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Weymouth begins planning for Open Space & Recreation Plan Update

The Town will kick-off its OSRP update with a Community Forum and Feedback Session on May 16th
Posted on: April 1, 2019 - 9:16am
Open Space and Recreation Plan Update

Weymouth, MA – Mayor Robert Hedlund announced today that the Town of Weymouth will begin the process of updating the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP). The current plan, completed in 2014, expires in January of 2020. The purpose of the plan update is to reestablish the Town’s open space vision, goals, objectives, and priorities for open space and passive/active recreation projects for the next seven years. Although not required by the state, communities that keep plans current are eligible for follow-up grant funding and other opportunities through state and federal grant programs. The Town’s current OSRP can be viewed here.

The Town engaged the services of Horsley Witten Group, an engineering and environmental consulting firm based out of Sandwich, MA to assist town staff in soliciting input and putting the plan together. Horsley Witten Group has completed full open space and recreation plans as well as OSRP updates in communities throughout the Commonwealth including Stoughton, Scituate and Marshfield, and has over 30 years’ experience working on projects integrating engineering, urban design, community planning, training, and landscape architecture.

The Town’s Open Space Committee, established by Mayor Hedlund in 2018, will work in conjunction with the Recreation Committee, Planning Board, Town Staff, and Horsley Witten Group to complete the update to the Open Space and Recreation Plan. 

 “Weymouth offers many opportunities to enjoy open space and recreation amenities, from our athletic fields, to the drumlin atop King Oak Hill Park and the Town’s resourceful riverfronts, beaches, and walking trails,” said Mayor Robert Hedlund. “We want to ensure our plan is in line with what our residents have envisioned for theses spaces so it is important to provide forums in which we can hear feedback and insights from everyone who will enjoy these open spaces.” 

The Open Space Committee, Recreation Committee, as well as the Planning Board will host a public kick-off meeting at 7 PM on Thursday, May 16, 2019 in the MJL Humanities Center at Weymouth High School, 1 Wildcat Way, Weymouth. 

Horsley Witten Group will facilitate a discussion and give residents an opportunity to express the importance of protecting open space, identify what lands need to be protected, identify types of recreation facilities that are needed, and discuss how existing open space and recreation areas may be improved or maintained in the future. 

Residents are invited to participate, generate ideas, identify opportunities and set priorities around: What is the Town doing well? What can be done better? What more could the Town do?

To help facilitate public discussion and invite participation, the Town has created the following site for all information on the plan: www.weymouthoutdoors.com. 

The current OSRP, which is certified by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for a period of seven years, helps advocate for open space and recreation needs while supporting acquisition, creation, and preservation of the Town’s open spaces.  The plan is an assessment of where the town is, where it envisions the future of the spaces, and how to achieve those goals. The overarching vision of the current plan is to:

  • Ensure long-term stewardship and protection of Weymouth’s open spaces, natural environment, and historic resources;
  • Enhance connections between existing open space resources; and
  • Maintain the Town’s open space and recreational facilities and promote accessibility to residents of all ages and abilities.

“Planning documents, such as this one, are useful tools in shaping the Town’s future open space and recreation infrastructure, and guide us on where open space dollars should be spent,” said Planning and Community Development Director, Robert Luongo. 

Following the kick-off meeting, the public will be encouraged to complete a series of online surveys. The link for the surveys may be found on the front page of the Town’s website at www.weymouth.ma.us or by going to weymouthoutdoors.com. The surveys will be available from April 1 to May 24, 2019.  Members of Town boards, committees, commissions, user groups, sports groups, fraternal organizations, civic associations, business owners as well as all residents are invited to take the survey. Public input is a vital component of the plan and strongly encouraged.