Youth baseball group asks CPC for funds to add ADA walkway, seating and small grandstand

Don, presenting the YD Red Sox FY27 application, asked the Community Preservation Committee on July 9 for funds to build an accessible brick walkway with a concrete base, dedicated ADA seating and a small grandstand behind the third-base dugout to improve safety and sight lines for people using walkers, canes or strollers.

"We wanted to make that easy and give them convenient, great views," Don said, describing uneven ground, people standing on milk crates and the decision to set the walkway on concrete to prevent subsidence. He also described plans for a low, padded backstop and concrete pads under grandstand seating to keep the structure stable.

The presenter told members he had obtained vendor quotes for a retractable batter's-eye banner; a 10-foot section was initially quoted at $59.95 but increased to $69.95 and requires three sections, shipping and installation. He said he requested additional funds to cover the higher price and expected the cost to be split between local partners.

Committee members pressed for confirmation that the school district, which owns the field, had been consulted. "Do you need to get permission from the school committee to do this? It's on their property," a member asked. The presenter said he had met with school administrators and that the group would not be responsible for Title IX compliance for school-owned property. He said the group had agreed to build a $20,000 dugout for the girls' softball program to address equity concerns raised by the district.

Carlin, a select-board member who joined remotely, asked whether the vendors named in the application (including TS Masonry) were committed to performing the work; the presenter said they were. The committee repeatedly noted that the Department of Revenue's legal opinion about CPA-eligible capital features had raised wording questions about bleachers and stadiums; legal counsel's opinion was in the meeting packet and committee members said they had relied on counsel’s guidance that the proposal qualified as rehabilitation and accessibility improvements rather than a prohibited stadium.

The committee set a vote on the application for its next meeting on July 23, 2026. The presenter said he would provide any outstanding vendor confirmations and updated cost figures before the vote.

What’s next: The CPC will vote on July 23 on whether to fund the project; if approved by the CPC, further permissions may be needed from the school department because the field is school-owned.