Kenney Park closes for construction starting Monday, May 5

[ron_newman]

[This is the park at Highland Ave and Grove St, across from Rite Aid]

an e-mail from Luisa Oliveira, landscape planner for the city of Somerville:

Dear Friends of Kenney Park,

Thank you for your continued participation in the Kenney Park renovation project. Construction is scheduled to begin next week on Monday, May 5, 2014. Please help us spread the word around the neighborhood. The park will be closed and fenced off. If you see any unauthorized people in the construction area, please call 911.

Thank you in advance for your patience with the construction process. Remember that you can find updates on the City website:

http://www.somervillema.gov/departments/ospcd/parks-and-open-space/kenney-park

Comments

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the update, Ron. Do you know if this will impact that bike path at all?

[ron_newman]

This park does not adjoin the bike path. It is on the south side of Highland Ave, across from Rite Aid. (Map)

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

Thanks Ron!

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Oh no, they are going to get rid of the grapevines on the fence between the walkway and the parking lot? Whose terrible idea was that? All the kids can't wait for the grapes to come in. :(

(Unless I am misreading -- the image on the page is too small. I don't suppose you know where a reasonably-sized one might be?)

[ron_newman]

Please direct all such questions and comments to Luisa Oliveira <loliveira@somervillema.gov> . (I'll point her at this comment anyway.)

ETA: Clicking on the diagram takes you to this larger version of it. Where do you see the grapevines being removed?

[ritcey.livejournal.com]

the "new low evergreen hedge" in the lower left is where the grape vines currently are

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Yes, I clicked through and I downloaded the image, but it's not high enough resolution to zoom in and read everything. Are you able to zoom in enough to read all the tiny text even when the background isn't white? I can't. :(

[ron_newman]

Yes, though only barely. The text in the area we're talking about says (from left to right along the south side of the walking path):

Repair Existing Fence along Parking Lot
New Low Evergreen Hedge
Existing Deciduous Hedge

Above that, on the path itself, from left to right:

Existing Asphalt Path
New 4' Chain Link Gate
Replace Existing Fence Along Entire Asphalt Path [arrow points to north side of path]
New 4'(?) Chain Link Gate

[ron_newman]

I asked Luisa to e-mail me the reply that she sent you, so that I can post it here:

Thanks for writing. If you click on the image on the website, it becomes bigger.

I spoke to someone (perhaps you?) about the grape vine. We will do what we can to protect it, however the fence needs to be repaired. There is no way to repair the fence and keep the grape vine exactly as it is. We are aware that it is loved, and will do our best.

Also, I talked to one of the landscape architects on this site this morning. He told me that they will need to prune the vines in order to replace the fence, which is in bad condition now. However, the vines' root system will remain untouched, and the new chain-link fence will be of similar height and style to the current one, allowing the vines to grow back onto it.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Oddly, I haven't received her reply yet myself. Glad to hear they are trying, anyway.

A little annoyed that my request for a larger version wasn't taken at face value. I know how big it is. I was asking for it bigger. :) They so often post very scaled-down plans that are hard to read.

[courtney o&apos;keefe (from livejournal.com)]

Albion Park (Albion Street between Cedar and Lowell) is also closed for construction.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Oh man, until when? Do you have a link to what is being done? I don't see any info here: http://www.somervillema.gov/departments/ospcd/parks-and-open-space/albion

Thanks.

[ron_newman]

I can't find anything on the city website at all, but this was in the Somerville Times on April 17:

Albion Street Playground to close temporarily for upgrades

Beginning on Monday, April 28, the Albion Street Playground will be closed as city contractors work to install a retaining wall, and to make improvements to the lawn and water spray areas. Work is expected to be complete by the end of May, weather permitting. Please note that the full park and playground will be closed while this work is completed.
...
If you have questions about this work or for more park-related information, contact Director of Parks and Open Space, Arn Franzen, at AFranzen@somervillema.gov, or 617-625-6600 ext 2545.

Like some of the Somerville Times commenters, I wonder why the park needs such work just five years after it was totally rebuilt.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

I have heard that the neighbors have been having problems with basement flooding since the water spray area was installed.

[dale smoak (from livejournal.com)]

Please don't get rid of the grapevines.