Reading Residents Invited to Participate in Birch Meadow Survey

Image captured from the current master plan documents.

The Reading Department of Public Services, Recreation Division is asking residents to weigh in on plans for the Birch Meadow Complex via an online survey.

The Board of Selectmen approved a master plan for the complex in 2009 that included almost $2.5 million of improvements to the area including restrooms, walking paths, lights and court facilities. That plan, however, is now six years old and the recreation division is soliciting public feedback to update and reprioritize the plan.

More information about the current plans is available here and here.

The Birch Meadow Complex area encompasses the Reading Memorial High School area, including:

• RMHS stadium and practice fields
• Parking area across from Coolidge MS
• Softball fields
• Castine Field (used for ice skating the winter time, soccer in the Summer and Fall)
• Higgins Property (adjacent to the Birch Meadow School & along curve from John Carver Rd. to Birch Meadow Dr)
• Coolidge Middle School Field
• Morton (baseball) field (Bancroft Ave.)
• Reading Community Tennis Courts (Bancroft Ave.)
• Tot Lot Playground (Bancroft Ave.)
• Large Hill behind the field house, including the ropes course

“The Birch Meadow Master Plan is intended to best represent a plan to address the trends, priorities and unmet needs of the community,” according to a statement from the town. “Your feedback will help shape the decision making, priorities and changes to the Birch Meadow Complex as the Town of Reading moves forward with future planning. Your feedback is really important to ensure that the final report captures the wants and needs of the community.”

The survey is available now online.