THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, September 3, 2021 Page 3 Mystic Valley Regional Charter School A History of Partnering with the City of Malden Howard Park Summer 2010 The City of Malden, through the Malden Redevelopment Authority, sought proposals (RFP) from entities interested in entering long-term lease arrangements for the use of South Broadway Park. Two entities responded to the RFP with serious proposals. One was MVRCS, the other was Malden Catholic (MC) High School. Fall 2010 In September of 2010, the city solicited new designs for Howard Park. In November of 2010, The city published a preliminary schematic design and cost estimate for South Broadway Park. Not including soft costs, the plan was estimated to be $6.4 million. Soft costs would make the project exceed $7 million. Spring 2011 In April of 2011, the Malden City Council voted to authorize a bond of $12.45 million for recreational and open space improvements in the city, the largest of its kind in the city’s history. In that plan, $5.5 million was earmarked for the construction of a new South Broadway Park. The $5.5 million was not the full amount needed to complete construction on what would become Howard Park. The mayor was authorized, by a City Council vote of 10 to 0, to negotiate with MC and MVRCS, to close the $2 millon funding gap. Summer 2015 Howard Park opens to the public. 25 years g Summer 2013 MVRCS signed a 25-year lease agreement with City of Malden to pay a rental fee of $23,300 twice per year (fall and spring high school athletics season), for a total of $46,600 annually. an amount equal to nearly $1.2 million over the life of the agreement.. The agreement permitted MVRCS exclusive use of Howard Park for two hours per day, commencing upon the park’s completion in 2015. Key Facts u Before the agreement, both MVRCS and MC occupied the park during approximately the same hours for more than a decade, paying the city less than $150 per year for a permit. u With the reconstruction of Howard Park came the addition of four tennis courts, which did not previously exist. u Perhaps the greatest improvement to the park, because of the additional payments the city negotiated, was the addition of a turf field and field lighting. The lights enabled nighttime play, which was never the case in the past. Together, the lighting and turf field surface increased playing time by more than 50 percent. u This contribution, which largely benefitted the Maplewood neighborhood compensates for any other park space that MVRCS may periodically use today, including Trafton Park in Maplewood Square. To put this in perspective, the cost of renting a turf field for a full season in the City of Malden, according to the rates published in 2018, is $100. Mystic Valley is paying over 200 times that rate for its seasonal permit. Mystic Valley entered into this agreement to lock in a long-term benefit for the school and its students. However, it is clear that this collaboration benefitted—and will continue to benefit—the City of Malden for many years to come. We look forward to a time when we can continue to collaborate with the City of Malden in a mutually-beneficial manner
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