It’s been amazing to see how much the community cares about this little corner of Arlington! The petition now has 190+ signatures of residents of Arlington and even from neighboring towns.
You may have also seen our sign up to join the Friends of Cutter / Reinhart Park.
The Sept 30th Parks and Rec Commission Meeting
At the September 30th meeting, several of the community members were present to listen and speak about the importance of the Cutter / Reinhart playground. Leading up to this meeting, community member Alex was able to get in touch with the original manufacturer of the playground. The Town and the manufacturer have shared notes and communicated. Even after viewing detailed photos and the prior inspection report, the manufacturer believes that the damage is repairable. The Town however must confer with Town Counsel to determine legal liability given that the CPSI (certified Playground Safety Inspector) that the Town of Arlington hired in 2019 to do an inspection believes its unrepairable based on photos sent in 2025 after residents filed complaints about the play structure.
So, the discussion has been tabled for the time being until the Commission gets an answer on liability. After that, we heard a preview of what other procedures are ahead of us for funding, putting out to bid, updating to other codes and other hurdles on the path to an open and safe play structure.
What about Cutter being earmarked for rebuild in the 2019 capital planning?
There is an “Arlington Park and Recreation Commission Multi-Year Capital Plan FY22 - FY30” document referencing funds for Cutter Reinhart Playground for renovation in 2026. Unfortunately, this document is not up to date with the current state of the parks and spending. At the park and recs commission meeting, the only proposal they are planning on putting forth for FY 2027 CPA (Community Preservation Act) is the renovation of the Crosby Tennis Courts.
What can I do to help?
We’re going to keep attending Parks and Recreation Commission meetings and encouraging the Commission to take action. You can find all upcoming commission meetings and past agendas here.
You can help by visiting the park and helping keep it clean! Let’s do what we can as a community to continue to make the space as welcoming as we can despite the fencing.
Also look forward to details about a fall cleanup event in the park. We can help the Town out by coming together as a community and clearing the leaves and doing some additional clean up of the wood chips that have spilled out into the walkway.
Finally, talk to your neighbors. Stay curious about how the Town operates. Message your Town Meeting Members. Get involved with the Finance Committee to help secure funding, not just for Cutter / Reinhart, but for all playgrounds to have a repair, maintenance and regular inspection budget.