Milton residents have delivered a clear message to town leaders regarding the future of local recreation: the community is desperate for more field space. During the February meeting of the Parks Commissioners, representatives from consulting firm Tighe & Bond revealed that a recent master plan survey has already garnered 1,064 responses, a figure described as exceptionally high for the initial phase of public engagement.

Ryan Morrison of Tighe & Bond reported that initial interviews with local coaches have highlighted a recurring struggle to find adequate space for youth programs. Morrison noted that while maintenance staff received high marks for their work, the sheer volume of athletes is outstripping available acreage. One common theme is everyone's talked so highly of the maintenance staff and how well they take care of the fields, Morrison told the board, though he added that coaches are often forced to run programs across multiple disparate locations due to scheduling bottlenecks.

Chair Rob Lee Vash anticipated that the final master plan will likely formalize what many parents already suspect. I'm sure at the end of this you're going to find out the biggest need is multi-purpose fields, Vash said. Football, field hockey, soccer—they will all fall in there. I think that's going to be one of the outcomes. There is a big lack of multi-purpose fields.

The survey data presented by Tighe & Bond representative Ally showed that 73 percent of respondents are somewhat to strongly in favor of synthetic turf, a potential solution to the town’s field capacity issues. While only 13 percent of residents rated existing facilities as being in poor condition, there was significant support for maintenance improvements at Flatley, Kelly, and Lower Gile. Despite the high response rate, Commissioner Ted expressed concern regarding the demographics of the feedback. I'd like to see more younger folks participate, he noted. We're not getting a ton of that youth participation. In response, the board agreed to keep the survey open until February 20 to allow for a final push for data, specifically targeting high school students via the Athletic Director.

The meeting also addressed barriers to participation for low-income families. Ralph Parent, representing the Equity and Justice for All Committee, advocated for more transparent financial assistance information. Our work is about making sure every resident has fair access to opportunity and services, Parent said. We've noticed many students with financial inequities who can't afford to pay for various sports. He recommended that any organization using town property be required to post financial aid links on their websites.

Parks and Recreation Director Bonnie Galvin explained that the department currently utilizes the Milton Residence Fund to assist families in need. We recommend the Milton Residence Fund if someone reaches out for financial assistance, Galvin said, noting that the fund is supported by the Governor Stoughton Trust. However, she cautioned against placing the link on every single flyer to avoid overwhelming the fund’s vetting process. Commissioner Carolyn sought clarification on the funding source, asking, Does the residence fund get funded by the Select Board or the Governor Stoughton Trust? to which Galvin confirmed the trust’s role. Vash suggested a streamlined alternative where local non-profit sports organizations might donate directly to the Residence Fund to centralize the financial aid process.

On the operational front, the department is bracing for upcoming expenses following a significant maintenance issue. Staff member Kevin G. reported a pretty big pipe leak at the DPW yard shop this week. While the leak has been repaired, he noted that there will probably be a bill associated with that. On a more positive note, the department’s winter programs are concluding successfully. We ended our winter youth basketball program on January 23rd, said staff member Paul G., adding that the spring basketball season is set to begin on March 2nd with over 300 children enrolled.