JOSH DAVIS/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
The Berlin Parks Commission discusses tennis court renovations, upcoming events and other issues during its most recent meeting, last Tuesday.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(June 14, 2018) The Berlin Parks Commission last Tuesday discussed the following items during a meeting at Town Hall:

Tennis court update

Administrative Services Director Mary Bohlen, staff liaison to the commission, said little progress has been made on the tennis court renovations at Stephen Decatur Park.

Work halted last month, when contractors discovered flaws in the foundation, as they were removing a portion of the court’s paved surface.

Bohlen said no work has done recently, in part because of heavy rainfall. She added the project has become “considerably more expensive than any of us ever anticipated.”

Bathroom stall

Because the tennis court renovations have taken longer and have become more costly than expected, Bohlen said the town did not receive grant funding for permanent restrooms at Stephen Decatur Park. She said the town has not yet drawn enough from existing grants to merit new money from granting agencies.

The next funding cycle is in August, Bohlen said.

If funds do come through, she added, “We will not be hiring the same company … we will be taking an entirely different approach.” She was referring to a contractor who installed permanent restrooms at Dr. William Henry Park. That project experienced several delays.

Berlin Falls update

Speaking of bathrooms, Bruce Hyder, also a members of the Berlin Falls Park Advisory Committee, said that group is looking into using one of the old buildings on the former industrial site for use as a permanent restroom.

Bohlen said the first step in that process would be to seek an assessment grant.

Youth program update

Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services’ Youth Programs Coordinator Austin Piccarreta said children in the Berlin Youth Club recently experienced cooking with Robin Tomaselli of Baked Dessert Cafe, a frequent program volunteer.

She said girls in the youth club visited the Ocean City Art League for a pottery project, while boys took part in a program involving effective communication and awareness of domestic violence.

“They are not a fan of domestic violence. They think it’s very wrong,” Piccarreta said. “We went over different ways when you’re seeing red, how can you come down from that … the best ways to get your point across is not screaming in someone’s face and calling them names. They were very receptive to that.”

Next meeting delayed

Because the next meeting was scheduled for July 3, the commission decided to put off assembling again until Aug. 7 at 5:30 p.m. in Town Hall.