A playground named in honor of a Watertown man who died in Vietnam will be getting an update, with new play structures and paving.
The City Council received a report on the Sullivan Playground project at the April 28 meeting.
The playground located at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets was dedicated in honor of Lt. Paul Sullivan in 1969, a year after he died in Vietnam where he served in the U.S. Army Rangers. In 2018, the City of Watertown unveiled a memorial stone plaque on part of the playground, which includes the play area, a baseball field and basketball courts.
The current project focuses on just part of the park, said Watertown Senior Open Space Planner Michelle Moon.
“The final design is for just the playground, not the rest of the park,” Moon said. “It includes play areas for 2 to 5 year olds and 5 to 12, along with swings, seating, benches and tables.”
In addition, a new rubberized surface will be installed, and a new concrete walk will replace the pavement that has become bumpy due to tree roots pushing it up, Moon said.
The plans are the result of input from a series of three community meetings in 2023 and 2024, and online surveys, Moon said.
City Councilor John Gannon asked whether a ceremony honoring Sullivan would take place when the playground reopens.
Moon said that planning for the ribbon cutting has not started.
Gannon said he would like to see more than just a ribbon cutting, and prefers a formal rededication of the sign and honoring Paul Sullivan.
“It’d be a nice touch beyond the ribbon cutting of a new park,” Gannon said.
City Manager George Proakis said recognition of Sullivan could be part of the ceremony.
“We do do ribbon cuttings when we finish the parks,” Proakis said. “We are bringing back a sign that has been in storage for a while. If we want to describe this and discuss this as a ribbon cutting and rededication and remind people why this park is named Sullivan Park, I’m happy to work with the Communications and the Parks team on how to do that.”
City Council President Mark Sideris said he has already been in touch with Paul’s brother Tom, who is the former Watertown Recreation Director, and other family members.
“I sent them these plans as soon as I got them, and we’ll make sure that the Sullivan family is represented at the ribbon cutting,” Sideris said.
Councilor Nicole Gardner wanted to know whether the trees would be preserved around the play area.
“What I hear from people with little tykes, and when I’ve taken children of nieces and nephews, it’s definitely the shade that draws people,” Gardner said. “That and Celebrity (Pizza), of course, but it’s definitely the shade that draws people.”
Kaila Bachman Chavez, principal of CBA Landscape Architects, said some trees will be taken down.
“We did get an arborist report and study on the entire site. So, all of these trees were reviewed by an arborist for their condition, and given recommendations on how to improve their health there,” Bachman Chavez said. “There were three trees that were not in great health and were recommended to be removed.”
No new trees will be planted, she added, because there are already many trees on the site. Also, with all the roots of the existing trees in and around the play area, planting a new tree would be difficult without removing more trees. She expects plenty of shade to remain.
“There should be shade,” Bachman Chavez said. “It will shift throughout the day, but there should be shade throughout a lot of the day.”
See more information about the Sullivan Playground Project by clicking here.