Board of Parks

City of Lowell • Board of Parks Recreation Department • recreation@lowellma.gov 107 Merrimack Street, 4th Floor • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674-4175 • F: 978.970.4065 • www.lowellma.gov Lowell Board of Parks Meeting Minutes DATE: Wednesday, July 26, 2023 TIME: 6:00PM LOCATION: Mayor’s Reception Room, 375 Merrimack St. 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 PRESENT: John Linnehan, Chairman Keith Rudy, Member Kah Ndi, Member Shannon Cohan, Superintendent of Parks MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: 6:10pm by Chairman J. Linnehan Item 1 – Peter Crew (City of Lowell CASE Office) - Back to School Event Sheehy Park Extension – Greenspace Sunday, August 27, 2023 12pm-6pm FEES ARE WAIVED FOR CITY EVENTS. Erastus Mwangi and Tenesha Scarlett represented. CASE is partnering with the Mayor’s office and a bunch of other organizations for a backpack and school supplies giveaway event which includes a stage, music and food. They requested to amend the permit time to 12-6pm. They will also be publicizing the event and begin taking donations this weekend during Folk Fest on Market St. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 2 – Ronan Dunn/Patti Crabtree (Lowell High School) - Lowell High Football Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – William “Billy” Rizos Turf Field Friday, July 28, 2023 5:30pm-9:30pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 A CUSTODIAN SHOULD BE ON SITE UNTIL 10:00PM. Ronan is the football coach at Lowell High School, and they are requesting to use Cawley to host a 7on7 with neighboring cities/towns. They will need the bathrooms open and may need lights turned on depending on how dark it gets that day. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 3 – Joseph Cady – Bicycle Race Shedd Park – Track Sunday, November 19, 2023 7am-5pm Shedd Park – Pavilion Sunday, November 19, 2023 7am-5pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 11 = $275 (Reduced to $125) Custodial Fee $120/4 hour X 3 = $360 (Reduced to $240) Total Fee = $635 (Reduced Fee to $365) This will be for their annual 18th bike race. They will be using the Pavilion for the bathrooms and registration. Joseph also has a private landscaper if the grounds need to be fixed afterwards, depending on the weather. Page | 1 The Board discussed reducing the fee based off when Joseph’s event is vs. the website entry requirements. Joseph has requested to amend the Pavilion permit time to 7am-5pm. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a reduced fee of $365. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 4 – Melissa Phillips/Brianna Phillips – Account Credit/Rescheduling/Craft Fair Event A) Melissa and Brianna had an event scheduled for Saturday, June 17, 2023 from 8a-4p at Shedd Park Pavilion. They paid $340.00 for their permit and canceled due to weather with enough notice but were unable to attend the June BOP meeting. They are requesting account credit to put towards the rescheduled permit request below (Item 4B). B) Shedd Park – Pavilion | Rescheduled Craft Fair Event Sunday, August 06, 2023 8am-4pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 4 = $100 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour X 2 = $240 - Account Credit of $340 to be applied (Item 4A) Total Fee = $0 Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for account credit (Item 4A) and put it towards request (Item 4B) for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. C) Shedd Park – Pavilion | Additional Craft Fair Event Sunday, September 03, 2023 8am-4pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 4 = $100 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour X 2 = $240 Total Fee = $340 They are not requesting a rain date for this event. They already have an additional permit issued for October and will just use that date instead if this event needs to be canceled due to weather. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a fee of $340. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 5 – Timothy Ross (The Salvation Army) - Outreach Event Shedd Park – Pavilion Wednesday, August 09, 2023 4pm-8pm Thursday, August 10, 2023 4pm-8pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 A CUSTODIAN SHOULD BE ON SITE UNTIL 7:00PM. THIS WOULD BE A HALF HOUR FROM A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PERMIT. They are requesting to use the greenspace around the playground and splash pad areas to promote their free vacation bible school happening in August. This event is for youth, so the Board has reduced the fee. Motion was made by Kah Ndi to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Keith Rudy. Approved Unanimously. Item 6 – Tola Nthonie Sok – Team Field Day Stoklosa School Park – Multipurpose Field Stoklosa School Park – Basketball Court I Sunday, August 20, 2023 10am-4pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 They will only need the multipurpose field and one basketball court, not three courts, for this event. This event is for local youth organizations, so the Board has reduced the fee. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Page | 2 Item 7 – Nick Kirui – Cookout Shedd Park – Picnic Area I-In Front of Pyne School Saturday, August 05, 2023 10am-8pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 5 = $125 The requestor did not show so the request was DENIED. Item 8 – Mayra Lopez – Birthday Party Shedd Park – Pavilion Sunday, November 5, 2023 2pm-6pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 2 = $50 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour = $120 Total Fee = $170 The requestor did not show so the request was DENIED. Item 9 – Rose Tune (Lowell Pop Warner) - LPW Car Wash Fundraiser Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – Alumni Field Saturday, August 12, 2023 9am-1pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour = $120 Total Fee = $120 Tracy Lessieur represented. This request is for LPW’s annual car wash fundraiser. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a fee of $120. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 10 – Nick Cote – Work Outing Tyler Park – Greenspace Wednesday, August 09, 2023 10am-2pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 Nick works for a non-profit organization in Lowell, at Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, and they are looking to host a lunch/meet and greet for the community. They inquired about getting a food truck, and Shannon recommended parking it towards the back of the park and not on Westford St. Motion was made by Kah Ndi to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Keith Rudy. Approved Unanimously. Item 11 – Maryann Sonoiki (Cityblock Health) - Food Distribution Community Event Fort Hill Park – Greenspace Thursday, August 03, 2023 10am-2pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block = $25 (Reduced Fee to $0) Cityblock Health would like to host a free community food distribution event in partnership with Mill City Grows. Their goal is to welcome other community-based organizations to join and table at the event as well. Maryann has requested to amend the permit time to 10a-2p, to give them enough time for set up/breakdown of the event. The Board discussed waiving the fee since this is a community event. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 12 – Shambra McDowney – Events A) Oliveria Park – Oliveria Field | Company outing/UTEC Family Fun Day Friday, August 18, 2023 10am-4pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Page | 3  B) Lucy Larcom Park – Greenspace | UTEC Vendor Event Saturday, September 09, 2023 12pm-6pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 CONSTRUCTION MAY CONFLICT WITH THIS REQUEST. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 13 – Chris Augeri (Over Thirty Baseball) - Adult Baseball A) Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – Alumni Field | Semi Finals Sunday, October 01, 2023 8am-12pm Resident Adult Fee $150.00/4hr block = $150 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour = $120 Total Fee = $270 They will need access to the PA system. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a fee of $270. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. B) Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – Alumni Field | Annual All-Star Game Sunday, October 15, 2023 9am-1pm Resident Adult Fee $150.00/4hr block = $150 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour = $120 Total Fee = $270 Total Fee for both A + B = $540 They will need access to the PA system. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a fee of $270. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 14 – Joseph Bova – Flag Football Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – Machado Field Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – Field Hockey Field September 10, 2023 – December 03, 2023 (Sundays) 8am-4pm Resident Adult Fee $200.00/4hr block X 4 = $800 per date X 13 dates = $10,400 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour X 4 = $480 per date X 13 dates = $6,240 Total Fee = $16,640 The requestor did not show so the request was DENIED. Item 15 – Nicole Rocci – Open Mic North Common – Stage Sunday, August 06, 2023 6:30pm-8:30pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block = $25 Joseph Keane represented this request. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a fee of $25. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 16 – Aisha Nieves (Lowell Community Charter Public School) - Girls on the Run Practices A) Kittredge Park – Greenspace September 19, 2023 – November 16, 2023 (Tuesdays & Thursdays) 3pm-7pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 This request is for the Lowell Community Charter Public School. This will be the second year in a row that LCCPS participates in Girls on the Run. This request will help support the GOTR team ensuring they have a spacious, off campus, and safe environment for practices every week this Fall Season. They would like to have a place that has bathrooms, but Cawley and Shedd Pavilion are currently not available. Motion was made to table this request to see if other accommodations can be made. This request has been tabled for further discussion. Page | 4 Item 17 – Pamela Miller/Ivana Dauwer (CBA) - Back to School Block Party Moody Street Playground – Basketball Court Thursday, August 17, 2023 12pm-8pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 This will be a back to school block party event hosted by the Coalition for a Better Acre. This event will include a backpack distribution for children in the Acre, music/DJ, pizza and other activities. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 18 – Friends of Clemente Park/Rothanak Sarath (The RSC Project)/Dooshbaggers Cornhole – Cornhole Tournament A) BOARD NEEDS TO VOTE: Approval for Friends of Clemente Park to release the following dates from their permit at Clemente Park, for the tournament that is being request below (Item 18B): Sunday, August 6, 2023 and Sunday, August 13, 2023. B) Clemente Park – Basketball Courts I & II | Cornhole Tournament Sunday, August 6, 2023 11:00am-6:00pm Sunday, August 13, 2023 (Rain Date) 11:00am-6:00pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 Rothanak is the founder of the RSC Project and they host giveaway events for children in the community. Roth is partnering with Dooshbaggers Cornhole to host a cornhole tournament and fundraiser. They will also be gathering school supplies, backpacks, books, etc. Those items will be donated to and given out at Roth’s upcoming 3rd comic book/back to school drive on August 27. Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 19 – Johnson Prak (EAST) - Youth Tournament Hadley Park – Basketball Court Sunday, August 20, 2023 2pm-8pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0 Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for no fee. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Item 20 – Mike Isola (Mill City Eagles) - Flag Football Playoff Games Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – William “Billy” Rizos Turf Field Or Cawley Memorial Stadium – Alumni Field Saturday, August 26, 2023 5pm-10pm Saturday, September 09, 2023 5pm-10pm Resident Adult Fee $150.00/4hr block = $150 per date X 2 dates = $300 Custodial Fee $120/4 hour = $120 per date X two dates = $240 Additional Late Fee = $100 Total Fee = $640 [$320 per date] Motion was made by Keith Rudy to approve the request for a fee of $640 with tentative approval from LHS releasing the dates. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. Motion to adjourn made by Keith Rudy. Motion was seconded by Kah Ndi. Approved Unanimously. MEETING ADJOURNED: 7:30pm Page | 5