What a great idea, close to downtown and the senior housing with access to the track and outside activities. It will be a wonderful addition to the Marlborough community.

Our senior citizens deserve our respect and support, and I am sure the city of Marlborough will move forward carefully, and fiscally responsibly. Since Hudson just built their new senior center - this hopefully is also providng a great boilerplate to learn/emulate from.
Best always, Joyce Torelli....Realtor and resident of Marlborough

WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT???? If it's the taxpayer I'm totally against it for now, because while I do "respect and support" our seniors (I have a relative who is living at the Senior Center now), we currently have a senior center on Main St. and our federal taxes are going to skyrocket with Obama back in. There is only so much I can or want to contribute to fiscal irresponsibility, if this is the case.

I agree with Peg. If Marl has $7M to spend how about fixing the roads to start!!

said City Council President Patricia Pope. “This is really the first thing we have built in the city since we built the fire station on central street. It is a long time coming.”

Is Pope not aware that a new fire station was built on Rt 85?

Cool. The mayor just came to our school today and he was talking abut this. I don't know who will pay for it, but other than that, it's a great idea!!!

This is actually a terrible idea solely based on location.

I'm all for seniors getting an appropriate facility but destroying public park to do so? I don't think so. Put it somewhere else!

I grew up in the area of Ward Park! This was a pretty and safe neighborhood. I have a feeling this is not being built in another location due to NIMBY! However, I do agree it is a central location for seniors. It can also be said that Main St is not the same as when I was growing up. Just my opinion.

>I have a feeling this is not being built in another location due to NIMBY<

This plan would adversely affect a lot of "back yards" in the Ward park neighborhood also. It is too residential an area to support a major construction project. There are houses on Liberty, New St, Water Terrace, and Hayden that would be affected by the building of a large commercial structure.

I also don't see sense in doing a major construction project in an area used by city residents for recreation and wonder why this is being described as a "done deal". The neighborhood here can barely support the activities held in the park now. There is not enough parking and cars frequently spill over to the side streets. In fact, the football program held in the park has to put up cones at every practice to discourage illegal parking and to keep our neighborhood streets open to traffic and emergency vehicles. I have to wonder how adding this large building to the mix will affect the neighborhoods safety.

I hope the city council will see fit not to move forward with this plan.

Well said 'resident'!

I'm hoping to see a lot of the surrounding neighborhoods against this project location.

Ditto with "residents" comments where would the Youth football program go? I'm sure there's some old buildings that could be converted! Pay the police and fire depts. and fix the roads

>where would the Youth football program go?<

Yes, especially when there is a state law requiring Marlborough to maintain a certain number of recreation area's (based on population). These recreation centers or playgrounds must be "conveniently located and of suitable size and equipment, for the recreation and physical education of the minors of such city".

P.S - concerned AYF parents are encouraged to attend Dec 19th meeting in Memorial Hall (3rd floor City Hall). Tell the Mayor not to take away valuable public playground space!

Without Ward Park, the youth football and cheer program (AYF) will not have anywhere to practice. The city will be taking away from them.. Then what?

If it wasn't so sad, it'd be comical. Check out the doc on the Recreation Departments web site called "Open Space and Recreation Plan 2010 - 2015" It says:

"Ward Park Improvements- A plan for ongoing improvements of the football field and other facilities at this location needs to be developed. These fields support the youth football program. The implementation of this plan over the next five years will be important to improving the access and usefulness of this park that is in the middle of the city. This includes improvements to the football field and track, bathroom facilities, wading pool and over all upgrades and accessibility issues. This is an important park for the center city and is used heavily by the residents and sports groups."

Guess it turns out the park isn't that important to the city or to the residents and sports groups who use it heavily. I mean they're putting up a 13,000 sq ft. building and kicking out the youth. Shame on the Recreation Commission for allowing the Mayor and City Council to take open space land away from all residents! Go to the Dec 19th meeting and voice your opinion.

I'll be there on the 19th, we need all the support we can get!

There's an online petition to stop the taking of Ward Park land. Go to www.savewardpark.com to learn more and sign.

How about instead of bribing people with "grants" (which comes from tax payers, so just increases taxes in the long haul) that we instead use some of the rainy day fund money to improve the park. Either rent a building for senior center usage, or repurpose what we already have for buildings. Does Marlborough need to continue to be in the real estate business? Look at the crumbling buildings we already have, obviously we do not do a good job on maintenance.

Yes it is a bribe. They're saying - we'll improve the park but only if we take a chunk of it away and put up a 13,000 square foot two story building. That is an awful trade off. One that would resonate down to future generations. Leave the park land alone and simply improve it for the sake of the children. Look at the ice skating rink, a wonderful addition to the park and exactly the area the Mayor wants to take away from the children.

Disgusting that the mayor and city council would stoop to stealing our park for another municipal building.

There's nothing stopping the seniors from using the track and other facilities right NOW. They don't NEED a building to use the track. What is it they really "NEED"? And how is that need substantiated? The $7 million is the smallest part of the real cost. The ongoing upkeep and related staffing will far exceed that number in short order. Lease something, like the Masonic Lodge for 1 year and see just how many seniors ACTUALLY use it before taking on all this added TAXPAYER expense.