Board pushes Evans Run priorities after grant deadline clarification

Charlestown’s parks board on July 9 spent substantial time refining priorities for a Clean Parks initiative focused on the Evans Run corridor after staff clarified the grant’s deadline for deliverables.

Gavin, the parks manager, said he had misread the grant timeline: “Our deadline for deliverables is 02/27/2027,” and the RFP is still in draft. He asked the board for direction on which sites should be the focus of more detailed planning for the RFP.

Board members highlighted several priorities. Committee member (speaker 1) called attention to a deteriorating roadway bridge where West Liberty Street crosses Evans Run, describing visible holes and increased flow that make engineering and design work urgent for resiliency. The board suggested prioritizing engineering design for that bridge, rain gardens and bioretention along the trail, coordination with the Augustine Avenue Phase 3 plans behind Save‑A‑Lot, and work near the skatepark.

The board also reviewed feedback returned on the project’s quality assurance plan; staff said the plan was rejected and needs edits to describe methodology and WVDP (waste/contamination prevention) protocols in more detail. Members discussed whether grant funds could be used to pay for outside technical writing or additional consultant work to meet the deliverables timeline.

Next steps: staff will revise the quality assurance submission, refine the RFP to reflect board‑prioritized sites, and coordinate with Augustine Phase 3 engineers and other stakeholders so design work flows with adjacent projects. The board asked for an update at the next meeting and noted that several deliverables are due by Feb. 27, 2027.