Board flags recurring flooding at Little Nichols Field, warns playground may need expensive base

Town officials raised concerns that Little Nichols Field floods regularly and that poor drainage is pushing against the new playground, risking structural shifting and repeat replacement. Deb (speaker 7) and other staff said the drainage behind and around the wetlands is not draining, and the board recommended involving Kevin (town engineer) to scope an engineering study.

During discussion Chair (speaker 1) and Committee members questioned whether the playground had been sited where a vernal pool forms; one board member said, "If you build your playground in a in a vernal pool, it's gonna flood every year." Deb alerted the board that pouring the solid service required by state standards to replace the playground could cost about $300,000, and the board agreed to include an engineering placeholder in the CIP while gathering more data.