Thank you for the clear explanation by the *Community Center Building Committee- **November 2022*
*I would like to make clear we are not just looking for a facility for the senior citizens of Lincoln. We are looking for a place that will also serve the Parks and Recreation Department and Human Services. Neither Bemis Hall nor Peirce House would be able to serve these extensive needs. * *Sally* > On Sun, Nov 13, 2022 at 8:42 AM Robert Hicks <[email protected]> wrote: > Has anyone considered an arrangement with First Parish to use/renovate the > Stone Church? Seems an obvious option > > On Sun, Nov 13, 2022, 8:28 AM Barbara Low <[email protected]> wrote: > >> The space in the basement is not used as storage space. That was only >> during covid when equipment needed to be "quarantined" before it was put in >> the closet where health equipment is stored. >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Lincoln <[email protected]> on behalf of Lynne >> Smith <[email protected]> >> *Sent:* Sunday, November 13, 2022 7:14 AM >> *To:* Lincoln <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* [LincolnTalk] Fwd: Community Center Building Committee- Why >> Build A New Community Center? >> >> >> >> Lynne Smith >> 5 Tabor Hill Road >> Lincoln, MA 01773 >> 781-258-1175 >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> Begin forwarded message: >> >> *From:* Lynne Smith <[email protected]> >> *Date:* 13 November 2022 at 7:13:43 a.m. GMT-5 >> *To:* stephensakowich <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* *Re: [LincolnTalk] Community Center Building Committee- Why >> Build A New Community Center?* >> >> And turning the renovated basement, now mostly used for storage, into >> private meeting rooms, seems like a no brainer. While basement rooms sound >> dreary, much can be done with lighting, plants, and interesting >> materials—again, not $24 million! >> >> Lynne Smith >> 5 Tabor Hill Road >> Lincoln, MA 01773 >> 781-258-1175 >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On 13 Nov 2022, at 7:09 a.m., stephensakowich <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> Yes Lynne, a new entrance & kitchen will not cost 25 million! >> >> On Nov 12, 2022, at 2:13 PM, Lynne Smith <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> Thank you, Seth. You have written another thoughtful analysis. >> >> I’d like to add to this discussion a possible solution to the parking >> problem at Bemis Hall. I don’t want to give in to parking lots as the only >> fix. I hope we can explore further the idea of a small (electric) van or >> car that would run on schedules timed for Events at Bemis Hall. People >> could park at pierce House, Hartwell pods, or even the Mall and get rides >> to Bemis. Perhaps some of us could form a study group to cost out such a >> service. >> >> I am more than willing to spend money to do a gut renovation of Bemis as >> we did for Town Offices. Seeing these beautiful old buildings repurposed >> for modern usage seems like a Lincoln value. >> >> Any thoughts? >> >> >> Lynne Smith >> 5 Tabor Hill Road >> Lincoln, MA 01773 >> 781-258-1175 >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On 12 Nov 2022, at 9:02 a.m., Seth Rosen <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> Hi Krystal - >> >> Thanks for sharing these thoughts, and for the work the committee has >> done over the years on this issue. I recognize it's a volunteer endeavor, >> and genuinely appreciate that. >> >> What I'm struggling with - and what I think many other folks are >> struggling with as well - is that we haven’t seen any alternatives that >> take into account any existing fiscal constraints. No one has provided a >> substantive response to the specific concerns I raised previously. >> >> Basically I said “guys I don’t think we can afford a $25m+ community >> center and here’s exactly why, in detail” and the response thus far has >> been “we’ve wanted it for ten years, we’ve studied it, and it’s the only >> solution. It will be great for the community.” >> >> Look - a $25M+ community center sounds amazing, and candidly I’d love to >> use it. But I also recognize that; >> >> (a) we can't afford it without raising taxes by a lot, >> (b) it costs a lot more to build and finance then it did in previous >> years, which changes the calculus and previous analyses are no longer valid, >> (c) we have to operate it once we build it, and that’s a long term >> commitment, >> (d) the town has other mission-critical priorities (like DPW for example) >> that also need to be paid for, and >> (e) we just built and renovated a very expensive school. >> >> What you've presented feels like two options. One, we build a $25M+ >> community center. Or two, we hack together using only what we have. >> >> I personally would like to see Option 3 and Option 4, where we prioritize >> and improve certain mission critical items (like the LEAP pod for example), >> and optimize other under-utilized spaces - all in the context of a capital >> budget that manages people's expectations and reconciles needs and wants >> with economic and fiscal realities. >> >> I know and understand this community center project is a labor of love >> for many, but to be candid, it just doesn't feel to me like there is town >> support for a $25M community center and if that's the case we need to >> evaluate whether it's prudent to spend over $300K developing designs for >> something Lincoln won't vote to actually build. >> >> Seth I Rosen >> Cell: 617-771-5602 >> Email: [email protected] >> >> >> On Fri, Nov 11, 2022 at 8:07 AM Krystal Wood < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> *Community Center Building Committee- **November, 2022* >> >> *Why would Lincoln build a new Community Center rather than use existing >> buildings?* >> >> >> Lincoln has known for a long time that Bemis Hall is not an appropriate >> building for the Council on Aging & Human Services (COA&HS): >> >> >> · A 2008 needs assessment “determined that Bemis Hall not be the >> long-term home for the COA.” (Since that assessment, the Lincoln senior >> population has increased by 50%.) >> · In 2012, the Community Center Feasibility Committee (CCFC) >> concluded about Bemis Hall that it was “not built to be a modern senior >> center with myriad programs and services.” >> · The CCFC reiterated in a 2013 follow-up that Bemis is “not well >> suited for a senior center.” >> · In February, 2015, the Community Center Study Committee (CCSC) >> reported that, “compared with neighboring towns, the quality, size and >> condition of Lincoln’s COA facility is vastly inferior, and its physical >> deficits limit the programs and services which can be offered to elders.” >> · The CCSC provided additional detail about the shortcomings of >> Bemis Hall: “the interior space does not allow for congregate meals, a >> significant drop-in area, adequate and confidential office space for staff >> and volunteers, private restroom locations, or all programming needed to >> meet the needs of Lincoln’s growing population of older adults.” >> · In 2018, the Community Center Preliminary Planning & Development >> Committee wrote more broadly that: >> >> >> Doing nothing to provide adequate facilities for the COA, PRD [Parks & >> Recreation Department], and community organizations is not an option. The >> physical plants of both Bemis Hall and the pods continue to age, and it >> makes no sense for the Town to continue to expend scarce tax dollars to fix >> up, patch up and make do with facilities that do not suit their purpose. >> Just as important, every year that these departments and organizations are >> not able to provide the range of activities and programs that are standard >> in other towns and are located in buildings that discourage residents from >> making use of their services means that opportunities to improve residents’ >> quality of life are lost. >> >> >> In 2012, the CCFC studied other town facilities, asking whether any >> existing building could serve as a better home for the COA&HS than Bemis >> Hall. The CCFC concluded that no other existing building could serve the >> needs of the COA. Pierce House, for instance, has two assets – a good >> location and plentiful parking – but fails on every other criterion as a >> potential home for the COA&HS: the spaces in the existing building don’t >> match the programmatic needs, the possibilities for extensive expansion or >> reconfiguration are very limited, and Pierce House couldn’t accommodate the >> Parks & Recreation Department (PRD). >> >> >> For over 10 years, Town Committees have studied and evaluated options for >> a Community Center., and have consistently concluded that continuing to >> offer activities and services under the existing conditions of Bemis Hall >> and the pods is no longer feasible or acceptable. Other existing town >> facilities do not offer a solution to the problem. If Lincoln wants a >> Community Center, then building a new one is the most efficient use of town >> resources. >> >> >> We welcome all input and questions from town residents, and will make >> every effort to solicit, hear, and address the priorities, values and >> concerns of Lincoln residents concerning a new Community Center. >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
-- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to [email protected]. Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
