Mary Byrne
A revitalized Payson Park is just around the corner, but Recreation Director Brandon Fitts said more work is needed before the park at Payson Road and Elm Street can be reopened to the public.
“I’m really excited for the project,” said Fitts. “If you were to walk by the park and see the playgrounds, it looks like it’s really far along, but there’s still work left to be done there.”
He said finishing work and landscaping will resume this spring after being dormant for the winter. The stairs also need to be installed.
The town estimates the park will reopen in late summer or early fall. It closed last summer for construction.
“What’s really going to sort of cause the project to be elongated is the fact we had so much rain last fall, and over the winter, it’s been super wet,” Fitts said. “We had a ton of flooding in early spring. … The grass seed that was laid down in the early fall didn’t take, and it needs to be re-seeded.”
The estimated $1 million project is funded through the Community Preservation Act, a pool of tax money earmarked for outdoor recreation, affordable housing, and preservation. The revitalization is a partnership between the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Recreation Department. Fitts said the project is within budget.
“It’s going to be a really nice park,” Fitts said. “It’s elegant, it’s simple, it serves the need.”
Payson Park will include a new playground featuring several climbing structures and an accessible merry-go-round. The new structures will be linked by a paved walking path that provides access to new benches and handicap-accessible picnic tables. Stairs at the park entrances on Elm Street and Van Ness Road will be equipped with handrails.
“It wasn’t the most accessible park in the world,” he said. “We’re hoping to revive the park, breathe some life into it, and make it a really good neighborhood park.”
Fitts said his department has received calls from residents who want to know when the park will be ready to open.
“We don’t want to prematurely open the park,” Fitts said. “If we have usage of the park, we’re never going to get grass to grow in. It’s worth waiting an extra season … and ultimately have a better product for the town.”
