12/29/2003: 
Urban Archaeology
Recycling center or bicycling center?
or, Local Conservation Advocate Opens Giant Can of Worms
from Watertown Tab
The old incinerator site on Grove Street is technically part of neighboring Filippello Park, and to build anything on that land that does not pertain to outdoor recreation would be breaking the law, according to some current and former conservation officials.
In a presentation made at the Dec. 8 Conservation Commission meeting, Conservation Agent Bruce Roberts explained to the commission that not only was the incinerator site a part of the park, the entire park is protected by a grant the town received in the early 1980s to convert a former landfill into Filippello Park.
What effect will this have on Sawin's Pond?
More
Recycling center or bicycling center?By Monica Deady / Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Old incinerator site part of Filippello Park, say some
The old incinerator site on Grove Street is technically part of neighboring Filippello Park, and to build anything on that land that does not pertain to outdoor recreation would be breaking the law, according to some current and former conservation officials.
In a presentation made at the Dec. 8 Conservation Commission meeting, Conservation Agent Bruce Roberts explained to the commission that not only was the incinerator site a part of the park, the entire park is protected by a grant the town received in the early 1980s to convert a former landfill into Filippello Park.
Roberts said the Conservation Commission received a grant from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, for $393,750.
"The Conservation Commission went on record at its meeting that it wished to communicate that that parkland needs to be used in that correct manner only as parkland," Roberts said later in a phone interview.
Roberts said there has been some talk about the possibility of the recycling center for the town being located at the former incinerator site. The incinerator building, which used to serve as the recycling center, was torn down this summer.
He admitted he is fully in support of the center being built somewhere, "but legally, the way I read the law, the recycling center is not a park, not an outdoor recreation park function and therefore it can't be there."
Roberts went on to say that at a special town meeting on Nov. 26, 1979, the town voted to make the approximately 14 acres a park.
"This vote secured it as a parkland and with this vote, in order to do anything other than park, it would require a vote of the state Legislature," Roberts added.
Roberts concluded that the grant funding that restricts the land "really etched [the vote] in stone."
Superintendent of Public Works Gerald Mee said he had no plans right now to relocate the recycling center from the incinerator site.
"I think it's too early right now to turn around and say anything definitive about it," Mee said. "I don't think there's enough information just yet. I think it needs further investigation."
"I agree with Bruce Roberts that in incinerator should stay part of the park," said Diana Proctor, the former chairwoman of the Conservation Commission. "The purpose of including the incinerator was because we wanted to enhance that park, not have something that would be detrimental to it."
Charles Bering, a member of the Recycling Committee and the Conservation Commission, said he thinks a lot of people use the center and it serves a purpose.
"I really have absolutely no idea who is right," Bering said about whether or not the incinerator was part of the park or not. "What would concern me is not having a recycling center at all."
Planning Director Greg Watson said he was not sure whether or not the incinerator was part of the park or not.
"We may ultimately need to get a legal opinion just to clarify... rather just speculate," Watson said.
Roberts said an exception to the grant would be possible if the town purchased an identical amount of area in another location and took part of the original park for a different purpose. Monica Deady can be reached at mdeady@cnc.com.
