Coming Up Roses

Dear Friends, 

Happy Spring! 

There is so much good news at Albemarle that I’ve decided to write this newsletter entirely in lists. 

The lists are organized by the following categories:

1. Pool

2. Traffic

3. Fields

1. Pool

Fantastic progress on the pools!

• Unanimous approval of $5,834,362 in funding to renovate Gath pool  – by CPC (Community Preservation Committee) on 3/14/23
• Unanimous approval of site plan and design – by the DRC (Design Review Committee) on 3/29/23

Anyone else ever been told that this would never happen? It’s happening.

Expected groundbreaking: Sept 2023 with completion by June 2024

We are VERY excited about the pool design! Some of what we love:

• A recreation pool with two walking lanes, a water slide, and fun water features
• A separate competitive lap pool with 8 lanes that evenly descend from a 4-foot to 12-foot depth
• Zero entry ramp access to each pool 
• Diving boards in the lap pool
• Both bathhouse and pools will be universally accessible
• Splash pad with multiple play and cooling-off features, open in May and September as well as all summer
• Improved bathhouse design with direct access to pool, better bathrooms, ramp access

We think this current design will meet the needs of the community as broadly as possible.Project website

2. Traffic

Great news! 

• 20 MPH Safety Zone approved for the Albemarle corridor and surrounding area – thank you petition signers!
• Albemarle between North and Crafts continues to be closed off to cars
• Excellent attendance at the Traffic Calming Project Meeting on 4/3 with many residents, FoA members, City Councilors, and NPS employees and enthusiastic support for slowing down speeding drivers [meeting presentation here]
• Traffic Calming measures set to be installed by August 2023 along Albemarle that includes speed cushions, flex posts, painting in bike boxes and a new head-out MUCH SAFER parking approach  – see our letter of support here. 
• Other items requested by Friends of Albemarle also in development

Excited that things are moving toward a better and safer experience for all moving through the area, whether walking, biking, rolling, driving or other!

Project website

3. Fields

This is happening, too. 

• Unanimous approval of $6,300,000 in funding to renovate Albemarle  – by CPC (Community Preservation Committee) on 4/11/23 (tonight!)

We got to walk with Newton Director of Parks and Open Space, Luis Perez Demorizi, and get a sense of the design first-hand. It’s going to be fantastic.

Highlights from the new design that we love:

• Pickleball courts
• New basketball court
• New paved multi-purpose path through park with dark-sky-compliant lighting 
• More trees
• New soccer fields
• Four baseball diamonds
• Improved lighting throughout (Little League is funding lighting at Murphy – donate here)
• Synthetic turf field is in current design (read our thoughts on the complex topic of turf here)
• Rain gardens
• Naturalized plantings in place of chain-link fencing (nets to catch airborne balls will be in place)

Expected groundbreaking: Fall 2024

4. View from Albemarle:

Tracks are down and the runners are ready!

Phew! It’s a lot, right? But there’s room for one more list!

• Thank you to the City Councilors, Mayor and committee members who are funding and championing this city asset
• Thank you to Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture, who are working around the clock to bring all this vision to fruition
• Thank you to the Department of Public Works and of Transportation for their work to make it a safer destination and homebase for all of us
• And THANK YOU for all of YOUR hard work to make Albemarle shine! 

Pssst – and don’t forget – Pick up your beautiful Friends of Albemarle car magnet by leaving 5 dollars in the side porch at 29 North St. per magnet!