(May 11, 2017) The Berlin Parks Commission discussed the following items during a meeting at Town Hall last Tuesday:
Cleanup Day
Administrative Services Director Mary Bohlen, the staff liaison to the committee, said more than 60 volunteers pitched in during the recent Berlin Clean-Up Day.
Workers tidied up at several town parks, with most of the work being done at Stephen Decatur Park, Bohlen said. Public works will continue to spread playground surfacing and mulch there, she said.
Commission member Patricia Dufendach praised members of the Girl Scouts Chesapeake Troop 346. She said the 6-8-year-olds greatly impressed her, working as hard or harder than anyone during cleanup efforts.
Outdoor Movie Nights
Bohlen said a Facebook contest to decide four of the six films for an upcoming screening series would close on Friday. “Runaway Bride” and “Tuck Everlasting,” which both filmed in Berlin, are fixtures of the annual event.
Sadly, Bohlen said no “Star Wars” movie would make the cut this year because of blackout dates imposed by the studio, Disney/Lucasfilm.
“Disappointed we are,” Jack Orris said.
No new news
Bohlen said there were no updates to two highly anticipated parks projects: the new bathrooms at Dr. William Henry Park and the tennis court renovations at Stephen Decatur Park.
The town used grants to buy the prefabricated restrooms, but a delivery date has not been firmed. It is expected soon.
Bohlen said the town had sent information about the court renovations to the United States Tennis Association and was waiting to hear back.
Skate park praise
Bohlen read from a letter from Tres Denk regarding the commission’s recent support of a temporary skate park that will be available once a month at Berlin Falls.
“Will you please accept and extend a big thank-you to [commission Chairman] Mike Wiley and all the members of Berlin Parks Commission for standing up and speaking in support of the Get Ramped events at Berlin Falls. It’s greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with you in the future,” the letter read.
An inaugural Get Ramped event, held last year at Berlin Falls and presented by Denk and Sean McLaren, prompted McLaren to lead the temporary skateboard park efforts. The commission supported the proposal and the Town Council voted unanimously in favor of it last month.
“I think it’s going to be a wonderful thing,” Dufendach said. “It was a really nice event when they did it before, and so well-attended.”
Both Bohlen and Dufendach said the temporary setup would help town officials gauge public interest in a permanent structure.
Berlin Youth Club
Amanda Chaffee, youth program coordinator at Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services, said interest in the Berlin Youth Club was at an all-time high.
She said there was a waitlist for summer youth club activities and that she had received daily inquiries about the program. The Town of Berlin recently approved increased funding for the club and SAGES and SABERS programs of Worcester Youth.
Chaffee said the additional funding would help pay for an intern and school bus transportation, which would allow for additional summer outings.
“It’s such a wonderful program that you run,” Dufendach said. “That’s a lucky person that gets to be the intern. I’m sure that you’ll have lots of good applicants.”
A launch party for the Berlin Youth Club is planned for June 22 at Dr. William Henry Park.
Cleanup Day
Administrative Services Director Mary Bohlen, the staff liaison to the committee, said more than 60 volunteers pitched in during the recent Berlin Clean-Up Day.
Workers tidied up at several town parks, with most of the work being done at Stephen Decatur Park, Bohlen said. Public works will continue to spread playground surfacing and mulch there, she said.
Commission member Patricia Dufendach praised members of the Girl Scouts Chesapeake Troop 346. She said the 6-8-year-olds greatly impressed her, working as hard or harder than anyone during cleanup efforts.
Outdoor Movie Nights
Bohlen said a Facebook contest to decide four of the six films for an upcoming screening series would close on Friday. “Runaway Bride” and “Tuck Everlasting,” which both filmed in Berlin, are fixtures of the annual event.
Sadly, Bohlen said no “Star Wars” movie would make the cut this year because of blackout dates imposed by the studio, Disney/Lucasfilm.
“Disappointed we are,” Jack Orris said.
No new news
Bohlen said there were no updates to two highly anticipated parks projects: the new bathrooms at Dr. William Henry Park and the tennis court renovations at Stephen Decatur Park.
The town used grants to buy the prefabricated restrooms, but a delivery date has not been firmed. It is expected soon.
Bohlen said the town had sent information about the court renovations to the United States Tennis Association and was waiting to hear back.
Skate park praise
Bohlen read from a letter from Tres Denk regarding the commission’s recent support of a temporary skate park that will be available once a month at Berlin Falls.
“Will you please accept and extend a big thank-you to [commission Chairman] Mike Wiley and all the members of Berlin Parks Commission for standing up and speaking in support of the Get Ramped events at Berlin Falls. It’s greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with you in the future,” the letter read.
An inaugural Get Ramped event, held last year at Berlin Falls and presented by Denk and Sean McLaren, prompted McLaren to lead the temporary skateboard park efforts. The commission supported the proposal and the Town Council voted unanimously in favor of it last month.
“I think it’s going to be a wonderful thing,” Dufendach said. “It was a really nice event when they did it before, and so well-attended.”
Both Bohlen and Dufendach said the temporary setup would help town officials gauge public interest in a permanent structure.
Berlin Youth Club
Amanda Chaffee, youth program coordinator at Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services, said interest in the Berlin Youth Club was at an all-time high.
She said there was a waitlist for summer youth club activities and that she had received daily inquiries about the program. The Town of Berlin recently approved increased funding for the club and SAGES and SABERS programs of Worcester Youth.
Chaffee said the additional funding would help pay for an intern and school bus transportation, which would allow for additional summer outings.
“It’s such a wonderful program that you run,” Dufendach said. “That’s a lucky person that gets to be the intern. I’m sure that you’ll have lots of good applicants.”
A launch party for the Berlin Youth Club is planned for June 22 at Dr. William Henry Park.