Playing Fields Task Force Weighs In On St. James Plan

A discussion between Bill Seymour of Gayle Associates and members of the Playing Fields Task Force raised the possibility of a scaled-down Recreation Plan for the St. James The Great property.

Task Force members met with Seymour (who was hired by the town July 9 to perform a more detailed design plan for the church plot) at his request.

Current plans call for a hockey rink, swimming pool and north-south oriented playing field. The town has been developing the plan in anticipation of a sale of the land by the Archdiocese of Boston.  If that happens, said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Andy Wrobel, officials intend to have a well-thought out plan for voters to consider, so the town can act quickly enough to purchase the property with their approval.

Eric Fichtel, president of the Wellesley Swimming Association, told Seymour the need for a swimming facility in town is high. His organization, he said, has 175 swimmers who currently practice and compete at three pool facilities in town: Babson College, Dana Hall and Wellesley College. 

Because the WSA is so limited in their access to local pools, he said, they have to restrict participation via tryouts. Without tryouts, he said, the WSA would have about 250 willing swimmers. Also, there are about 175 swimmers from Newton who would use a Wellesley swim facility.

At Morse's pond, said Jan Kaseta, director of recreation, all of the swimming lessons are filled for the entire summer.

Jim Conlin, Parks and Recreation Commissoner, said the town needed a swimming facility similar to the one recently built for Concord High School. Also, said Kaseta, there has to be classroom space worked into the design.

That, among other concerns, led Seymour to suggest the core, or center of the facility in his inital plan, which combined offices, locker rooms and machinery for the space, was too small. "I think, based on the discussion today, there's not enough room in the core," Seymour said.

Mike Jennings, a member of the playing fields task force, said the plan for the site might be trying to fit too many things into one space.

The next part of the discussion centered on the orientation of the playing field and building housing the pool and hockey rink. Selectman Owen Dugan was concerned about the spot where the Zamboni was planned to be parked, facing nearby homes. Also, he said, the ventilation and air conditioning systems, also on that side, were likely to make a lot of noise. 

Seymour suggested flipping the orientation of the building, so those features faced away from the neighbors. Dugan seemed to like that idea, but wanted the neighbors' input, too. "We have got to get the neighbors involved in this," Dugan said.

Conlin said the town is still exploring other areas where a swimming facility might be built.

Wrobel said Seymour will revise his plans, according to the task force's input, and report back to the St. James Study Committee, either by the end of the month, or early August.