Proposal for a community *Commons* to be located at the Russell J. Halloran Sports and Recreation Complex Newtonville MA

“Wherever you are and whatever your resources, you can still look up at the sky – its dawn and twilight beauties, its moving clouds, its stars by night.  You can listen to the wind, whether it blows with majestic voice through a forest or sings a many-voiced chorus around the eaves of your house or the corners of your apartment building, and in the listening, you can gain magical release for your thoughts.  You can still feel the rain on your face and think of its long journey, its many transmutations, from sea to air to earth.  Even if you are a city dweller, you can find some place, perhaps a park or a golf course, where you can observe the mysterious migrations of the birds and the changing seasons.”

Rachel Carson,  The Sense of Wonder

As part of the redesign of the Albemarle Playground, located within the Russell J. Halloran Sports and Recreation Complex, the "tot lot" was relocated within the original footprint of the larger playground. This left underutilized the former tot lot location, an area of approximately 60x64 feet fronting on Albemarle Road. At the suggestion of representatives from the City's Department of Parks and Recreation, The Playground Project began investigating whether the site was suitable for development as an "outdoor classroom". Outdoor classroom projects, with their emphasis on garden learning experiences for children, have already been completed or are underway at a number of Newton schools. However, when we surveyed users of the Halloran Sports and Recreation complex and considered how the tot lot site is centrally located for users of both recreation and open space, it became clear that a more ambitious project was in order.

The outdoor Community Classroom, unique to Newton, will provide a permanent yet flexible space for a variety of activities enjoyed by persons of all ages. The Community Classroom will facilitate the enjoyment of the out-of-doors, both for those for whom the outdoors location is central to their activity (or example, a bird watching group or nature photography club) as well as for those for whom the natural setting is an enhancement of their activity (for example, a senior citizens' crocheting club or a book discussion group.) Third graders might meet there as they begin their study of the tadpoles in Cheesecake Brook, while a seventh grade English class might use the space for poetry reading. Two friends might break from their early morning power walk and sit and talk for a while, or two pre-schoolers might "take the stage" and put on an impromptu performance. Benches located close to the tot lot enclosure will allow our seniors a chance to do some toddler watching, without finding themselves in the middle of the toddler action!

The Community Classroom will provide passive recreation space within what is otherwise a large recreational complex devoted to active recreation. This accessible passive area will provide a sense of balance lacking in the present complex configuration. It will also facilitate enjoyment of surrounding open space, including Cheesecake Brook, the Charles River and adjacent conservation land. The Community Classroom will also provide the complex with "street presence", anchoring the playground and playing fields. Carefully planned and constructed, we believe that the Community Classroom will serve Newton well for generations to come.

Acknowledgements

The Playground Project at Albemarle, Inc. would like to express its deep appreciation to Mayor David Cohen, Commissioner Fran Towle and the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Parks and Recreation Commission, The Community Preservation Act Committee and the Conservation Commission for their support. In particular, we would like to acknowledge Carol Stapleton and Dave Mandatori, who first suggested the possibility of a Community Classroom and encouraged us to pursue it. In addition, we would like to thank Carol Schein, Open Space Coordinator for the Department of Parks and Recreation, who was gracious enough to review our draft proposal and make many helpful suggestions that have been incorporated in our final proposal. Deputy Commissioner Bob DeRubeis has been most generous with his time and his help. Last but by no means least, Alderman Marcia Johnson shepherded this proposal through the many Commission meetings, committee meetings and public hearings that were part of the lengthy approval process. Without her assistance -and persistence - the Community Classroom would never have become a reality.

            Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder