Park & Recreation Commission Meeting - October 27, 2026

The Park & Recreation Commission met on October 27, 2026. Members discussed a proposed Thomas Dambo troll sculpture, with possible sites near the Arlington Reservoir and other locations still to be assessed during a staff site walk. The proponents described potential costs as hundreds of thousands of dollars and said they would pursue grants, donations, and fundraising; the commission did not approve the project or a funding commitment. A proposed reservoir wayfinding sign received general support, but its design source, cost, and funding remain to be researched. Staff will report back. The Turkey Trot’s event setup was also reviewed, with no procurement decision recorded.

The commission reviewed a Community Preservation Act (CPA) request for $275,000 for design and engineering work on the Poet’s Corner project; the application advanced to the full-application stage, with funding decisions expected later. Members discussed retaining a possible roughly $120,000 balance from a separate project while investigating pickleball noise mitigation, including quieter equipment and acoustic barriers; staff will gather information from other communities before the commission considers next steps. The related project figures discussed included a $750,000 budget and a bid of about $550,000, rising to roughly $600,000 with change orders. Staff also reported delayed equipment installation and said the purchase had been made, but no new contract award or purchase authorization was recorded at this meeting.