Dear Friends, 

Albemarle changes daily during this historic spring season – it will never look this way again, and it will not even look like this tomorrow! 

Last week, I gaped at the gorgeous new basketball court… and then at the lights along the path. Then I thought, wait, PATH?? 

At that moment, two children biked by, talking and enjoying the new path. This former line, drawn on a blueprint? It’s already home to countless conversations and daydreams.

Transformation

• New Lights and New Path
• A Historical Spring
• Wetlands Work is Underway
• Wet Days, Fun Plays

Oh, you want MORE than just pictures and amazement? OK, fine. I asked Newton’s Director of Parks, Ahron Lehman, for an update. Here’s what he shared:

• Synthetic turf field: playable and in regular use, both gates are open, and rules signs to be posted shortly. NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THIS FIELD.
• Lights: Subcontractor is currently on-site pulling wires across the whole site. All equipment has been delivered to the site and will start to be installed inside the fieldhouse, too.
• Softball field: Irrigation is being installed this week into next; seeding planned in 1-2 weeks.
• Multi Use pathway top layer paving will be in 1-2 weeks; vehicle bollards and swing gates installed this week. After this is done, construction fencing will be removed from the south side of the park at the NECP playground, Murphy Field, and up to Gath Pool.
• Murphy Field lights donated by Little League have been installed. Wiring is connected to the rest of the site, so not on yet. Field is open, though.
• Post-tension basketball court has been poured and initial strength tests are excellent! Hoops are being installed. Sealcoating and painting lines to come.
• Post-tension pickleball courts will start to be formed after the softball field is seeded, due to logistics with moving equipment around on-site.
• There is excess soil from the project that is currently being tested for appropriate stockpiling or disposal, depending on results.
• Mitigation area tree planting with Forestry, CRWA and local job training corps was a success! Planting subcontractor is preparing for the rest of the plantings within the next few weeks—they confirmed with us their plant purchases and will coordinate with us the layout and planting timeline for later this month.
• Baseball field infield soil has been spread out. Irrigation and outfield will begin after softball and pickleball courts are built, due to site construction logistics.
• Rest of the site’s tree planting will happen with Forestry in the fall.
• July 4th fireworks are tentatively sited and approved in coordination with the Fire Dept. and fireworks company. We will together confirm the exact location once excess soil is moved off-site in the next few weeks.

Thank you, Ahron! Thank you, Newton Parks & Rec! Thank you, community, for making this happen! Back to your FOA programming…

Fish

We are proud to be part of a collaboration, led by Native Fish Coalition, and including YOU, to better understand what kinds of fish live in Cheesecake Brook. 

Join NFC on the morning of Friday, June 12 for a live session in the brook near Gath. Everyone is welcome!

Check out our new signs along the brook (pictures and details in this linked post):

New Signs and New Fish Studies – With Help From You

Traffic

We’ve got VERY good news on this front. (!!)

But first, we have to acknowledge that there are pressing, unresolved concerns about speeding on Albemarle. Back-in parking has increased safety on one side, but people still speed (or drive the wrong way) down the other side – where the houses are (!). Signs, speed bumps and more have been proposed by residents. The issues are under review by the Newton Director of Transportation, Jenn Martin. 

She also shared that, approved by City Council LAST NIGHT, there are positive improvements coming to the intersections. (We did it, everyone!!)

Here’s what she shared:

• The Mayor docketed a request from Free Cash to pay for the design of a new traffic signal and some intersection geometry changes at North and Crafts to accompany the MassDOT SRTS Infrastructure Project traffic signals at Albemarle and Crafts. The Public Facilities docket has the docket request. Both Public Facilities (5/6) and Finance (5/11) unanimously approved the request and it passed a vote of the City Council on Monday, May 18. That work will enable the Albemarle/Crafts and North/Crafts signals to work together to efficiently move people through the intersections. 
  Construction is targeted for 2030 and construction of the Albemarle Road and Crafts Street SRTS improvements are fully programmed on the Boston Region MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for $1,762,238. Newton will pay for the construction of the North/Crafts work. The two projects will be done together. 

In short, YES – the traffic triangle at Albemarle, Crafts and North is going to get safer for everyone!

Thank you, Jenn Martin, Mayor Laredo, City Council, DPW ….and *this entire community* for pointing out what does and does not work! Let’s keep it up.

Annual Meeting

You are officially invited to join the board of FOA at our annual meeting on Saturday, June 6 at 12pm in front of the Field House (or occasionally in the shade behind it, if it’s hot and sunny).

That Color

That One Shade of Lilac

Breathe it in,

Cedar