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 Agenda Members in Attendance: Chairman, John Linnehan Member, Keith Rudy Member, Tom Caunter Member, Kah Ndi (arrive 7:33pm) Absent: Member Ryan Rourke Meeting called to order at 6:19pm DATE: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 TIME: 6:00PM LOCATION: Mayor’s Reception Room, 375 Merrimack St. 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 1. Approved the minutes from the March 27th meeting. DISCUSSION : Fix Member name Ryan Rourke on the minutes of the March meeting. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter, 2nd by Keith Rudy Vote: Passed 3-0 2. Segundo Acero-Sports Doane Street Park – Basketball Court Sundays April 28-Sunday October 27,2024 9am-7pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 5 blocks per day= $125.00 per day TOTAL FEE = 27 days X $125 per day =$3375.00 DISCUSSION: Area is small and undersized. It is also currently in unplayable shape. No matter how much it is cleaned the area is always a mess a day later. Segundo asked for the fee to be cut to $1500. Will give a permit for one date for no fee and see if it meets their needs. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve Saturday April 28, 2024 for no fee and see if it will work for the group before approving more dates, 2nd by Tom Caunter VOTE: Passed 3-0 3. Chris Snow – Lowell Youth Baseball & Softball - Represented by Matt Lelacheur Page | 1  Leblanc Park-Leblanc Baseball Field Saturdays and Sundays March 30 – October 27, 2024 8am-8pm Mondays – Fridays April 1 – October 31, 2024 6pm-8pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 Does the Board want the permit to end August 31, 2024? MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter to approve until August 31, 2024, 2nd by Keith Rudy VOTE: Passed 3-0 4. Regina A Botticelli – 5th Birthday Party Shedd Park - Pavilion Sunday June 30, 2024 1pm-5pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $120.00 Requester has asked permission for a bouncy house and grilling. Approximate 40 person head count. DISCUSSION: Will not want a bounce house. Grill with Charcoal only and needs to notify LFD. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 5. Megan Riley – CTI Youth Services – Youth Family Picnic Event Shedd Park - Pavilion Friday June 21, 2024 8am-4pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 2= $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 2 = $240.00 TOTAL FEE = $240.00 Staff is on site for 8am-2:30pm so an adjusted fee of $60 was suggested by the Parks Department. DISCUSSION: Second Family Fest for Resource Sharing, activities, food truck and face painting. Parks staff will be onsite until 6pm so no fee is required per Shannon Cohan. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter to accept the event with no fee, 2nd by Keith Rudy VOTE: Passed 3-0 6. Kimberly Guy Page | 2  We would purchase, plant, and maintain the flowers until they are able to live on their own in a city space. They would be native wildflowers that will add color and hopefully butterflies to the area. No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 7. Danny Graham – Northeast Baseball Games – Represented by Rebecca Graham Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – Alumni Field Tuesdays July 9, 16, 23, 30 2024 5pm-9pm Fridays July 19, 26, 2024 5pm-9pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 12= $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 6 = $720.00 TOTAL FEE = $720.00 How does the board want makeup date handled? DISCUSSION: Parks Staff will be on site, so no Custodial fee is needed. Rain Dates will be made up with the parks staff and notification to Rec will be made to approve rain dates. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve the event with no fee, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 8. Nolan McKinnon – Ecumenical Athletic Association- Represented by Meg Foley Would like to remove Wednesdays from their South Common Purtell Field permit. DISCUSSION: EAA wants to give up Wednesdays to make them available for another user. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to relinquish Wednesdays, 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 9. Roger Morneau – Rogers/STEM - Represented by Tiffany Perry DISCUSSION: Would like to use Wednesdays in May for grades 3-8 flag football with the Mass Pirates. May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 from 3:30-5:30pm MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve the dates and times for no fee, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 10. Monica Johnson – LTLC Field Day – Represented by Alyssa Dee Shedd Park Pavilion Thursday September 12, 2024 9am-5pm Page | 3  Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 4= $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 2 = $240.00 TOTAL FEE = $240.00 DISCUSSION: Field day for clients and partners. Will be grilling with Charcoal and will end by 2:30 to avoid a fee. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter to approve the event for no fee, 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 11. Kranthi Manchikanti – Cricket Hovey Field Fridays April 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24 5pm-7pm Non-Resident Adult Fee $100.00/2hr block X 5= $500.00 TOTAL FEE = $500.00 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 12. Stephen Rotundi – Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell – Summer Program Clemente Skate Park Mondays – Fridays July 1 – August 16, 2024 10am-4pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 4= $0.00 TOTAL FEE = $0.00 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 13. Kayla Balamotis – Merrimack Valley Flag Football – Date Cancellation Looking to cancel the following dates. Gage Field – Gage I Sundays April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, June 2, 9, 16, 2024 9am-1pm $500 fee is owed for these dates and she would like to have it waived. No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 14. Kim Lambourne – Lincoln Elementary School Family Night- Represented by Kathleen Huntley Durkin Park – Basketball Court Page | 4  Wednesday May 22, 2024 5pm-7pm Thursday May 23, 2024 (Rain date) 5pm-7pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 4= $0.00 TOTAL FEE = $0.00 Head Count of about 400 people. DISCUSSION: Wants to add the field permit on as well. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy and 2nd by Tom Caunter VOTE: Passed 3-0 15. Rose Tune – Lowell Pop Warner – Represented by Tracy Lessier Cawley Memorial Stadium Complex – William J. Desmond Jr. Field Mondays August 5, 12, 2024 6pm-10pm Tuesdays August 6, 13, 27, September 3, 10, 17, 24, October 1, 8, 15, 22 6pm-10pm Wednesdays August 7, 28, September 4, 11, 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16, 23 6pm-10pm Thursdays August 1, 8, 29, September 5, 12, 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, 24 6pm-10pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 4= $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 34 = $4080.00 TOTAL FEE = $4080.00 A Night Custodian may be scheduled so this fee may not be needed. DISCUSSION: Staff leave by 10pm so the group needs to be out by 9:30pm. They do not need lights. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter to approve the permit with no fee and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 16. Matthew Gillis – Stoklosa School Spring Carnival Event Stoklosa School Park – Multipurpose Field Stoklosa School Park – Basketball Court I Stoklosa School Park – Basketball Court II Stoklosa School Park – Basketball Court III Thursday June 6, 2024 3pm-5pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 17. Randle Cassady – YMCA – Soccer Program Stoklosa School Park – Multipurpose Field Thursdays April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024 Thursdays July 4, 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8, 15, 2, 29, 2024 5pm-9pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 Page | 5  No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 18. Kylie Ford – Lowell Community Health Center Teen Block– Peace in the Park Kerouac Park – Greenspace Thursday June 6, 2024 2pm-8pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 19. Brendan Casey – Greenhalge Elementary School Field Day and Kickball Game A.) McPherson Park – M1- Farley Softball Field McPherson Park – M2- Sweatt Softball Field McPherson Park – M3- Vigeant Softball Field McPherson Park – Concession Stand (Rain Date Only) Friday June 7, 2024 7am-1pm Thursday June 13, 2024 (Rain Date) 7am-1pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 DISCUSSION: Field day and will set up starting at 7am but the event will not begin until closer to 8:30am. Shannon Cohan will call Gil Vigeant for bathroom access. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 B.) Gage Field – Martin “Mickey” Finn Little League Baseball Field Thursday May 30, 2024 3pm-5pm Friday May 31, 2024 Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block = $0.00 DISCUSSION: Kickball game for Greenhalge and McAuliffe Staff MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 20. Deborah Johnson – Sullivan School Field Trip Shedd Park – Pavilion Shedd Park – Gresco Baseball Field Friday June 14, 2024 9am-1pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 4= $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $120.00 Page | 6  Fee is usually waived if a custodian is schedule to be onsite, per the Parks Superintendent. DISCUSSION: Will walk the kids from the Sullivan to Shedd Park. Want Bathrooms open. They plan to have a Kona Ice truck as well. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 21. Charlie Huggins Prime Softball – Permit Cancellation Looking to cancel the following dates. Manning Field Ventura Field Cancel Saturday May 4, 2024 8am-6pm Cancel Sunday May 5, 2024 8am-6pm $600 fee is owed for each of these dates totaling $1200 he would like to have waived. No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 22. Erick Lizardo – Gracepoint Church– Basketball Fundraiser - Represented by Jose Rivera St. Louis Playground – Leclair Court I Stoklosa School Park – Multipurpose Field Saturday June 29, 2024 12pm-2pm Non-Resident Adult Fee $100.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $200.00 DISCUSSION: Only wants St. Louis and can cancel Stoklosa request. Grades 6-12 teens vs adult game as well. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy and 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 23. Kimberley Soucy – Vow Renewal Ceremony – Represented by Dan Moulder Shedd Park – Pavilion Saturday October 26, 2024 3pm-7pm Non-Resident Adult Fee $100.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $200.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $320.00 DISCUSSION: 1 year marriage renewal ceremony with a Justice of the Peace. Reception will be held off site. Does not need bathrooms or electricty. Page | 7  MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter to approve the event with no fee, 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 24. Jonathan Northridge – Lowell Humane Society – Muddy Paws 5k and Block Party Shedd Park – Pavilion Shedd Park – Picnic Area in Front of the Pyne School Sunday August 18, 2024 8am-8pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 12 blocks per day= $300 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 3 = $360.00 TOTAL FEE = $660 DISCUSSION: Fundraiser 5K is being brought back since COVID. Race will start at 10am and they expect 300 people or so. Keith Rudy wants to waive the permit fee and only charge a Custodial Fee. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve the event for a fee of $360, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 25. David Choate – Gospel Night Shedd Park – Pavilion Saturday October 5, 2024 11am-7pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 4 blocks per day= $100 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 2 = $240.00 TOTAL FEE = $340 DISCUSSION: Have a few churches come to sing and pass out pamphlets. It would be a Fellowship of local churches and a community event with food. They want a rain date of October 6th from 10am-2pm. Keith wants to waive the permit fee and only charge one custodial fee since they will only use one day. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve October 5th 11am-7pm, and October 6th 2-6pm for a custodial fee of $240, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 26. Jacquelynn Coles – Massachusetts Emancipation Day Walk for Fun Shedd Park – Pavilion Monday July 8, 2024 5pm-9pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $50 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $170 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 27. Board Discussion on the use of bathrooms in public parks. Page | 8  DISCUSSION: Keith feels the bathrooms should be available to the public if they have permits for events on site. Discussion about liability, ownership and fees resulted in the idea of having a special meeting with the sports league boards and the City Solicitor to discuss feasability. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to hold a special meeting and invite the interested parties, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 4-0 28. Rick Guillaume – Family Reunion Shedd Park Pavilion Sunday September 1, 2024 11am-3pm Non-Resident Adult Fee $100.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $200.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $320.00 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 29. Michael Isola – Mill City Eagles – Free Football Clinic Cawley Memorial Stadium-William “Billy” Rizos Turf Field Sunday June 16, 2024 12pm-4pm Resident Youth Fee $0.00/2hr block X 2= $0.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $120.00 Head count of 250 people may require additional services. DISCUSSION: Wants to change the date to June 9 with the same times. It is a free football clinic for youth with the Mass Pirates and local head football coaches. They want to have a barbecue and have Terrance Mann of the LA Clippers come speak. Jr. High Football will open the concession stands for cooking. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy VOTE: Passed 3-0 30. Lisa Richards – Family Reunion – Represented by Lisa Braga Shedd Park Pavilion Saturday September 7, 2024 11am-7pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 4 blocks per day= $100 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 2= $240.00 TOTAL FEE = $340 Head count of 100 people. DISCUSSION: Requesting a permit to include beer and wine. They would need to go to the liquor commission for that once they have the permit. THey also want to grill with Charcoal. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 Page | 9  31. Rakesh Somashekar – Cricket Club Hovey Field I Wednesday May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2024 5:30-7:30pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 6 blocks per day= $150 TOTAL FEE = $150 Requested April 24th but it was not after the Board meeting date. DISCUSSION: Practice only, games are played on weekends. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy and 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 32. Daniel Price - AA Meeting Shedd Park Pavilion Saturday July 20, 2024 10am-2pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $50 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $170 DISCUSSION: Lowell Eye Opener meeting and cookout. Wants a custodian by 9:30 to have electricity for a coffee maker. About 60 people and Keith wants to waive the permit fee of $50. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve the event for a fee of $120, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 33. Atul Pandey – 3 Year Olds Birthday Party Shedd Park Pavilion Saturday May 4, 2024 11am-3pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $50 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $170 No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 34. Charlene Ramirez – Craft Fair Lucy Larcom Park – Greenspace Saturday June 29, 2024 11am-7pm Page | 10  Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 4 blocks per day= $100 DISCUSSION: Usually held at UTEC. It is for small businesses and kids vendors. They will call inspectional serivces for their food vendors. MOTION: Made by Tom Caunter and 2nd by Keith Rudy. VOTE: Passed 3-0 35. Catherine Apollo – Glorious Power Church - Community Outreach & Gospel Evangelism Shedd Park Pavilion Saturdays June 1, 22, July 6, August 31, September 21, 28, 2024 12pm-4pm October 12, 19, November 2, 9, 16, 23, 2024 12pm- 4pm Resident Adult Fee $25.00/2hr block X 24 blocks per day= $600 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours X 12= $1440.00 TOTAL FEE = $2,040 DISCUSSION: Outreach to the community. Will give away free bibles and pamphlets. They will pray for the people. No food but free water will be given away. Tom wants to waive the permit fee and only charge a custodial fee. MOTION: Made by Keith Rudy to approve for a custodial fee of $1440, 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 3-0 36. Gloria Machado – 80th Birthday Party Shedd Park Pavilion Saturday June 29, 2024 5pm-9pm Non-Resident Adult Fee $100.00/2hr block X 2 blocks per day= $200.00 Custodial Fee $120.00/4 hours = $120.00 TOTAL FEE = $320.00 Another event 1pm-5pm. No one Showed to represent the item so it was denied. 37. Board wants to check with the Clerks office on the status of the handbook. Motion to adjourn made by Keith Rudy and 2nd by Tom Caunter. VOTE: Passed 4-0 Meeting adjourned at 7:57pm Page | 11