Wallingford
Recreation Development Committee Minutes*
*These are
unofficial Minutes subject to the approval at the next regular meeting.
December 10, 2009
Present:
Carol Macleod (Chair), Tim Chila, Tom Phillips, Ralph Nimtz, Debbie
Scranton, Shannon Pytlik, Josh Gilman
The meeting was called to order
at
6:40 PM
.
Old Business
Update on the Vermont Watershed
Grant Application, submitted by S. Pytlik. We
should hear back in about a month. This
grant was two-fold:
1)
To extend and improve the existing trail on the Hemlock ridgeline
from the beach along the westerly side of the road leading into the beach from
Route 140,
2)
To create rain gardens and drainage to decrease erosion of the
beach at Lake
Elfin.
Update on the Vermont Trails and Greenways grant which is due in January.
Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
(VYCC) met with S. Pytlik at the property regarding trail maintenance and
building of a boardwalk over the bog area just easterly of the beach.
Boardwalk over the bog area. If
accessed from the beach would be too long at 300’+/-.Grant
money would cover up to $20,000 with a 20% match for a walkway/boardwalk over
the bog that must connect trails. 120-150’ distance could be achieved a
little further to the east of the beach for a shorter connection.
Master Plan
- We developed the components of a master plan for
Recreation
development. We then prioritized
these components.
1)
Development and Improvement of paths accessing playground area and
ballfields to the beach area.
A) Straighten, raise
wet areas, upgrade existing road from bridge to
beach, so that it can be used for pedestrian traffic in 2010.
B)
Continue the path from the playground area off Meadow Street, in back of the basketball court,
following the edge of the fields along the Otter Creek to the new pedestrian
bridge.
2)
Vermont Watershed Grant already submitted
A) Extending and improving the
Hemlock Ridgeline from the beach along the westerly side of the road leading
to the beach from Rt 140
B)
Water gardens and drainage to decrease erosion at the beach
3)
Walking trail system,
including boardwalk, signage, as partially developed
and cleared on former footpaths.
4)
Meadow area, as designated on map by R. Nimtz
A)
Drainage ditches and swales as needed to divert water
B)
Encouraging continued new growth in wet area to create a natural
rain garden to absorb excess wetness
C)
Mowing of this area for open area for recreation
5)
Picnic Area on Knoll near the Meadow, as shown on Nimtz map
A)
Clearing of this knoll as necessary, leaving shade trees
B)
Future picnic tables (long
term, not 2010)
6)
Wooded area of new growth trees and shrubs as on Nimtz map
A)
This area has diversity of new trees and plants which have
encouraged new growth of other fauna
B)
There is apparently a lot of construction debris mixed in this area,
per T. Phillips. We should try to
remove dangerous debris, leaving as much intact as possible
C)
Main trail from bridge to beach passes to the south of this wooded
area. Possible trails closer for
bird-watching.
7)
Parking lot has been roughed in and adequate, berm removed and stabilized,
located on
Waldo Lane
just southwesterly of the new pedestrian bridge crossing Otter Creek.
Refining the parking lot into two areas, as shown on Nimtz plan, is a
future plan.
Well-head area on south west
corner has been partially filled by extraction from Baasch project. More
material will be needed to fill these two pits excavated
since the last reclamation. Possibly more will be from the town’s reclamation
of the North Face steep slope.
8) Reclamation of steep North
Face of town and Phillips to meet Act 250
The responsibility of the town and Phillips, and not a consideration of
this committee.
8)
Amphitheatre (lowest priority)
9)
Kiosks may be considered separately, or as part of signage which
is Intrinsic with most components of the Master Plan.
New Business
Shannon
will put together a master plan spreadsheet of the Master Plan, with timeline,
to be emailed to us, and then presented to the Selectboard meeting of
January 4, 2010 to meet grant deadlines.
Other considerations are
shooting the topography of the town land.
Julie Sharon
could be available for writing grants for development of the town property, such
as the tree grant.
Next Meeting:
Brief meeting prior to Selectboard meeting Jan. 4 at
6 PM
, Town Hall. Regular meeting at
Thursday, January 14 at
6:30
Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Scranton |