Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 17, 2020 ROOSEVELT PARK | FROM PAGE 1 wood Community believe the concentration of the city’s artificial turf fields is a violation of the state’s Environmental Justice (EJ) policy, which aims to provide all neighborhoods and communities, particularly vulnerable, low-income areas, with equal protection from environmental hazards. Environmental Justice policy stresses the right of all people to live in a clean and healthy environment and calls for the equitable distribution of energy and environmental benefits and burdens. An artificial turf field at Roosevelt Park would contribute more heat to Malden’s urban heat island and create an even greater health hazard for that section of the city. Artificial turf would also decrease the amount of natural green space for residents. Malden has 192 acres of public green space within its borders. However, Ward 7, Precinct 2; Ward 6, Precinct 2; and Ward 5 Precinct 1, where Roosevelt Park is located, have a combined total of 8.5 acres of natural green space. An artificial turf field at Roosevelt Park would cut that area of public green space down to 5.9 acres. The Friends of Roosevelt Park and members of the Salemwood Community believe the additional heat from the artificial turf and the loss of natural green space to accommodate it would violate the Environmental Justice policy of equitable distribution of environmental burdens and benefits. And they say there have been othLash Extensions Mega Hair Elite $20 OFF NEW CLIENTS Natural Classic Full Sets Only $60 Hybrid Full Sets Only $80 454 F 617-389-1900 www For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@advocatenews.net er Environmental Justice policy violations involving community outreach. The distribution of Environmental Justice fact sheets and contact information for Environmental Justice organizations, easily accessible information and updates on projects for the impacted community and guidelines on grievance and appeal procedures are Environmental Justice policy directives. But according to the Friends and the Salemwood Community, “No EJ Fact Sheets nor EJ Organization contact lists have been provided. There are no local information repositories that are convenient and accessible; very little information is provided online. Freedom of Information requests are routinely ignored/delayed past the 10-day deadline. No clear guidance on applicable grievance/appeal procedures has been provided.” The final design for Roosevelt Park was presented at a community meeting at Salemwood School last year just before Thanksgiving. Mayor Gary Christenson told Salemwood School families, teachers, students and neighbors who have been fighting for a natural grass field that the city was willing to compromise and install an artificial turf field with organic infill instead of the commonly used crumb rubber fill. But for the Friends of Roosevelt Park, the Salemwood Community and others who favor natural grass, the city’s compromise failed to address major issues covered in the letter to EEA requesting the agency to issue a stop work order. Still, they have been encouraged by the community’s response. “There has been an outpouring of public support,” said Roosevelt Park Friend Stefanie Alberto. “Every day I have more people asking to be signatories on the letter.” ~ Letter to the Editor ~ (Editors Note: This letter was submitted to the mayor and city officials from the Friends of Roosevelt Park.) Friends of Roosevelt Park cite misuse of CPA funds D ear Mayor Christenson, Malden City Councillors and the Malden School Committee Members: As this New Year greets us and city leadership shapes its agendas for the upcoming year, we wish to address the renovation design for Roosevelt Park. As residents who support the concept of the Community Preservation Act (CPA), we believe the use of taxpayer dollars to remove a grass field park and replace it with plastic grass is truly a misuse of what the intent was for communities to use preservation funding. Using $1.8+ million to prepare this site for a turf field without paying for the actual artificial turf portion of the project is merely using a loophole in the Community Preservation Act. Using these funds now and bonding out for many years of future CPA funds should be brought to the voters for approval. To design and plan this project with no input from the surrounding neighbors or from the Salemwood School community seems unfair and restricted. The design process should be transparent and inclusive, especially in an environmental justice neighborhood that includes a school community which educates students who are already marginalized in society due to socio-economic status, language and race. In addition to the use of CPA funding and being inclusive of all affected parties to this renovation, we must also recognize the responsibility of the City of Malden to preserve our open green space as our community grows in population and becomes more congested. We must ask if it is fair for one section of our city to be burdened with the additional loss of green space by removing another grass park for a fifth artificial turf field which will add another heat island, remove the ability for grass and soil to filter pollutants, and to provide an area of natural grass park as a respite for the entire community to enjoy. We are certain City of Malden leadership can revisit this project design and reconsider the need for another artificial turf field by further studying park usage and league usage. The questions must be asked: Is it truly a decision that is in the best interest of Malden taxpayers to expend CPA funds in this manner without full consideration and input from the surrounding environmental justice neighborhood and the Salemwood School? And is this plan to turf the park what is going to make Malden a community leader as an urban green city which is supportive of strategies that reduce climate vulnerability by using less fossil fuels, by making an investment in maintaining green natural parks, adding more trees and thus reducing the number of heat islands and incidents of projected flooding? Malden has begun the work of creating a vulnerability plan. One of the priorities in the draft plan is to preserve our parkland with grass and tree canopies especially in known flood zones such as Roosevelt Park and the surrounding neighborhood. Thank you for your further consideration. Sincerely yours, The Friends of Roosevelt Park and the Salemwood Community
9 Publizr Home