Recreation Warrant Articles Focus on Improvements Everyone Can Enjoy

There are several Recreation Department Articles on the Town Meeting Warrant for this May, and all center around the theme of maintenance and improvement of Burlington's public spaces. Here's a quick summary; see more details in our Warrant Summary.

• Article 7-09 – Leaf Vacuum Tow Behind - $20,000 to maintain efficiency of leaf removal around town by replacing an old leaf vacuum.
• Article 7-10 – Skid Steer - $68,000 for a machine that will improve efficiency for athletic field maintenance, spring/fall cleanups, snow removal, and more.
• Article 7-11 – Zero Turn Mower - $16,500 to replace the older of the town’s existing zero-turn mowers.
• Article 7-12 – Ballfield Groomer - This replacement for a current piece of equipment will cost $40,000 and keep Burlington's ball fields looking nice.
• Article 7-13 – Playground Renovations (Wildmere) - Around $200K to replace an existing 20+-year-old playground with new equipment and an accessible surface.
• Article 25 – Marshall Simonds Middle School Field Renovation – We've been avoiding talking about this one because the article didn't fare well in front of Ways & Means and has the potential to be pulled. The Recreation and School Departments would like to proactively rehab both Brush Field and the grass field at Marshall Simonds, as well as resurfacing the track and enhancing accessibility. The price tag (more than $6.7 million) is large in a year when the town is being asked for a lot of financial commitments, with more to come, and there was disagreement around how to prioritize and break up the project.
• Article 27 – Recreation Land Water Conservation - The Recreation Department plans to renovate Overlook Park and make it more accessible; the job is around 80% site work, according to Recreation Director, Brendan Egan, but will enhance the potential for recreation in this area. The renovations are expected to cost $2,300,000, and Recreation hopes to offset that amount with $1,000,000 from a Land & Water Conservation Grant.
• Article 28 – Recreation Athletic Field Improvements - If it passes, the Recreation Department expects this to be a recurring article to enhance maintenance of the athletic fields. Many parents and residents complain about the condition of Burlington's fields, and this extra funding would allow the Department to install new bleachers, backstops, etc. and help improve maintenance throughout the year.

That's all of the Recreation Warrant Articles for Burlington's may 2024 Town Meeting. Stay tuned for our final two installments of the Warrant Article Summary - Zoning Bylaws and Everything Else.

This year’s Annual Town Meeting will begin on Monday, May 13, at 7:00 PM and will continue on Wednesday and Monday evenings until the entire Warrant has been reviewed. Stay tuned to the Buzz for summaries of the articles in the Town Meeting Warrant and how Town Meeting votes on each.