The Playground Committee convened on December 4th to address a growing list of safety concerns and maintenance backlogs across the town’s school-based play areas. Members delivered site-specific reports, starting with South River School, where equipment removal has caused significant downtime for students. A committee member noted that the swings had been taken out, so she was definitely looking for that to be put back ASAP to restore functionality to the space. Beyond the swings, the committee identified crumbling gaga pits and tripping hazards caused by curbing that lacks proper ADA compliance.

The assessment of Ames Way School revealed deeper structural issues, specifically regarding a newly resurfaced area that has already become unusable. A committee member reported that a drainage failure has turned a section of the playground into a mud pile, warning that they are going to end up having the same issues with the surfacing if they don't fix the drainage regardless of how much is spent on new materials. Motion Made by a committee member to accept the minutes from the last meeting. Vote Passed 3-0. Similar drainage and safety worries were echoed for Martinson School, where a makeshift snow fence currently blocks off a hazardous area. A member observed that there's a snow fence that's taking up one of the areas that the janitor keeps replacing and a kid could easily just slip through underneath it, creating an urgent liability for the town.

To better manage these diverse needs, the committee voted to transition to a liaison-based system where individual members will serve as the primary contact for specific schools. The group believes this will prevent the committee from going in circles and allow for more direct coordination with PTOs and school principals. Motion Made by a committee member for the people to playground as liaisons. Vote Passed 3-0. Dominique, participating via Zoom, highlighted the need for immediate action on accessibility at the preschool level before the spring season, stating, I think that priority one really needs to be just even that entrance into the playground.

Frustration with the pace of administrative follow-through was a recurring theme, particularly regarding the installation of AAC communication boards and rules signage. One member expressed the collective sentiment that the group is waiting on the Department of Public Works for clarity, saying, I just feel like all this has been talked about and I don't really know where it goes. The committee intends to formalize a list of top priorities for each school to present to town officials and will seek a meeting with Superintendent Patrick Sullivan to align their renovation plans with the district’s educational and therapeutic goals. The chair concluded the session by noting, I'm going to make a motion to accept the minutes from the last meeting earlier in the session to ensure proper record-keeping during the technical difficulties.