Introduction
e Fernald site is 196 acres in total
e Acquired by the City of Waltham on 12/28/2014 for $3.7M from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
e Abutters include Trapelo Road & Lawrence School neighborhood, Waverley Oaks Road & neighborhood, Lawrence Meadow, Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, Gann Academy Veterans Fields and National Archives at Boston
History
Oldest school for the developmentally disabled in the Western Hemisphere (begun in 1848 in South Boston, then moved to Waltham in 1887).
Established by Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, who also founded the Perkins School for the blind in 1829, and whose wife was famous fellow abolitionist writer Julia Ward Howe who wrote the “Battle Hymn of the Republic’.
What has been done at Fernald since acquisition?
2017: Installation of brown wooden fences around the perimeter of the facility
2018: Demolition of 19 buildings including the CottagesActivity Center and 4 buildings at Malone Park.
2020: Demolition of the Green Building (containing the first ADA pool in Massachusetts) and the Baldwin House
2021: Restoration of the former pond in the northwest quadrant to help reduce downstream flooding on Linden Street and Waverley Oaks Road. 2023: Renovation of historic Cardinal Cottage along Trapelo Road providing 2 additional units of Affordable Housing (2023)
2023: Moving of the Leaf Composting program to the Fernald from Lexington Street.
Fernald Pond & Stream Restoration
What has been done at Fernald since acquisition?
The Mayor has permitted various shows at Fernald:
e Halloween/Holiday Light Shows e Road Races e Carnivals
But neighbors are prohibited from walking the campus. The only people roaming around are bad actors intent on destroying Fernald buildings, resulting in the following:
e Multiple fires at the North Building (2019), Admin Building (2020), Cardinal Cottage (2020) and Chapel (2021) Severe water damage at the Marquardt Building by vandals (2018) Severe interior damage to the Chapel of the Holy Innocents Destruction of most of the interior of the buildings
lIlegal Dumping at Fernald
Lots of illegal dumping at the Fernald site. Hundreds of truckloads of fill at various locations.
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Issues with the Proposed Fernald Design
No transparency - no followup meeting conducted with neighbors of Wards 3 and Ward 4 after a single zoom call in 2020.
Existing wetlands along Trapelo Road are removed, negatively impacting the Ward 4 residents of Shirley Road, Manning Road and Upton Road.
The proposed golf facility reduces the sledding area along Owl Hill, against prior Council approved resolution
The proposed redevelopment of Donnell Field (the Fernald Front Lawn) will prevent general recreational use, against previously approved Council resolution.
Question of whether a train is eligible under CPA purchased land.
Neighbors do not want an amusement park at Fernald lowering their housing values. Ward 3 and 4 Residents vehemently oppose the City’s proposed move of its DPW Facility from Lexington Street to Fernald, negatively impacting the residents of Wards 3 and 4 and lowering their home values.
Neighbors do not want 500 new parking spaces at Fernald at an already overburdened Trapelo Road.
1. No Transparency
e No follow-up meeting conducted concerning proposed design(s)with neighbors of Wards 3 and Ward 4 after a single zoom call in 2020.
Of great concern the City of Waltham does not intend to submit a Conservation Commission Notice of = : aN Ngo Intent Filing (NOI) concerning the SJ +a as existing and documented wetlands along Trapelo Road despite downstream flooding events.
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COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT HISTORIC, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION FUNDING APPLICATION WCPA -1 FOR FERNALD, CERC AND SHRIVER PARCELS
PROJECT DESCRIPTION GOALS
To purchase Fernald parcels including the CERC and Shriver parcels from Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3 A A r Bre Prevent flooding in the Tip Top os To delineate and replicate any wetlands on site to reduce/prevent flooding in the Tip Top Terrace/Shirley Road neighborhoods. eo Terrace/Shirley Road neighborhoods and downstream, i.e. Waverley Oaks Road and Beaver
Brook. To demolish any surplus buildings and excess pavement to accomplish the above.
See Attached Scope of Work. Planning Map A dated October 20, 2009 is available to the Committee if desired.
COMMUNITY NEED
The Fernald, CERC and Shriver parcels have long been sought after and identified in the City’s Plans. Trapelo Road is a densely populated area, and overdevelopment of the parcels by third parties would negatively impact North Waltham and the entire City of Waltham.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
The Waltham City Council, Mayor and various community groups/individuals have supported acquisition of these parcels.
TIME LINE: ASAP
According to DCAMM, our Legislative Delegation must file the legislation by June 30, 2014, and hopefully it will be approved before the end of the current State Legislative Session, which ends July 31, 2014. The price of $3,700,000.00 is contingent upon a closing on the properties prior to December 31, 2014.
Page 1 of 2
3. Reduction in Sledding Area for Owl Hill
Despite an official City Council approved resolution, dated 11/26/2016 and approved in 2018 preserving Owl Hill for sledding, the proposed plan places a
City of Waltham, Massachusetts
mini-golf facility along Owl Hill Resolution surrounded by a 6’ tall metal ae chain-link fence, thus reducing the] ——Bzair*=T-saiorrecmdthesoiaics sledding area at Owl Hill. eas ogee
Read and adopted Attest: Rosario C. Malone, City Clerk
4. No General Recreational Use for Donnell Field
Despite an official City Council approved resolution, dated 10/22/2016 and approved in 2018 for preserving Donnell Field (aka Fernald Front Lawn) for general 2 recreational use, the Mayor’s City of Waltham, Massachsets
proposed plan places a 100-car can featin parking lot, stormwater forebays, a | nei
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Respectfully submitted:
residents.
Councillor George A. Darcy III
5. Location of Universal Playground
With 196-acres available at the Fernald there is no reason to place the Universal Playground along
busy Trapelo Road and it should ~~ instead be placed in the quiet for People wih Developmental Disable at Fema
October 22, 2016
interior of the property. iia emalsieea tesa is
recommended using some portion of the Fernald land for creation of a playground for people with developmental disabilities, and
WHEREAS... Such a playground would maintain open space, be low impact, generate little traffic, and would certainly be a historic reuse of the Fernald land;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED... That the City Council develop a plan to create a playground designed for people with developmental disabilities at Fernald located in the vicinity of the former Activity Center.
Read and adopted. Attest: Rosario C. Malone, City Clerk
6. No Conservation Restrictions Applied
There have been no Conservation Restrictions (CRs) applied.
Any development at the Fernald CPA funded land should not happen until a CR holder has been selected.
Future CPA grants to Waltham may be blocked by the state if we do not submit CRs.
Missing Items / Other Items
No 5k multi-modal cross-country track connecting all the high points of Fernald.
No Western Greenway Extension connecting the MetState Greenway to the UMASS land and then Central Mass Rail Trail.
Instead of hosting the relocation of the City’s DPW Facility (which should be instead placed along Route 95) the south facing slope of Fernald (~10 acres) could easily host solar panels generating electricity for 2,000 homes in Waltham.
Large portion of a mature oak forest will be cut down for the driving range at Malone Park and the Disc Golf facility.
Driving range will negatively impact the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, Gann Academy and Bentley dorms.
The recreational fields should include “Miracle Fields” targetted for children with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Issues
A major reset from in regards to the redevelopment of the Fernald site along Trapelo Road and re-engagement with the community for its input.
Engage with graduate students in Landscape Architecture programs at various nearby Universities to use Fernald as an entire course to develop holistics community based designs for the entire 196-acres at Fernald, presenting them to Waltham residents after completion.
Support moving the Universal Playground & mini golf to a more central and quiet area of the Fernald.
Preserve Owl Hill for sledding for our children as has been done for over 100 years. Support preserving Donnell Field for general recreational use for the neighbors in Ward 3&4
Enhancement of the existing wetlands along 190 Trapelo Road to prevent downstream flooding to the residents at Shirley Road, Upton Road and Manning Road
Emphasis on passive recreation and minimal traffic congestion.
Oppose moving the DPW facility from Lexington Street to the Fernald, which is transfer
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Key Points
e Piecemeal approach to the Fernald redevelopment e Amusement park location on the grassy Front Lawn is not appropriate e CPW has already moved into the Fernald
The Potential
| would love to light a little fire under each and every one of you in attendance here today. Waltham has the incredible, and very enviable, opportunity to create a stunning 196-acre park unlike any other in Massachusetts, New England or perhaps the entire East Coast.
The comparisons that come to mind, if any of you are travellers, include the High Line of New York City, the Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park of Boston, the Larz Anderson Museum of Brookline, the Decordova Sculpture Park of Lincoln, Miracle Playgrounds for children with physical and intellectual disabilities and the Presidio of San Francisco.
That is why I/we are engaging you, the residents of Waltham, as well as trying to convince the Mayor and City Council to engage graduate students of Landscape Architecture at our nearby universities to develop potential world-class passive recreation designs for the entire 196-acre Fernald site.
Designs to be vetted by the Mayor, the City Council, but more importantly by you, the residents and taxpayers of Waltham, to collectively select and drive the redevelopment of