Thanks to everyone who signed our petition, sent in letters (even handwritten ones from kids), and showed up at the Park & Recreation Commission meetings, we have made headway in ensuring the safety and eventual return of the Cutter Reinhart Playground. Thank you also to everyone who attended the October 28 Park & Recreation Commission meeting (Agenda and Correspondence and Minutes), where many community members expressed their concerns.

Setbacks

At the October 28 meeting, Town Counsel and the Town’s contracted CPSI (Certified Playground Safety Inspector) expressed concern that repairing the structure posed too much risk and liability. The main issue cited was the condition of the primary support posts. However, there was no formal inspection report of the structure; these concerns were communicated over email and accompanied by photos taken by the Town.

Renewed Hope

On November 14, Natasha Waden, Director of Recreation, provided an update to the Friends of Cutter Reinhart. Because of continued community efforts and the 267 signatures on the petition (as of this writing), the Recreation Department has commissioned a playground inspector to perform a formal inspection. Additionally, the Town will coordinate an inspection by the original manufacturer to obtain their professional opinion and to verify the initial repair quote. The initial quote and the no-cost offer to visit were communicated back in September. We greatly appreciate that the Recreation Department and the Commission will follow through with full due diligence on this repair option.

Continued Advocacy and Next Steps

As for next steps, the Commission will discuss the inspection results for the Cutter Reinhart Playground at the December 9 meeting, pending agenda approval. We plan to advocate for replacement fencing on the School St. side. The Park & Recreation Director has also expressed interest in creating a working group composed of members of the Park & Recreation Department, the Park & Recreation Committee, and advocates from Friends of Cutter Reinhart to discuss immediate and long-term improvements to the park.

You did this!

Overall, this is great progress compared to when there was no transparency about the playground’s safety and uncertainty about whether it would be considered for replacement. Thank you for showing up and signing - we’re making progress in ensuring this space remains open and welcoming to all neighbors and park users.

Some Footnotes

In a meeting with Town Manager Jim Feeney and Deputy Town Manager for Finance Julie Wayman, we discussed ongoing maintenance not just for Cutter but for other Town investments. They provided many helpful insights about the Capital Plan for the Capital Planning Committee. They shared the 2024 Report to Town Meeting (aka the Capital Plan). I encourage you to search for “Playground audit and safety improvements” and note the $75,000 set aside annually for safety improvements. We were told this is a relatively newly allocated fund for the Recreation Department to use at its discretion.