contact Ann Dorfman at 244-9321.
A brown and white springer spaniel type dog was found wandering loose on Lindbergh Avenue on Saturday afternoon. It had no tags and was trailing a green leash. If you know of anyone looking for such a dog have them contact Newton Animal Control at 552-7253. If the owner cannot be identified from tags, the lost animal is taken to the Natick animal shelter. For animals that are indeed picked up by animal control, the owner may receive a citation. If your pet is lost, give Animal Control a call to let them know it is missing. If found, they will happily connect you with the folks who find your pet. If nobody is at the animal control number, they will direct you to call the police business line at 552-7240 who will page the animal control officer. This event stresses the importance of having tags on your pet. Even with just the dog license number, an owner could be traced. So if you value your dog, make sure that it is licensed and has is up to date on its rabies shots.
Please continue to supply your old newspaper, etc. bags to the supply bags at the park entrances. They significantly help to keep the park free of dog droppings.
Buttons & Bows Playgroup - Located on Henshaw Place, Fall openings for children 18 months and up, open Mon.-Fri. 8:45 AM to 12:45 PM, warm, comfortable atmosphere, snack and lunch included, have pre-school teaching certificate, Lic # 186283. Please call Diane at (617) 332-4422.
The Wellington Park Fund is currently at $4340! The city is currently making the arrangements through their legal department to transfer their original allocation of $12,500 to our fund account at our non-profit sponsor, NCSC. This would give us a grand total of about $16,840. The play structure and swings that we have ordered came to a total of $14,452, which will leave us with a balance of about $2,388. We will be using this to cover additional expenses such as wear mats ($250), concrete ($380), gravel ($450), timbers ($1150), Rebar ($130), equipment rental ($75), etc. for the build.
These are rough estimates but their total ($2435) currently exceeds the amount we have in the fund aside from the play structure expense. In addition, we would like to replace the current benches with newer ones (roughly $600 each) made from recycled plastic. If you have pledged a donation, please send it in shortly. We really could use some additional donations. Please let your neighbors know about the playground, the build, and our upcoming Parkfest. Also please mention it to any local businesses that you know.
Your contributions are tax deductible thanks to our sponsorship by the Newton Community Service Centers, (www.ncscinc.com). If you wish to make a donation to the Wellington Park Fund, please make out your check to NCSC, Inc. and write "Wellington Park Fund" on the check and send it to:
Newton Community Service Centers, Inc.
Wellington Park Fund
492 Waltham Street
West Newton, MA 02465
Special thanks to Contracting Specialists Incorporated (www.contractingspecialists.com) of Attleboro for their donation to cover the cost of concrete for our build. Thanks also to our latest donors, Jessica Lipnack and Jeffrey Stamps (Waltham Street), Bruce and Patricia Nelson (Waltham Street), Deborah and Joseph Drake (Rangely Road), Diane McCarthy (Henshaw Place), and (Alderman) Anthony and Lorraine Salvucci (Eddy Street) for their recent contributions! Remember, there is still time for you to make a difference.
If anyone is considering selling a house or knows someone who is selling a house in the near future, please learn about the Alliance Charitable Fund (www.alliancefund.org). In this program, a significant portion of the broker's fee could go directly into the Wellington Park Fund. Susanne McInerney (South Gate Park) is a local broker participating in this program. Please contact her for more information at 617-558-2777, sue@SusanneMcInerney.com, or www.SusanneMcInerney.com.
Please get on our email list. You will receive the Wellington News directly by email. It is the fastest and easiest way for our organization to keep in touch. Just send an email to WellingtonPark@aol.com or call (617) 969-6222 and leave a message. Or if you wish to be removed from the list let us know the same way. And of course, check out our web site http://www.wellingtonpark.org. All back issues of Wellington News are available online.
If you are not wired, just read our high tech cork bulletin board at the park. You are most welcome to submit items for publication here (childhood remembrances about the park, opinions, yard sale notices, etc.) by email or regular mail (Wellington Park News, c/o Ted Kuklinski, 24 Henshaw Terrace, West Newton, MA 02465-1632). Please make sure the Velcro tape is sealed along the side of the plastic cover so that rain doesn't get into the board. Please report any vandalism at the park to the police (552-7240), Parks and Recreation (552-7120), or to us at vandalism@wellingtonpark.org or (617) 969-6222.