A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-09, regarding a report on repairs to Gold Star Mothers Park

City of Cambridge Department of Public Works Owen O'Riordan, Commissioner 147 Hampshire Street Cambridge, MA 02139 theworks@cambridgema.gov Voice: [phone removed] TDD: [phone removed] October 24, 2018 To: Louis DePasquale City Manager From: Owen O’Riordan Commissioner, DPW Re: Awaiting Report 18-9 regarding a report on Gold Star Mothers Park and all play and water features, including drainage issues. In response to the above referenced awaiting report please be advised that on a weekly basis parks and playgrounds across the city are assessed as to their condition by various divisions working within the Public Works Department. Public Works staff also work closely with the School Department to assure that playgrounds adjacent to schools have been adequately cleaned and are in a safe condition for use by children. Parks division employees also clean and make repairs at playground areas citywide several times per week. For more complicated repairs, contracts are in place that allow for more substantial renovations such as replacing sections of play equipment or replacing/repairing playground surfacing or furniture, and for maintaining and repairing waterplay features in all areas. With specific regard to Goldstar Mothers Park, Public Works responded to complaints several times last year concerning the waterplay not working and to issues with the rubber surfacing. At this time, repairs that have been made to water piping and the water play feature is working properly. Repairs have also been made to the rubber surface immediately below the water feature. Unfortunately, some of the perimeter rubber surface has now kinked and will need additional repairs and replacement. Such will be completed as soon as possible this fall. The Department of Public Works Engineering Division expects to execute a detailed survey in the next month in the areas that flooded last year and once such is complete will appropriately place additional dry wells along the eastern edge of the park, adjacent to the pathway in the low spots near Gore Street. This construction work will be completed before 2019. As part of this effort, DPW will also clean out the remaining drywells that service the park and will ensure all are in proper working condition.

During the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019, the Department of Public Works expects to plant a significant number of additional trees within Gold Star Mothers Park. These trees will primarily be placed around the playing fields – most particularly adjacent to the pathway that runs along by the skating rink and on the opposite side of the fields adjacent to the basketball courts. Finally, the basketball courts are in poor shape at present and need significant repairs or indeed need to be replaced. The interdepartmental open space group expects to further explore the existing utilization of these courts and expects to present a proposal for capital budget consideration in the spring of 2019. It may be appropriate to begin a conversation with the community as to whether the two courts are necessary moving forward or if there is some other activity that would better utilize this space in the neighborhood at this time. This is a conversation that can begin winter and proceed through the spring of 2019 for a potential FY20 budget recommendation.