By K.B. Sherman, Contributing Writer
Grafton – A Town Meeting article regarding Super Park – a recreation and improvement of the park destroyed when the new high school was built – was a topic of discussion at the Sept. 15 meeting of the Grafton Board of Selectmen. Voters had rejected funding the park at the spring Town Meeting. Two articles on the warrant sought a total of $243,000 for the first phase of the Super Park’s land acquisition. The committee secured $100,000 from Community Preservation funds but did not, however, secure the $143,000 requested from leftover funds from building the Grafton Fire Station.
An article for the October Town Meeting again asks for money for Super Park through a request to take from the Surplus Account $290,000 to pay for a “play structure” at 4-6 Upton St. This is not a repeat of the request for $143,000 from fire house building surplus funds, although whether such “play structure” money could be used to help fill the $143,000 deficit was not addressed.
The amended park plan presented Sept. 15 specifically addresses property drainage issues, road widening, handicapped parking and park access, splash pad design, water source for the park, and other engineering issues. The article asks for $290,000 for a play structure and adds “or take any other action relative thereto.” The board discussed this article with park proponent Michael Scully, who noted that at least $200,000 more should be available for park construction, although Phase 1 – estimated now to cost a total of $525,000 – is not yet fully funded.
Board Chair Jennifer Thomas then added that she is concerned that the old park was not accessible to those with special needs, and that the new Super Park needed to be. To this Scully replied that not only was that the case, but that the park also needed to be attractive to all ages, not just small children.
The article was then approved for the Town Meeting warrant. The fall Town Meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 19 in the Grafton High School auditorium, 24 Providence Rd.