Table of Contents	Fall River Open Space Plan VII. ANALYSIS OF NEEDS A. Summary of Resource Protection Needs Copicut & North Watuppa Watershed Protection The primary theme of this Open Space planning process has - from the first Committee meeting - been the overwhelming support for watershed land protection around the North Watuppa and Copicut Reservoir water supplies. In fact, in considering the entire realm of resource protection needs in Fall River the “Environmental Concerns” focus group at the December 1996 Community Input Event voted to relay the following three priorities to the City: 100% protection of all watershed areas draining to Watuppa and Copicut Reservoir. Acquire and Protect all privately owned property in Copicut reservoir watershed. Acquire Acushnet Sawmills property The results of the Open Space and Recreation Questionnaire revealed the same strong support for watershed protection and conservation and mirrored the sentiments of those attending the Community Input Meeting. The following is a summary of the surveys major natural resource protection themes: Question 1 Keeping in mind what you think Fall River could be like in 10 years, please rank the following characteristics as to how important they are to preserve. The top five ranked areas to preserve: Land to Protect Our Drinking Water Supply Coastal Water Quality Wildlife Habitat Areas for outdoor education (nature trails, study areas) “Greenbelts” along streams and rivers Question 2 Which actions by the City of Fall River are important? Top 50% of responses: Acquisition of land for conservation Acquisition of waterfront land Development of bicycle/walking path Acquisition of land for recreation Question 3 Do you feel that the City’s water supply is adequately protected? Yes - 7.8% No - 69.6% Unsure - 22.6% Question 4 Should the City seek to protect undeveloped land around the Copicut Reservoir? Yes - 83.5% No - 3.5% Unsure - 13.0% Privately owned parcels, particularly surrounding the Copicut Reservoir, comprise approximately 4,485 acres. 3,125 acres of that total is owned by the Acushnet Sawmills Company. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Management considered purchasing the land in the late 1980’s but the deal was never completed. The owners of the Sawmills land have demonstrated an interest in a conservation option for this property and are not known to have immediate plans for the development of the land. It is the strong recommendation of this plan that the City of Fall River actively participate in the development of preservation options for the Acushnet Sawmills property. The remaining 1,360 acres of privately held parcels pose a more immediate threat of conversion out of forest uses to residential subdivision. Acquisition of these parcels,many of which lie in critical stream corridors to the Copicut Reservoir such as the Miller Brook area, is ranked as the top resource protection need in this plan and should be addressed by the City as its first action toward implementing this Open Space and Recreation Plan. B. Community Needs As displayed in the following “Fall River Parks and Playgrounds” table, Fall River is endowed with a wealth of outdoor public recreational spaces providing a wide range of recreational opportunities of the urban west side. In addition to active recreation, Fall River’s Olmstead parks - North, Ruggles, and Kennedy - are attractive locations for walking and other more passive uses. Nevertheless, many of the services provided in the City’s parks as well as day to day maintenance and enhancement activities have been eliminated due to budget constraints. These have taken a toll on not only the usefulness of the City’s park system, but also the public’s perception of these urban greenspaces. A changing and more diverse popuulation also demands additional and different facilities to meet their recreational needs. Again, the participants at the Community Input Event supported and echoed the majority of the City’s park and outdoor recreational needs as relayed to the Open Space Committee by the Park Department. The following outlines the priority areas of interest and proposed actions by each of the groups considering such issues: Trails Focus Group Develop survey of all existing City trails and paths Determine types of trails needed Connectability/Regionalization Community accessibility/sensitivity (i.e.handicap access) Identify funding sources and establish management responsibilities City Parks Focus Group Restore all parks and improve visual aesthetics Improve handicap accessibility & activities Develop passive recreation areas & pocket parks Develop fairground facility to protect parks from overuse during multi-day events Seek funding for restoration of Olmstead Parks Athletic Facilities Focus Group Maximize recreation area usage - maintain and upgrade existing facilities before expanding Establish accessible parks within all neighborhoods Improve maintenance at all City Parks In reviewing all of the above-mentioned information the following brief descriptions were developed of the primary areas in need of restoration, expansion, or creation in order to meet recreational needs of Fall River residents. Soccer Fields Fall River has approximately six adult soccer leagues and a youth league that consists of more than 800 children and young adults. Presently, there is only one soccer field in the City Park system - Britland Park - which is used by all of these leagues. This field is supplemented by a total of five fields at schools throughout the City. For years, the City has monitored and investigated the need of soccer families and has concluded that an additional three fields will alleviate the scheduling and crowding conflicts currently being experienced. When Fall River’s supply of soccer fields is compared against the National Park Service and National Park and Recreation Association’s recommended standard for a population of 92,703, the three field need is echoed. While less of a perceived need in Fall River, the City also has approximately half of the tennis, basketball, and volleyball sourts recommended under this standard. Multi-Use Trail System While the City’s extensive network of sidewalks serve to meet this need to a certain extent, the City today is wanting in alternative pedestrian and biking trails. The Fall River Water Board and Conservation Commission maintain a small one mile nature trail called the Tattapanum trail off of Wilson Road. Longer forest trails are available to more serious hikers in the Freetown - Fall River State Forest, but these are also more removed from the City’s population. Judged against some objective standards, Fall River’s available supply of walking trails is well below the National Park Service standard as shown in the following table. For a population of over 90,000, the City should have approximately 37 miles of trails available to its residents. The City needs to expand upon the successful model provided by the Tattapanum trail and create new nature and walking trails in both the Copicut region of the City as well as in the urban centers. The concept of a citywide greenbelt system calls for the interconnecting of these trails and the “stretching” of the City’s recreational greenspaces to all corners of the City’s bounds and beyond. The new Watuppa Wampanoag Heritage Trail is a move in that direction connecting the State Forest to the Acushnet Cedar Swamp in New Bedford across public and private lands. Finally, prior to the funding of the Quequechan River regional Bike Path project earlier this year, the City had no-off street bicycling paths. The development of this 7 mile bikeway will go a long way in meeting this need in coming years. Handicap Access Without regular upgrades in recent years, the Fall River park system is largely inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Handicap access to comfort stations and other buildings, user friendly walkways, and play equipment that can be used by children with various physical disabilities are not available in Fall River but are sorely needed. Construction of the Quequechan River Regional Bike Path will begin to open Fall River’s public greenspaces to all persons, but specific improvements in parks is also greatly needed. th Park Department is committed to making all of the City’s facilities accessible. Additional Park Space Dedicated solely to park purposes, additional “pocket parks” and field space is needed to serve the City’s growing population. Also greenspaces for older citizens within close distance to their homes is a need in Fall River and nationwide as people are living longer, healthier, more active lives. Today, the city’s parkland has little land available to expand needed facilities. FALL RIVER PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS Information compiled by the Fall River Parks Department Kennedy Park (Olmstead Design) - S.Main,Middle/Bay Sts.,Bradford Ave.: 54+ acres,1 baseball field w/lights,2 basketball courts w/lights,4 bleachers,2 comfort stations,3 drinking fountains,2 Little League fields, 1 picnic area, 1 playground,1 skating pond, 1 softball field w/lights,1 swimming pool,4 tennis courts w/lights. North Park (Olmstead Design) - N.Main & Hood Sts.,Highland & President Aves.: 25+acres, 1 baseball field w/lights, 2 basketball courts w/lights,3 bleachers,1 comfort station, 2 drinking fountains, 1 Little League Field, 1 picnic area, 1 playground, 1 skating pond,4 tennis courts w/lights. Britland Park - rear of Pleasant St. at 15th: 16+acres, 3 combined basketball & volleyball courts, 1 comfort station, 1 field house, 1 picnic area, 1 playground, 2 indoor showers, 1 soccer field w/lights, 4 tennis courts w/lights. Maplewood Park - Stafford Rd. & Albert St.: 13+ acres, 1 baseball field w/lights, 1 basketball court w/lights, 3 bleachers, 1 comfort station, 2 drinking fountains, 1 Little League field, 1 picnic area, 1 playground, 1 skating pond, 3 tennis courts w/lights. Lafayette Park - Eastern Ave.,County & Mason Sts.: 11+ acres, 1 baseball field w/lights, 1 basketball court w/lights, 1 bleacher, 1 comfort station, 1 drinking fountain, 1 picnic area, 1 playground, 1 swimming pool, 1 tennis court. Ruggles Park (Olmstead Design) - Pine, Seabury & Locust Sts.: 9+ acres, 1 basketball court w/lights, 1 bleacher, 1 drinking fountain, 1 playground, 1 softball field. Father Travassos Park - Everett St.: 5+ acres, 2 basketball courts, 1 playground. Father Kelly Park - S.Main & Globe Sts.: 5+ acres, 2 bleachers, 1 drinking fountain, 1 softball field w/lights. Thomas Chew Field - Globe, Slade, & Fenner Sts. : 4+ acres, 1 baseball field w/lights, 1 basketball court w/lights, 2 bleachers, 1 comfort station, 1 drinking fountain, 1 shelter, 1 spray pool. Pulaski Playground - Warren, Jackson & Smith Sts.: 3+ acres, 1 basketball court w/lights, 1 bleacher, 1 playground, 1 shelter, 1 softball field, 2 tennis courts. Abbott Court Playground - Birch, King, King Philip & Bowen Sts.: 4+ acres, 2 basketball courts w/lights, 1 drinking fountain, 1 field house, 2 Little League fields, 1 playground, 1 shelter, 1 tennis court. Davis Playground - Meridian St. rear of 703 to 845: 3 acres, 1 baseball field, 1 basketball court, 1 playground. Turner Playground - Cherry & Locust Sts.: 2+acres, 2 basketball courts w/lights, 1 playground. Jose Silva Park - Cherry & Locust Sts.: 2+ acres. Columbus Park - Bedford, Stinziano, Wall & Beattie Sts.: 1 acre, 1 basketball court w/lights, 1 Little League field, 1 playground, 1 shelter. Griffin Playground - 4th, 5th, & Branch Sts.: <1 acre, 2 basketball courts w/lights, 1 playground. Aetna Street Playground - Aetna St.: <1 acre, 1 basketball court. Bank Street Tot Lot - Bank & O’Grady Sts.: <1 acre, 1 basketball court, 1 playground. Massasoit Tot Lot - Quequechan, Wamsutta & Massasoit Sts.: <1 acre, 1 basketball court w/lights, 1 playground. Desmaris Playground - McGowan & County Sts.: 1 acre, 1 picnic area, 1 playground. Bicentennial Park - end of Davol St.: 5+ acres, 1 comfort station, 1 drinking fountain, 1 picnic area, 1 playground, 1 sailing, 1 shelter, 4 tennis courts. Dumont Field - Upper Pleasant St.: 3+ acres, 3 bleachers, 2 Little League fields. Small School Baseball Field - N. Quarry St.: 2.5 acres, 1 Little League field. Heritage State Park - Battleship Cove: 1 comfort station, 1 drinking fountain, 1 picnic area, 1 sailing, 1 shelter. Citywide Totals: 172.5 acres, 6 baseball fields, 25 basketball courts, 20 bleachers, 9 comfort stations, 14 drinking fountains, 2 fieldhouses, 10 Little League fields, 8 picnic areas, 18 playgrounds, 2 sailing, 6 shelters, 2 indoor showers, 3 skating ponds, 2 soccer fields, 4 softball fields, 1 spray pool, 2 swimming pools and 23 tennis courts. Source: National Park Service Standards & National Recreation and Park Association Standards Community Recreation Needs and Supply,1997 Facility Standard Available Supplies D E M A N D Comments P A R K S S C H O O L S O T H E R Trails (miles) *Nature/Hiking 1 per 2,500 0 0 8 37 Tattapanum trail-1 mi. Watuppa/Wampanoag trail-7 mi. *Bicycle 1 per 2,000 0 0 0 46 Proposed 7 miles of trail Family Play (areas) Playground, Tot Lot 1 per 1,000 18 12 10 93   Picnic areas 1 table per 300 100 0 0 309   Court Games Tennis 1 court per 1,500 25 16 2 62   Basketball 1 per 1,000 25 7 14 93 CYO, YMCA, Armory, Boys Club(4);Religious Build(10) Volleyball 1 per 3,000 1 7 9 31 CYO, YMCA, Armory, Boys Club(4);Religious Build(5) Diamond Sports (fields) Baseball 1 per 3,000 25 5 0 31   Softball 1 per 3,000 4 2 0 31   Field Sports (fields) Soccer 1 per 10,000 1 5 0 9   Football 1 per 20,000 1 1 0 5   Golf Course 18 holes per 25,000 0 0 18 72 Private-Fall River Country Club Swimming Pools 1 per 20,000 1 1 3 5 State,Boys Club,YMCA(1) Ice Arena 1 per 10,000 3 0 0 9 State owned(1), outside in city parks(2) C. Management Needs, Potential Change of Use Many of the facilities contained in Fall River’s park system are in great need of repair. Over the course of the past five years, the Park Department has suffered significant cuts in both funding for park improvements and maintenance as well as manpower. Since 1990, the department’s maintenance force has been cut by more than half and funding has not been provided for new equipment. Full-time park laborers were reduced from 10 in 1990 to 3 in 1995 and seasonal laborers reduced from 6 in 1990 to none five years later. The City’s Park Administrator sees restoration of these positions as a key ingredient to accomplishing many of the recreation goals outlined in this plan. These concerns were also expressed clearly by members of the public at the Community Input Meeting. Back to Top continued...