The Heights ball field basketball court is being upgraded using funds appropriated at the November 2014 Town Meeting.
The existing court is Junior High School sized at 50’ x 77’. The replacement court was originally planned to be NCAA regulation size at 54’ x 96’. Several of the immediate abutters felt that the NCAA sized court was too large for the northwest corner of the park. In addition, there were concerns that the current misuse and abuse of the existing court, including parking which hampers access compromising public safety, would worsen after an upgrade of this scale.
Our DPW Chief, Ray Jack, scheduled a meeting with abutters Winnie Grant, Suzanne Donahue, FHMIA president Howard Grosser and Precinct 2 Captain Andy Dufresene. Also in attendance were Rec. Dept. head Helen Kennedy, Town Engineer Peter McConarty and Parks Superintendant Rocky Gomes.
Town officials were very receptive of the neighbor’s comments and concerns. The new court will be modified to be High School regulation sized at 54’ x 88’. There will be additional signage installed to remind court users of the hours of operation (dawn to dusk), appropriate family friendly behavior, and as well as instruction to park in legal spaces. The plan includes increased police monitoring in the area.
FHMIA expressed its thanks to the Town officials for their transparency, inclusiveness, flexibility and support in making this project more neighborhood friendly