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Vol. 2, No. 13
Thrusday, June 8, 2000
[Home]
We have had two important meetings, on May 17 and on May 24 to discuss the selection of our play structure vendor and options. It was good to see new faces at these meetings. We have crossed an important hurdle in moving forward with the play structure and indeed have selected Saturday, September 16, as our play structure build date. Anyone interested in participating in the build should let us know of their interest at WellingtonPark@aol.com. We would like to be sure that we have a critical mass of people to complete the project.
At the meetings, after much discussion, debate, and votes, we have selected GameTime as our structure vendor. We very much appreciate all the time spent by the committee in evaluating the three structure proposals. We also appreciate the efforts on the part of the our three vendors and their representatives, Landscape Structures (David Loker), Little Types (Mark Gallagher), and GameTime (Doug Knotts) in preparing structure proposals and in presenting them to our group. All vendors make a very high quality product and a decision was quite difficult.
GameTime has local structures at the Learning Prep School near St. Bernard's and at the Jackson School (behind the Jackson Homestead). These structures have been visited by committee members. Our structure would be the first for GameTime in the parks system in Newton. Lorraine Miller, play structure chairperson, has been negotiating with them on features and on pricing and it was felt that due to their desire to have a presence in Newton, we are getting a better deal, more features for less money. In addition, it was felt by some that it would be useful to have a variety of different play structure experiences in the neighborhood. Wellington Park would provide a little different experience than the River Street and Webster Common (Landscape), the Davis Community Playground, and the structures at the Franklin School.
The features to include have also been modified from the proposal currently on the website. A new rendition, reflecting the current design is being prepared by GameTime and will be available for review and comments on our website and on the park bulletin board in the near future. One change that the committee did agree on was to modify the style of roof on the structure to a slightly more costly but more aesthetic style.
There has been a considerable amount of discussion of the color scheme for the structure and input from you is still solicited. We are in the process of obtaining some color samples (in structure plastic) which will be available for review. We will let you know about this as soon as possible. The question of having a low fence around the structure is also open and feedback is still solicited on this point as well. We will be doing some estimates on the cost of the structure and other items such as the ground framing timbers, Rebar, etc. to see how much we will have left in our structure fund. Depending on the amount, we will see if we have enough to acquire a new 2 or 4 bay swing set and can order it at the same time.
If you haven't sent in a contribution yet, please do so. Our fund is currently approximately $3500. This, along with the city's allocation of $12,500, gives us about $16,000 to work with. We are taking steps to have the city transfer the allocation to our NCSC park fund account so that we will be in a position to place a purchase order with the vendor in time for September delivery.
Your contributions are tax deductible thanks to our sponsorship by the Newton Community Service Center (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
One of our committee members, Susanne McInerney, is also a RE-MAX Realtor and is involved with a very interesting program called the Alliance Charitable Fund (www.alliancefund.org). This fund support homeless causes among others. If you or any of your friends buys or sells a house through Susanne, a portion of the commission (about 25% goes to the Alliance Charitable Fund). Of this 25%, half can go the charitable cause of your choice - for instance, the Wellington Park Fund! Especially, with the price of houses in Newton, this program could raise a substantial amount for our fund. So if you know any potential house buyers or sellers, please have them give Susanne a call at 617-558-2777, email at sue@SusanneMcInerney.com, or visit her website at www.SusanneMcInerney.com for more information. By the way, her website has a wealth of useful information and calculators, including information on all recent Newton real estate transactions. You are also invited to take a look at the website of the Alliance Charitable Fund (www.alliancefund.org) for more details on this exciting charitable program.
Susanne also had a very interesting suggestion for a Wellington Park Fund raiser. She could possible arrange for a future visit of the RE-MAX hot air balloon to Wellington Park. Tethered rides for a donation to the park would be offered. Four people can take a ride in the balloon at a time. We will have to look into what permits would be required from the city to do this. We would also need a not too windy day, lest a few Wellington Park folks end up at some other park!
There were also suggestions for having a big Wellington Park yard sale. Everyone has lots of old things they no longer want or need. We could have a big event at the park to help raise additional funds for the park.
On Saturday, June 3, a small band of volunteers made a lot of progress on some of the park projects which were to be done as part of Newton Serves day back in April. Some of those assisting in the effort were Len Saunders, Linda Angelucci, Sarada Sangam (from Newton Community Education Service Group), Susanne McInerney, Eleanor Ambrosio, Lorraine Miller, Janet Kuklinski, and Daphne Richardson.
The Kilburn Road gates were re-aligned and straightened out from their sagging condition. The dirt pile near the gates (which had been providing amusement to many children) was distributed to those few areas which were still a little sparse of grass. Subsequently, these areas were reseeded. Try not to walk on the dirt sections for a few weeks until the new grass takes hold.
A lot of effort was put into picking up glass fragments particularly around the edges of the basketball/tennis court. A lot was picked up - glass fragments from the ice age were found still intact! Further pickup will be done in the future.
Brush around the Princess Road entrance was cleared to make it possible to paint the fence in this section. This section was painted with black Rustoleum and rollers and brushes donated by Swartz Hardware / National Lumber (as part of Newton Serves). This section turned out rather attractive and shows the potential benefit of a little spruce up. It was found that the roller worked best for some aspects and the brush for other aspects. It was quite a labor intensive process, however. We will be looking into doing the Kilburn Road fence by a spraying process. In this, a large piece of cardboard or plywood is held behind the fence to minimize peripheral spray. This process should go much faster and would require few people to complete. We may need to have a long extension cord (and a cooperative neighbor with an outlet) to power the compressor.
The system of having dog bags at all the park entrances seems to be working well. There seems to be a direct correspondence between park poops and empty entrance supply bags. Everyone (including non-dog owners) are requested to help keep the supply bags filled. You all probably have a collection of newspaper bags (Tab, Globe, etc.) and grocery bags sitting in your house. Bring them to the park next time and keep the supply bags stuffed. They are definitely getting used.
Of course dog owners should be carrying a bag with them every time on their way to and from the park. It is quite irritating for residents to find a present on their sidewalk or their lawn. And shame on those dog owners who still let their pets poop inside the entrance without using one of the available bags! If the supply bag is empty, get a bag from one of the other supply bags.
Who wants to be the first honoree on our "Wall of Shame"? Litterers and those who bring glass bottles into the park are also eligible for the "Wall of Shame." Video cameras have been installed in high places around the park for poop and litter monitoring. In addition, all pooches are requested to provide stool samples so that we can do DNA matching on any errant poops found in the park. Samples may be left in the plastic bags in the green barrels. Label the bag with your dogs name, tag number and blood type. Remember, this is Newton - we have some very talented and skilled members!
Attention nature lovers! This weekend you have a very special local opportunity to learn a little more about nature as a participant in the first annual Newton Biodiversity Days, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (June 9-11).
Come join us at the nearby Dolan Pond Conservation Area as part of Massachusetts' first annual Biodiversity Days. On this walk, we hope to see or hear at least 100 species of bugs, birds, plants, trees, fish, frogs, or animals. We especially invite those well experienced in identifying such living things, as well as those who are novices (including our younger naturalists to be). What a great opportunity to get out and learn something about the natural world! We will be working from a checklist of visible flora and fauna of Massachusetts. If you have them, please bring along your binoculars, magnifying glasses, bug box viewers, and field guides to birds, trees, plants, creepy crawlies, or whatever others you have. Among our Wellington Park community helping will be Zach Whalen (insects), Sarada Sangam (wetland plants), and Ted Kuklinski (birds).
The approximately 8 acre Dolan Pond area provides a mosaic of environmental conditions. It is dominated by red maple swamp, but the interspersion of open water, scrub/shrub thickets and wet meadow/vegetated swales provides for a rich wildlife habitat and encourages biological diversity. We will meet at the entrance on the side street called Webster Park. This street is off Webster Street which runs parallel to the north side of the Mass Pike between West Newton and Auburndale. It's only a short walk from Wellington Park. You can get there walking by going down River Street, left on Auburndale Ave at the dry cleaners. An entrance is on the left after Oak Ave. Walk through the area and take a left at the footbridge to get to the Webster Park entrance.
Please check the Newton Biodiversity web page at http://www.newtonconservators.org/biodiversity.htm for the latest information. Please contact Ted Kuklinski at 617-969-6222 or send email to DolanPond@aol.com if you have questions or you would like to help as a naturalist leader with this or other Biodiversity walks on this weekend. There will also be a 1 hour bird walk, Friday morning, June 9 at 7 AM from the Auburndale Park parking lot through the new Flowed Meadow Conservation Area. There is also a biodiversity walk on Sunday, June 11 at the end of Saw Mill Brook Parkway in Oak Hill at 7:30 AM (birds) and at 9 AM (all species). Contact Jon Regosin (244-0736 or jregos01@tufts.edu).
Found - a silver bracelet engraved with the name "CURTIS" found near the Henshaw Street entrance. Please contact Ted at 969-6222 or TKuklinski@aol.com.
A student from France is interested in staying with a local family during the month of July in order to improve her English skills. She is willing to assist with child care needs in exchange for room and board. Inquiries for (all or part of July) may be directed to Ted Kuklinski (969-6222 or TKuklinski@aol.com). The student is the daughter of a visiting scientist friend of mine.
The Newton Community Service Center's Child Care (Infant, Toddler, Preschool, and After-Kindergarten) Programs are looking to hire full or part time teachers (or subs). Please see their website www.ncscinc.com/jobs for details or call 969-5906 and speak with Lonnie (x123) or Margie (x132).
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://wellingtonpark.8m.com. 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. Lately, we have had a lot of information on the bulletin board related to the play structure not leaving too much room. If you have other notices, please try to keep them small enough to fit in the currently available space and keep them under the plastic cover.
We have also started using clipboards at each entrance for meeting notices in order to not have the need to trek over to the bulletin board. This system makes it easy to change notices easily.