A Boston-based alternative rock band requested permission to film a music video at Sandy Beach in September, the Parks & Recreation Department interim director announced at Wednesday’s Parks & Recreation Commission meeting.

King City Productions, a dedicated video production company founded in Maine and based in Boston, filed an application with the department, said interim director Pat Savage. Why Try?, a five-piece band, is hoping to film a music video on Sept. 24 for a new song called “Honeymoon” there. According to Bandcamp.com, the band’s music has been influenced by the Cranberries, the Pixies, Stone Temple Pilots and Foo Fighters.

“It will look like they’re partying on the beach,” Savage explained.

While there will be no alcohol allowed there, “the implication is that there is alcohol.” This raised some concern among commission members about the perception of public drinking at the beach.

New commissioner Seth Kenney, who lives in the Sandy Beach area, said a stipulation should be made that the beach not be identified in the video and signage referring to the beach not be included in the final product. The only problem that might occur, he said, is when some people attempt to use the boat dock, so he suggested an afternoon video shoot. The beach would be closed at that time, so no lifeguards would be on duty.

Insurance information will need to be provided by the applicant, Savage added. The application will be voted upon at the next meeting on July 31.

Sandy Beach is no stranger to filming activity. A scene from the 2018 comedy “Super Troopers 2” was filmed at the beach as well as at two other Hopkinton locations.

“I think it’s fun publicity,” chair Dan Terry said, estimating that the fee would be $500.

Fees for school field, gym use to increase

Terry shared that he was informed by the Hopkinton Public Schools that the fees to use its fields and gyms will be increasing effective Sept. 1.

“It’s going to affect the rates that we charge significantly,” he said, adding that the department currently runs programming “at a break-even level.”

Savage said the gym fee will jump from $15 per hour to $45. The department is in the third group of users because it is run by a revenue-generating town department. That group is charged the second-highest rate of four group categories.

“Part of their rationale is that we’re charging participants, as opposed to a town department,” explained Savage.

Terry said he could understand the rate increase if a custodian was not already on duty. Because there is no incremental cost, he questioned passing on the cost to town users. He added that he has not yet discussed the issue with the School Department or School Committee.

Director candidates to be interviewed

Savage told the committee that eight candidates for the permanent director’s position will participate in the interview process beginning on July 27. A seven-member panel will conduct the interviews. It includes Savage, Town Manager Norman Khumalo, Assistant Town Manager Elaine Lazarus, Human Resources Director Maria Casey, Town Accountant Elizabeth Rourke, Town Clerk Connor Degan and Library Director Nanci Hill.

The panel will narrow down the applicant pool. Finalists are expected to then appear before the commission. Savage said the director is expected to be hired “in a few weeks” and start by mid-September.

Dog park pavilion options researched

Commissioner Laura Hanson noted that she has looked into options for materials for the proposed dog park pavilion.

She originally suggested purchasing a prefabricated pavilion at Lowe’s and asking an Eagle Scout to construct it to save money. Pavilions suggested by project engineer Andrew Leonard were significantly more expensive.

Savage noted that because it is for a town project, it has to go through a procurement process.

Terry added that funding for the project was approved at May’s Annual Town Meeting as part of a $75,000 Community Preservation Committee allocation for shade structures at the dog park. The project, he said, will require excavation for a foundation. This will need to be performed by workers earning the prevailing wage.

“I’m 100% in favor of spending money, but I’m 110% in favor of building something that’s going to be there for 15 or 20 years,” Terry said. “The expectation based upon the funding is that we’re going to build a very high-quality structure there.”

The contractor building the shade structure for the pickleball court may want to build an identical structure at the dog park simultaneously.

Hanson envisioned the pavilion being a 13-foot-by-10-foot open structure that could accommodate a few picnic tables underneath.

A future CPC request could be to make the walking path at the dog park circular, Hanson said.

Said Hanson: “I want this dog park to be awesome.”

Town Common usage request for library solar program OK’d

Danielle Cook, the reference and technology supervisor at the Hopkinton Public Library, requested to use the Town Common for a program on solar science and solar eclipses. The initial request was to use the Town Common on Aug. 5 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Aug. 8 from 4-8 p.m.

A program involving crafts for younger children will be held inside the library, Cook explained, so the Town Common only will be needed during the afternoon on Aug. 5.

Because the event is open to the public and will not encompass the entire Town Common, Terry said a permit would not be needed, but he appreciated the advance notice.

Skate park progress shared

Terry announced that the skate park project at EMC Park was put out to bid. Once drainage work is completed over the summer, construction is slated to begin in the fall.

Liaison assignments named

Kenney was assigned as the skate park project liaison, while member Ravi Dasari will be the liaison to the Marathon Committee. Hanson was asked to be the pickleball project liaison. Additional liaison assignments will be announced at a future meeting.