opinion

Sun, 06/11/2023 - 7:30am

Linda Lesher

As a member of the Lesher Foundation (LFF) Board, I want to address an important aspect of our proposal to create a community park on the former RES site (Rockport Warrant Article 3 on the ballot) before the June 13 vote.

Having listened to questions raised by attendees at our recent public meetings, we understand that some Rockport residents feel they are being asked to vote on a specific predetermined design for the park. This is not the case. Your vote on June 13 is not about a fixed design but about creating a community park that will evolve based on your expectations, ideas, and suggestions.

The exact elements and layout of the proposed park will be decided through a community-driven design process. If the LFF’s proposal is approved, we will work closely with the residents of Rockport to shape the final design, taking as much time as needed to make sure it aligns with our collective vision.

We have already received a number of intriguing additional ideas for the park from our survey and public meetings. We are eager to share these ideas with the community and involve everyone in this collaborative design process.

A few more comments on the preliminary design: When the LFF decided to explore the idea of offering philanthropic support towards the creation of a community park, we hired a landscape architect to develop a preliminary/conceptual park design. This was done for two reasons.

First, we needed cost estimates for a variety of potentially desirable park features (playground, playing fields, gardens, pathways, pavilion, etc.) to determine if our donation could, indeed, lead to the creation of a true multipurpose gathering place.

Second, we wanted to provide residents with a visual representation of what, realistically, could be accomplished on what is essentially a 5.5-acre site within budget.

We can now share with Rockport residents not only what a variety of individual park features will cost to construct (and maintain) but how they might be configured on that acreage. This information will be invaluable as we begin the final community-driven design phase of the park project.

So, should Warrant Article 3 meet with voter approval this coming Tuesday, we intend to invite the residents of Rockport to join us in thinking through not only what this park will look like, but, as importantly, how it can function as a vibrant public space, a beautiful gateway community park, one that is accessible to all our citizens and visitors.

We envision a family friendly space with a great mix of activities including farmers’ markets, open air movie nights, musical events, child-centric performances, and the like. A place for family gatherings with access to playgrounds, exercise, and sporting equipment (for volleyball, kickball, badminton etc.), to clean public restrooms and picnic tables. In other words, a special place that is beautiful, healthy, and fun.

We invite you to join us in making this vision a reality.

For you. For your children. For your community. Please get involved — and take time to vote YES on June 13.

Thank you for reading!

Linda Lesher sits on the Lesher Family Foundation Board of Directors and lives in Rockport.