Kenney Park ETA?

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Any insider news about the Kenney Park renovation? The park has been offline for almost a year(!) and the posted Spring/Summer 2014 completion dates have long passed.

I ask because Honk is coming up and Kenney has been one of the venues. Also because I always wonder about these small city projects which really should take no more than a month or two but which seem to stretch out for no apparent reason. Wouldn't it make more sense to start one project and see it through rapidly rather than to start numerous projects (to give the appearance of activity– or is that too cynical?) which then take ages to complete? Perhaps there is some technical reason it has taken so long?

Anyway, I've noticed more work activity around Kenney the last few weeks but it doesn't look like the park will be completed by next weekend.

Comments

[ron_newman]

At a Honk volunteer meeting a few weeks ago, I asked about Kenney Park. The answer was that the Honk venue will move to a neighboring municipal parking lot if the paved part of Kenney is not ready for use in time for the festival.

[dnblankedelman.livejournal.com]

Sorry, meant to reply to this earlier. We (HONK!) did indeed get told that the park won't be ready in time for this year's festival (bummer) so we are moving the performance space to the lot basically next to it.

We are calling it "Kenney Park Lot" on our schedule (http://honkfest.org/2014-festival/saturday-in-davis-square/saturday-schedule-by-location-2014/) to help people find it. If they go to Kenney Park they should have no problem seeing where the venue moved. There will be some great stuff happening there, so be sure to check it out!

-- dNb, HONK! organizer and webmaster

[wobblymusic.livejournal.com]

"Yes, we have had some delays..." (http://davis-square.livejournal.com/3435772.html?thread=36594172#t36594172)

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Ah, some backstory. Thanks, I'd missed that.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

Is the sign still up on the construction site saying that the park would re-open in "Summer 2014?" It's a bit embarrassing. I believe it has Rebekah Gewirtz's name plastered on it. You'd think they would have parts ready before closing a park down for construction so the space wasn't a completely useless, ugly hole in the ground for an entire year.

[ron_newman]

So far, that makes them two weeks late....

[keithn.livejournal.com]

I don't have the exact wording of the sign, but it implied that the park would be ready for the summer of 2014. I don't think a reasonable person would conclude that they meant it would be ready on the autumnal equinox.

I wouldn't expect to see it completed before next spring at this point. I haven't seen it in a week or so, but what I saw didn't look like it would be completed anytime soon, and snow will soon cover the park.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me that when we went by (and stopped to watch them pour cement for the sidewalk -- toddler entertainment!) I noticed the accessible picnic table appears to be installed backwards. Meant to drop someone a note about that.

[katherine fiorello (from livejournal.com)]

I would definitely send a note to the aldermen about that picnic table or directly to the city as that could be a big problem, if it's not accessible. I had asked aldermen Gewirtz about the playground ETA because I have a little toddler who is really missing her playground next to her house. The city had emailed alderman Gewirtz back saying that they were hoping to have it open by the 2nd week in October. Not sure if they meant second full week in October or not.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I emailed Louise, who said that the fence will be moved so there is enough room, but thanked me for mentioning it. I'll be honest, I I thought I saw the new fenceposts and it didn't seem like it would really leave sufficient space for someone in a wheelchair to maneuver around there comfortably, but I am far from an expert on the matter.

[ron_newman]

Did the Kenney Park construction somehow damage the adjacent house at 11 Dresden Circle? It is boarded up and abandoned, something very unusual to see in Somerville.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

When I was there, I saw a house that was getting stripped. Just looked like a major renovation, at least the exterior, maybe more.

[katherine fiorello (from livejournal.com)]

I think that house next to the playground is being renovated. It has housed many transients in the past several years (many of them seeming extremely high upon leaving the house, so we always thought there was some sort of sketchy illicit business going on in that house). I'm so hoping it'll be cleaned up & non-drug related people will live there, as having a drug den directly next to a playground is absolutely horrible.

Just got an email from Alderman Gewirtz who has done an awesome job keeping our family in the loop w./ this playground work & said that the playground will not be open until the first week in November (according to the city). I'm hoping they'll be putting in a rubberized playground floor over the stones too in the next couple of weeks, as leaving it just rocks could be an accident waiting to happen w./ kids.

[ron_newman]

An update: the park officially opens on November 7, which a "pre-opening" ceremony to be held on October 31.