Underwood Park Improvement Project
On Tuesday, January 10, 2023, the Town held a public forum at Holy Martyrs Church Hall to gather input from residents for enhancements to Underwood Park and the adjacent "Marion Brown" property at 260 Foreside Road. Approximately 60 people attended. Town staff and representatives from Aceto Landscape Architects presented preparatory work including existing conditions and site analysis. Attendees broke into small groups to discuss improvements and make suggestions about enhancements they would like to see and to voice objections to those they did not. No decisions were made at this information gathering meeting. All comments were documented and are available below.
Breakout Group Comments-Summary Format
Breakout Group Comments-All Comments
A second public forum was held on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at Lunt Auditorium. Approximately 40 people attended. Aceto Landscape Architects presented a conceptual plan based on the feedback received from the first public forum and email comments. Attendees broke into small groups to discuss what they liked and disliked about the conceptual plan and used sticky dots to identify their three favorite elements of the plan.
The forum presentation describing the conceptual plan is available here: https://www.falmouthme.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif11826/f/uploads/2023-03-16-ala-underwood-concept_diagram_and_precedents.pdf
A video recording of the forum is available here: https://play.champds.com/falmouthme/event/2803
Breakout Group Comments-Summary Format
Breakout Group Comments- All Comments
If you were not able to attend the second forum, you are welcome to send feedback via email to mfleming@falmouthme.org.
Aceto created a site master plan based on the feedback from the two public forums. This plan was presented at the May 23, 2023 Parks and Community Programs Advisory Committee meeting. The plan was presented to the Town Council on June 21, 2023. At that meeting, the Council decided, as a next step, to hold a workshop with the Parks and Community Programs Advisory Committee (PACPAC) to begin prioritizing the plan elements to move forward with.
The Council and PACPAC held a workshop on September 11, 2023. At the workshop, the Council and PACPAC reviewed examples of improvement package options that staff prepared and discussed elements of the plan to prioritize for implementation.
Staff presented the revised package of options to the Finance Committee on November 15, 2023. The Committee created a plan to implement improvements over the next two fiscal years (FY24 and FY25). The Council approved the plan at a workshop meeting on January 8, 2024.
Next Steps: We are pleased to announce that the implementation phase of the project will begin this winter! Davey Tree is currently conducting necessary tree removal. Earthwork including parking lot improvements (same footprint as current parking lot), installing a concrete pad for the pavilion, and removing the old school and Brown property house foundations and tree stumps will begin mid-summer. The upgraded playground equipment and pavilion will be installed in late summer. We will provide additional updates as the project progresses.
For more information, please contact Maggie Fleming at 207-699-5329 or mfleming@falmouthme.org.