Recreation Department Seeks to Refurbish Lower Wilkins Field

The Board of Selectmen heard another round of department reviews this week in preparation for the FY13 budget.

Recreation Director Nancy McMillan is looking to rework and maintain the damaged Lower Wilkins Field.

“At one time, Lower Wilkins was in very good condition,” said McMillan. “As other fields came online, it was used less and less.”

She said that Upper Wilkins Field is in much better condition due to superior maintenance.

The project to restore Lower Wilkins is estimated to cost $40,000 to $60,000, according to McMillan

The department plans to relocate playground equipment and sports fields from Cemetery Fields, which is going offline in 2014, to Lower Wilkins.

Other projects include repairing the retaining walls at Baboosic Lake and Spaulding Field and replacing the Recreation Maintenance Shed that was destroyed last year from wind damage.

McMillan hopes to increase programs and activity at the Peabody Mill Environmental Center, eventually having it be self-sustaining through some sort of fundraising organization.

Selectman Tom Grella was critical of the fact that the PMEC was promised to be self-sufficient when voters approved spending money on the building almost six years ago.

“We are not making any progress,” said Grella.

McMillan said the center will eventually be able to support itself, but having it do so at this point is an “unrealistic goal.”

Conservation Commission member Anne Krantz, who helped start the PMEC, voiced her support for the center. She admitted that times have changed since it was approved by voters, but the center has a lot of potential.

“When we envisioned this, the town was booming and the supply of children is endless,” said Krantz.

In the coming years, McmMillan said she wants to replace a two recreation vehicles and improve communications with residents about recreation programs.