The Community Preservation Committee at its meeting Thursday night began its review of applicants for fiscal year 2026 funding with an overview of the proposals received, focusing primarily on the Center School’s rehabilitation and the proposed adaptive playground.
Under the Community Preservation Act that was signed in 2000, Massachusetts communities may add a surcharge on top of their local property taxes to fund open space, historic preservation, outdoor recreation and affordable housing projects. At least 10% of CPA funding must be spent on each of these four categories, with the rest available for any category. The CPC administers the allocation of these funds based on submitted proposals.
Chair Ken Weismantel pointed out that this is the first time in several years when applicants will need to prioritize the projects for which they hope to receive funding. While unspent money is carried over from previous years to the current budget, he anticipated that approving the bulk of the applications, which total about $3.5 million so far, would drain the coffers significantly.
Center School, adaptive playground top list
The Permanent Building Committee and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts jointly applied for $600,000 for a design and feasibility study for Center School as well as construction documents. Once the building is restored, it has been proposed to be used as a shared resource between town departments and the HCA. The Parks & Recreation and Youth & Family Services departments are expected to move there. There would be space for indoor recreation programs for youth and adults, meeting space, and office and program space for mental health programs. The HCA also would hold classes there.
“This is one where we’ve got to think about if we’re going to go through with it. … We might be the last chance for that building,” said Weismantel, noting the total project is expected to cost $10 million.
A plan would allow the town to apply for arts grants and for the HCA to fundraise. The applicants also plan on applying for additional state and local funding starting in January.
“The first thing is that people have to have a picture in their mind of what the heck we’re going to do with it,” Weismantel continued. “It’s a big commitment.”
Previous options were to sell the property for housing development or tear it down for open space or a parking lot.
Member Steve Levandosky noted that this project would take about half of the available $1.1 million in the historic preservation funding bucket.
The Hopkinton Public Schools and the Hopkinton Adaptive Playground Committee jointly requested between $1.6 million and $2.13 million to construct the town’s first adaptive playground. The committee has been meeting to guide the project with the goal of creating an inclusive space for children of all abilities to play together. The project was allocated $100,000 in FY 25 CPC funds for its design, which Town Meeting approved in May.
Weismantel said he expected the total project cost to be $1 million because that was the original request last year. Further discussion of options and features “the committee would be willing to give up” would be needed.
Added member Dan Terry: “This goes a long way toward depleting money for recreation projects.”
Parks & Rec puts in requests
Terry, the Parks & Recreation Commission chair, spoke about Parks & Rec requests for this cycle. They include $10,000 for a feasibility study for a splash pad, possibly at Sandy Beach.
A request for $18,000 would be used for a feasibility study for the layout and use of Reed Park. Weismantel suggested putting this on hold because the road access needed for the park likely would cost $1 million.
A $412,500 request for a driveway to be planned and constructed from Fruit Street to the proposed parking lot for the new Pyne Field cricket and baseball athletic fields is expected to draw negative feedback from abutters.
A proposal for three water fountain/refill stations at the Town Common, the Sandy Beach bathhouse and the dog park was brought to Parks & Rec by the Sustainable Green Committee, Terry explained. Bottle refill stations potentially would reduce the use of plastic water bottles. The project would cost $24,300.
OSPC requests money to purchase properties
The Open Space Preservation Commission made three requests for funds to acquire properties, with the amount to be determined. They include the Canty property on North Street, the Casucci property at 89 Saddle Hill Road and a portion of the Phipps land at 89 Winter Street. This would allow for trail connectivity and augments other area open space parcels near the properties.
Weismantel said he arranged with Town Manager Elaine Lazarus that for small land purchases, he could use the town assessor’s estimated property value determination rather than commissioning an assessor.
Smaller funding requests reviewed
The Commission on Disability, Hopkinton Public Library and Hopkinton Historic District Commission cosponsored a historical preservation request of $47,114 for the installation of a railing along the sloped walkway of the Main Street entrance and the installation of a push-button automatic door at the Main Street entrance. This would improve accessibility to the building for people with disabilities and parents with strollers.
Town Clerk Connor Degan requested $20,000 for the second phase of the digitization of town documents. The first phase was funded by an FY 24 grant. He explained that an error led to a pause in the project this year. The money he is requesting only could be applied to documents that were not restored previously.
Another request for $20,000 for headstone restoration came from the Cemetery Commission. Weismantel expressed some concern with the application, as the commission has not spent two previous grants in a timely manner, taking two or three years to complete the work.
The Hopkinton Area Land Trust requested $8,000 to prepare the documents to place a conservation restriction on the Colella Farm property, which recently was acquired by the town.
The Historical Commission requested $132,960 for Mount Auburn Cemetery building restoration. It also asked for an unspecified amount of money for floor restoration for the Ellsworth conference room at the library and $150,000 for the second phase of the restoration of the Historical Society location at 168 Hayden Rowe Street.
There will be a deeper review of the proposals at the CPC’s next meeting on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
10 grand for a “splash pad” at sandy beach is incredible. How bout we tune up emc park a bit more.