The Friends of Doherty Park in Charlestown are trying to boost turnout at the next upcoming meeting regarding renovations of the historic park by the City.
Each year the Boston Parks Department (BPD) picks a handful of parks from across the city to revamp. This year the Olmstead-designed Doherty Park has been slated for upgrades and $400,000 has been earmarked for the project.
Due to poor community turnout at previous meetings regarding the park’s design, the Friends of Doherty Park asked the city if they could hold one more public meeting before bids for contractors are sent out in January.
The meeting will be held on Sunday, December 11 at 4:30 p.m. at the Charlestown Police Station.
The last meeting held on the park updates back in October only attracted four residents. At that meeting the city presented its final design and discussed options for the play equipment inside the park.
However, some in the neighborhood want another shot at discussing the play equipment and hope there is more community participation at Sunday’s meeting.
With an influx of urban parents living in the neighborhood, many have seen an increase of kids between the ages of 5 and 12 using Charlestown parks and want to ensure the play structures an appropriate for that age group.
Some in the neighborhood have looked at other cities like Cambridge and Somerville where there has been a effort to construct more progressive play structures that are better suited for school age kids than your run of the mill jungle gym.
The Friends of Doherty Park are hoping to attract more parents to the next meeting, especially member of the growing Charlestown Mothers Association, so they can get a true feel of what these important groups might like to see.
The scope of the project includes renovating the play lot, installing new fencing, curbing and landscaping.