In my opinion, the proposals the CCBC is putting forward are flawed because the basic premises upon which the building has been dimensioned are greatly overstated. Multiple residents have brought this up, but the committee has not taken the feedback into consideration.
To begin with, activity room sizes are too big for the town's real needs. Despite residents' continued demands, the COA has refused to share actual attendance data for its activities, only providing minimum/maximum attendance <https://lincolncommunitycenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/COAHS_Programming-Stats.pdf> and caps, which obscure the picture. As an example, the COA is asking for a room for 50 diners <https://lincolncommunitycenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Research-into-CC-Space-Sharing-and-SQFT-1.pdf>, when we have never had that many seniors eat lunch on the premises at one time, and typically the attendance is much less. Without actual average or median numbers for all activities, how can we assess our needs? COA also claims that the town is required to open programming to seniors from other towns, which is not accurate. You can look at what our neighbors in Concord <https://concordma.gov/949/Policy-For-Out-of-Town-Seniors> do. The end result is gargantuan rooms <https://lincolncommunitycenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-16-3-Schemes_Reduced.pdf> we do not need. Let us not make the same mistake we made when we overbuilt the school. The other main factor driving the size is the disproportionate amount of space allocated to administration <https://lincolncommunitycenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-05-31-Lincoln-CCBC-Public-Presentation-after-feedback.pdf>, approximately 5,000 gross square feet of space in my calculation. This includes separate receptions for each department, private bathrooms and private breakout rooms. Does COA really need eight individual different offices plus a huge lobby? I agree with Lynn we need a hard pause and a new committee who is more representative of the spectrum of views prevalent among town residents. The process so far has had a maximalist approach. The experience from peer towns such as Harvard should cause the town to pause and reflect. Our needs can be met at a fraction of the cheapest $12.5M option. > > *From:* Forest Brown <forestbrow...@gmail.com> > *Date:* September 13, 2023 at 10:42:11 AM EDT > *To:* "Lynn DeLisi, M.D." <delis...@aol.com> > *Cc:* Listserv Listserv <lincoln@lincolntalk.org> > *Subject:* *Re: [LincolnTalk] Last Night's Community Center Forum* > > > Dear Lynn, > > Thank you so much for thoughtfully describing your perspective. I was also > wondering about improving upon preexisting buildings as an alternative. I > am in complete agreement with what you’ve shared here. I appreciate you > willing to serve on behalf of other residents who feel the same way. > > Becca > > On Sep 13, 2023, at 10:29 AM, Lynn DeLisi, M.D. via Lincoln < > lincoln@lincolntalk.org> wrote: > > > > Wednesday September 13, 2023 > > Dear LT, > > I am posting my personal views, not as a member of the Town Planning > Board, but as one resident of this unique town. I want to thank the > Community Center Building Committee and the Architects for their hard work > for our Town over the last several months. However, after listening to the > Community Center Building Committee’s Forum last evening, it has become > very clear to me that the Town’s vision to improve facilities for the COA > cannot be accomplished on the school site as “selected” by residents of the > Town a few years ago. We hired excellent architects who have listened to > the committee and the public now for several months and have come up with > 3+ major plans, recommending the middle priced one that is at 75% the > original very expensive estimate given to us last year. The lowest price > option was shown to be inadequate for COA activities and would be only as > one person said “moving the COA from one deficient site to another”. > > It was also clear that remaining on the school site means we “must”, > according to the committee leadership, include in our community center > renovating or rebuilding space for the after school program called “LEAP”, > despite many residents giving input that this program is the school’s > responsibility and not that of a Community Center. In addition there are > safety issues related to traffic patterns, increased cars and children > walking or on bikes to get to and from school and activities. > > Furthermore, it was clear from the lack of discussion on the topic last > night, that there was no SERIOUS consideration by the committee of other > sites throughout Town that could be appropriate for a community center, > particularly COA functions. While Bemis Hall and the Pierce House have been > visited, no details about what it would take to renovate them have been > presented, nor has anyone taken the time to investigate whether the Town > could use other buildings or space, historic or otherwise, along Lincoln Rd > or nearby and renovate any of them for a community center that at least > houses the COA. Mainly, the committee remains on the school campus because > it is the best place for Parks and Rec to be and many people want to mix > generations in a “Community Center for All”. > > I would like to propose that a new Town Committee be formed of concerned > residents, who would still like to see the Town have a safe and up-to-date > improved space for a COA, to conduct activities, but do not want taxes > raised any further, and be a committee that SERIOUSLY examines existing > sites that could be renovated, even if it means the cost of purchasing them > for the Town. I would be happy to serve on such a committee. In the mean > time until this committee does its work, we should put the Building > Committee and architects on hold and not have a special Town Meeting to > vote on the School site options in December. When Town’s residents selected > the school site as the “best” for a community center, they did not know > what we know now. > > Lynn DeLisi > > 125 South Great Rd > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > 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 Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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