USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Waltham > Town annual reports of Wayland Massachusetts 1963-1965 > Part 41
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The second phase of the Beach Expansion Program has been com- pleted with the purchase of docks and a diving platform. The popu- larity of the diving platform has directed our plans for a second platform to be installed this summer. The reorganization of the parking area was delayed due to the bids on construction exceeding the budget. The organization of the beach parking area will have first priority in the ensuing year.
The beach again enjoyed good attendance and the Commissioners received many favorable comments on its increased size. The total registration for the beach was 5, 818. The total donations contributed during registration were $2, 791. 65. On several capacity days, over 3, 000 bathers attended the beach. On an average day, over 400 bath- ers enjoyed the beach. There were over 1700 cars registered, and on a busy day, the traffic at the beach was 400 cars per day.
The Wayland Chapter of the American Red Cross, which sponsors swimming lessons, reported that more than 900 youngsters enrolled for swimming lessons.
Plans for improving the Cochituate Ball Park and further expan- sion for the Beach, have been completed for presentation at the Annual Town Meeting.
The Commissioners wish to express their gratitude to the beach personnel for maintaining our excellent safety record. The Com- missioners wish to thank the residents of the Town, the assisting committees, the officers, and the Park Department personnel for their support and cooperation. They wish also to express thanks for the volunteer effort of individuals and groups that executed its re- creational program.
Respectfully submitted, NATHANIEL HAMLEN, JOSEPH P. HORVATH, THOMAS F. MURRAY. Board of Park Commissioners.
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WAY-CO RECREATION PROGRAM
The Way-Co Recreation Program, which has been in existence for some thirteen years, has expanded to tremendous proportions during that time. It all began with a few young boys who were in- terested in playing organized baseball, and has now grown into a program which includes over seven different activities for children as well as adults. This is comprised of boys' baseball, basketball, hockey and Pop Warner football, men's softball, volleyball for both men and women, and tennis for everyone. All of these sports are extremely popular with the great number of participants who are ac- tive in the program.
The Way-Co Chargers football team had at least seventy-five boys participating in the 1965 season. These boys were divided into three groups this year, instead of two, as in previous years. Way-Co joined four other towns (Newton, Brookline, Needham and Auburndale) in forming a new division of Pop Warner football for boys under eighty pounds. This is in keeping with the principle of boys playing against competition of the same weight and age.
Way-Co bought fourteen new uniforms to replace the ones that have seen four seasons of wear, and also purchased safety equipment necessary to the sport. The past season ended with the Chargers winning ten games, tieing three, and losing only one, with a fourteen game schedule.
Approximately five hundred boys participated in the Junior Division and Nipper baseball programs which began the first of May and ended with a cookout at Cochituate Field the first of September. The boys participating throughout the season, showed a great deal of improve- ment, both in playing skills and in good sportmanship, which is the basic aim of all the sincere volunteers who donate their time and effort to helping these boys.
Men's softball and volleyball for men and women are becoming more and more popular throughout the years, and an expanded pro- gram here is expected during 1966. As outdoor hockey is largely dependent on the weather, the limited amount of ice available during the 1965 season, made it impossible to set up a regular hockey sched- ule. However, with the completion of the board construction around the rink at Cochituate Field during the year, and the erection of lights the first of next year, many more hours of skating should be avail- able for all who are interested in both hockey and free skating.
Boy's basketball was well attended, as usual, with a terrific amount of interest on the part of the younger set as well as the Junior
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High and High School age boys. Tennis, whose participants include both youngsters and adults, was highly successful for the second straight year of this program. Classes were held for boys and girls as well as adults again this year, with tournaments highlighting the end of the instruction periods. A new league of four men's teams was formed and played a round of matches. This was enthusiastically re- ceived and more teams are expected to join this league in 1966. Many experienced men and women tennis players helped as officials and teachers, and also private courts were used as well as those at the High School, to further the complete success of this activity.
Way-Co is a cooperative program sponsored by the Wayland Park Department, and supervised by a group of interested volunteers who give their time and efforts during the course of the year, to keep this program successful. This is a town supported program, and this report is being submitted to keep the townspeople informed of the re- creational activities offered to its citizens. New activities can be added to this group at any time, and any suggestions by interested parties are welcome.
In presenting this report, I would like to thank all of those who unselfishly gave their time and efforts throughout the past year, to make the Way-Co Recreation Program a completely successful en- terprise.
Respectfully submitted,
BARBARA BARNETT, Treasurer For the Way-Co Recreation Program
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REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS
The year 1965 was marked by a continuation of the most serious drought ever recorded in this area, with a deficit of some twenty inches of rainfall. With water levels down at the start of 1965, due to the previous dry years, and coupled with the poor recharge into the well fields last spring, it became mandatory on July 14th, to impose a complete ban on the use of sprinklers, with hoses permitted only between 9:00 A. M. and Noon, when hand-held. As a result of the cooperation shown by nearly all of our customers, an estimated daily saving of from one to one and one-half million gallons was noted; safe levels were maintained in the well fields, and we were starting to regain some of our deficit at the close of the year.
Please note, however, that despite the watering ban, the Water Department pumped 432 million gallons of water in 1965 -- a new high.
The Department held Open House on May 15th at the Pumping Sta- tion at Baldwin's Pond. A good turnout of approximately 200 interested townspeople toured the Station to observe equipment and various other items on display. We noted that the visitors were almost all "new people" in town. Where were all of the "Old Timers"?
An engineering study and report on the Water Supply and Distri- bu tion System of the Town was made, and submitted to the Com- missioners by Weston & Sampson, Consulting Engineers, in August. This study was an extension of previous studies made in 1947, and 1958, and their recommendations cover several changes and additions to the system. Some of these were presented for consideration at the December Special Town Meeting, and were voted affirmatively. The Engineers are preparing bidding documents for the proposed new turbine pumps at Baldwin's Pond, and the test well is now in, at the new well site off Riverview Circle.
The Campbell Road well site was further developed in 1965, and is presently awaiting only the installation of pumps. It is expected that this well will be in production in April of 1966, and adding some 600, 000 gallons to our daily capacity.
With the increase in our pumping capacity, we expect to be in better condition in 1966, but we must get a better well field recharge this coming spring, in order to completely avoid a watering ban.
In the meantime, the Water Department is confident of its ability to supply sufficient water of high quality for all essential needs of the town.
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STATISTICS -- 1965
Number of services in use
3,392
Miles of Main
81
Number of Hydrants
466
New services
78 (included in above)
Water pumped
432 million gallons
Renewals
7
Relocations
3
Leaks
25
Respectfully submitted, ROBERT W. HANLON, Chairman LAURENCE K. COOK JOSEPH H. CARROLL
Board of Water Commissioners
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REPORT OF THE MOTH SUPERINTENDENT
The roadside trees were sprayed for control of the Dutch Elm Disease, as well as sprays applied for control of other destructive insects which defoliate our trees. No D. D. T. was used this past year, as we are using other material which is much less toxic to birds and other wildlife, and seems to give satisfactory results thus far.
The Poison Ivy spraying program was continued, and spraying was done at all locations where it was reported.
The removal of confirmed Dutch Elm diseased trees was continued and sanitation work was performed in accordance with the State recom- mendations.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN E. NELSON 1
REPORT OF THE CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS
The activities performed by the Cemetery Department for the year ending December 1965, were as follows:
Eighty-three burials were made: sixty-five in Lakeview; seventeen in North; one in South. Total receipts -- $4, 200. 00.
Twenty-five lots were sold: twenty in Lakeview and five in North. Total receipts -- $1, 185. 00.
Annual Care receipts totaled $1, 314. 00.
Twenty-eight foundations were made for the erection of monuments. Total receipts -- $524. 50.
Thirty-five gifts for Perpetual Care were recorded:
Waldo H. Russell for perpetual care of Lot 108B, Section Lovell, $ North 100.00 Florence Hartin for perpetual care of Lot 94A, Section M, Lakeview 100.00
Ruth Chalfant for perpetual care of Lot 8 B & C, Section M, Lakeview 100.00 Marie Bowker for perpetual care of Lot 82, Section M, Lakeview. 200.00
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Ada Lawrence for perpetual care of Lot 32, Section Lovell, North 200.00
Eugene Hollett for perpetual care of Lot 85, Section F, Lakeview. 200.00
Mabel Thorpe for perpetual care of Lot 79, Section F, Lakeview. 200.00
Lewis B. Dell for perpetual care of Lot 16, Section B, Lakeview. 200.00
Lewis B. Dell for perpetual care of Lots 26 & 48, Section K, Lakeview 300.00
Vincent A. Harriott for perpetual care of Lot 12, Section K, Lakeview. 200.00
Jeanette Ballard for perpetual care of Lot 37A, Section M, Lakeview. 100.00
Georges Barrel for perpetual care of Lot 2, North. 200.00
Richard D. Bishop for perpetual care of Lot 114, Section C, Lakeview 200.00
Carl B. Carter for perpetual care of Lot 18A, Section C, Lakeview. 200.00 Ida L. Furst for perpetual care of Lot 32, Section H,
Lakeview. 200.00
Ronald A. Wood for perpetual care of Lot 31A, Section H, Lakeview. 100.00
Edwin Goodell for perpetual care of Lot 12, Section Ext., North 200.00
Fitz Henry Stevens for perpetual care of Lot 62, Section G, Lakeview.
200.00
Robert J. Bourette for perpetual care of Lot 39B, Section M, Lakeview.
Florence Bourette for perpetual care of Lot 39A, Section M, Lakeview. 200.00
200.00
Geraldine Young for perpetual care of Lot 63A, Section Lovell, North 100.00
Beverly Germano for perpetual care of Lots 4 & 5, Section Lovell, North . .
. 300.00
Charles H. Beadle for perpetual care of Lot 35, Section G, Lakeview 200.00
Kenneth M. Blair for perpetual care of Lot 7, Section H, Lakeview 200.00
John H. Baldwin for perpetual care of Lot 199, Section
Ext., North 200.00
John F. Miller for perpetual care of Lot 33B, Section H, Lakeview 100.00
Jennie Malfa for perpetual care of Lot 11A , Section M, Lakeview
100.00
Arthur G. Merrill for perpetual care of Lot 64, Section F, Lakeview 200.00 Mayme Lacka for perpetual care of Lot 35A, Section H, Lakeview 100.00
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William S. Braunig for perpetual care of Lot 120, Section F, Lakeview.
200.00
J. Sidney Stone (Lawrence) for perpetual care of Lot 73, Section G, Lakeview. 200.00
Daisy F. Pierce for perpetual care of Lot 18, Section H, Lakeview. 200.00
Helen L. Cook for perpetual care of Lot 42, Section H, Lakeview 200.00
Flora M. Cody for perpetual care of Lot 139, Section Ext., North 200.00 Thurber Handley for perpetual care of Lot 27A, Section M,
Lakeview 100.00
TOTAL $ 6,200.00
We are continuing the development at Lakeview Cemetery and hope to have more lots available for sale in the following years.
Respectfully submitted, WALTER A. CHESLAK, WILLIS B. RYDER, RICHARD H. BURCHILL, Cemetery Commissioners
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REPORT OF THE SIDEWALK COMMITTEE
At the Annual Town Meeting in March, 1965, upon a Motion of Mr. Pearson, duly seconded, it was VOTED unanimously: That the Town establish a committee of five (5) to consist of one member of the Plan- ning Board, one member of the Road Commission, one member of the School Committee, one member of the Finance Committee, each to be designated by their respective boards or committees, and a fifth member at large to be appointed by the four so designated; that the committee be charged with making an evaluation of the rate of progress; and associa- ted cost, of the proposed sidewalk program, as reported to the town meeting of 1962; and with making a study and recommendations with respect to:
(1) appropriate revisions of that program, and plans for making it more effective and vigorous;
(2) the feasibility of extending that program so as to include a footpath, and possibly a bicycle path, alongside the more heavily traveled main roads in Wayland;
and that such a Committee report to the next Annual Town Meeting.
This committee has met, examined the existing, proposed, and suggested sidewalk locations in Wayland, held public hearings, and reached the following conclusions.
General Conclusions
First and most broadly, the committee and most of those with whom it has talked, feel that the character of Wayland along with its pattern of pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile traffic, has remained sufficient- ly rural so that a major program of sidewalk construction is not re- quired. Certain types of roads, however, in specific areas do call for sidewalks. These specific needs are set forth below.
Secondly, the committee has found that an effort to reduce school transportation costs through the construction of sidewalks, appears to be impractical. Nearly all the areas in which the residential popula- tion is dense enough to warrant construction of sidewalks with this idea in mind, already have sidewalks. Further, when it becomes necessary to provide policewomen to assure children a safe crossing of busy streets (which sidewalks cannot do) the cost of the policewomen may more than offset the savings realized by the elimination of a bus. The committee therefore has not considered school transportation costs a factor in sidewalk planning.
Thirdly, it is true that bicycle paths along certain of the busier roads in town would help to provide access to after-school and other youth activities to children to whom automobile transportation is not always available. In this regard, the matter of providing safe bicycle paths
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in certain areas has been given consideration by the committee. On the other hand, some Wayland citizens have made the point that bicy- cling can provide exercise and enjoyment even for adults. Primarily because of the high cost of sidewalk construction, the committee has not recommended the construction of sidewalks or bicycle paths from a purely recreational point of view. For the town as a whole, this would be an expensive type of recreational facility. In a town of Way- land's character, other forms of recreational expenditure can undoubt- edly be found which would yield greater service per dollar of cost.
Fourth and finally, the relatively great cost of sidewalk construction has played a major part in the formulating of the committee's recom- mendations. The committee has concluded that construction of unpaved or graveled paths would be inadequate, particularly from a maintenance viewpoint. A black-topped path, with bituminous berm to separate it from the roadway where no natural separation exists, is considered a minimum standard of construction and costs approximately four dollars per running foot to build. (Bituminous berm should be white-painted where desirable from a safety viewpoint). Construction of a mile of such sidewalk would cost substantially over $20, 000 (without taking in- to consideration the costs required by any extensive cutting of ledge, filling, or retaining walls) and could therefore be responsible for a dollar or more of the town's tax rate during the year in which it is built. A higher quality sidewalk with somewhat lower annual mainte- nance costs, constructed of concrete with granite curbing, will cost in the neighborhood of nine dollars per running foot, or $45, 000 to $50, 000 per mile, exclusive of excessive cutting, filling, or retaining walls. Hence, the construction of very long sidewalks within the town would be prohibitively expensive unless undertaken over a considerable number of years.
Recommendations
The committee has identified certain categories of road which may be considered separately regarding the desirability of sidewalks along them;
1. Town Centers. In areas of the town where pedestrian traffic is dense, consideration of both convenience and safety enter into the planning of sidewalk construction. The two town centers fall into this category. With the completion in 1965 of the Main Street sidewalk to Bayfield Road, it appears that the only sidewalk yet to be constructed which lies in an area of reasonably heavy pedestrian traffic within one of the town centers, would run along the south side of Millbrook Road from the Town Building to Plain Road. Construction of this sidewalk was recommended by the 1961 Sidewalk Committee, but has not yet been undertaken. The present committee recommends its construction.
2. Heavily Traveled Through-Routes. In considering the numbered routes through the town, safe bicycle transportation for young people, plus the high cost of construction, were the committee's
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major considerations. Routes 20 and 30 at present have sidewalks of some description along most of their lengths through areas of relatively dense population. (Route 20 is maintained entirely by the State. Any sidewalk construction or improvement along it would have to be done by the State Department of Public Works). The committee feels that it would be desirable to provide bicycle paths along portions of the north-south routes within the town. A complete program of sidewalk construction along these routes would involve some 9 miles of construction and might involve a cost approaching a quarter of a million dollars. It may be that the town will eventually wish to undertake such a project, but the present committee limits its recommendations to three specific areas along these roads.
The first recommendation is that the Chapter 90 construction presently underway in the Sandy Burr area, include a black-topped sidewalk with berm along its length on the west side of the road. This would extend the present sidewalk on Cochituate Road from approximately its present terminus, near the School Administration Building to Sandy Burr, at a modest cost. At present, a sidewalk extends along Route 126 southward beginning four tenths of a mile south of Five Paths intersection, and running as far as Pine Ridge Road near the Happy Hollow School. Eventual connection of this sidewalk with the Sandy Burr sidewalk would provide safe bicycle transportation for children from the northern part of town to the High School, Happy Hollow, and the youth facilities which Junior Town House proposes to construct adjacent to the High School. However, the committee recommends that no proposals be made regarding sidewalks in the Five Paths area until definite plans re- garding reconstruction of this intersection have been formed. It is recommended that sidewalks be incorporated in these plans.
Second, to provide access from the southern center of town to the High School area, the 1961 sidewalk committee recommended construction of a walk along the east side of Route 126 from West Plain Street to the Pine Ridge end of the present sidewalk. (This would include a stretch of about 250 yards of sidewalk along the south side of West Plain Street at its intersection with Route 126). The present committee finds that this sidewalk presents substantial construction difficulties. The stretch of Route 126 between West Plain Street and Pine Ridge Road contains some sharp, blind curves, coupled with a very steep embankment. It appears that these conditions result in a high frequency of automobile accidents. The residents of the area have expressed an urgently felt need for highway improvement along this stretch. The committee feels that, as the road is presently constructed, the cost of sidewalk construc- tion here would be excessively high. The committee does recom- mend that at the time the road is improved, this sidewalk be con- structed.
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The committee's third recommendation for the numbered routes is for the construction of a bicycle path along the east side of Route 126 from the end of the present sidewalk at Plain Road to Claypit Hill Road, providing safe bicycle transportation from the northern part of town to the Junior High School and Wayland Center. This stretch of road is heavily traveled by automobiles. A sidewalk is needed for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. The extent to which this path is used will provide the basis for a later decision concerning its extension further along ConcordRoad.
The committee has been asked by several citizens to consider the possibility of connecting the two town centers by sidewalk. The committee recommends against such a project, which would involve extensive and very costly reconstruction of the right of way and which would not appear to have adequate justification in terms of potential use by either bicyclists or pedestrians.
3. Other connecting roads. The committee has received sugges- tions for the construction of sidewalks along a number of the longer roads in town other than the numbered routes, such as Glezen Lane, Draper Road, Pelham Island Road, Oxbow Road, Old Connecticut Path East, Plain Road and others. The committee does not feel that the construction of sidewalks along these roads would be appro- priate under present circumstances of population density, potential use, and road condition. Many of these roads are among the older roads in town, are rather narrow and are particularly restricted during the winter when snow is piled up along them. If the town decides to apply any expenditures to these roads, the desirability of widening and straightening them should be considered before sidewalk construction. If road improvement work is undertaken here, provisions for sidewalks should be included, but sidewalk construction should be considered only as part of such improvement, not as an independent project. These roads carry much less auto- mobile traffic than the numbered routes and are therefore some- what less hazardous to bicycle travel.
4. Residential areas. Most of the citizens with whom the committee talked were firmly opposed to the construction of side- walks through the newer residential areas. Suggestions were made for sidewalks along one or two residential access roads, but the committee feels that such sidewalks should be proposed, as desired, by residents as betterments rather than undertaken entirely by the town as a whole.
5. New roads. At present, the Planning Board is requiring developers to make provisions for future sidewalks along any pro- posed new streets. This practice has the strong endor sement of the Sidewalk Committee.
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6. Construction recommended by the 1961 Sidewalk Committee. The previous Sidewalk Committee recommended construction along Main Street to Bayfield Road and along East Plain Street and Route 30 from Dunster Street to Loker Street. These projects have been completed. That committee also made recommendations concern- ing Millbrook Road, Plain Road from Millbrook to Claypit Hill Road, and Route 126 from West Plain Street to Pine Ridge Road. These proposals have been discussed in the present committee's recom- mendations above. The 1961 committee also recommended con- struction of sidewalks along Loker Street from Route 30 to the Loker Street School and along Maiden Lane from Route 126 to the Happy Hollow School. Both these sidewalks are immediately adjacent to schools; as well as relatively easy to construct, the present com- mittee recommends their continued inclusion in sidewalk plans.
Sidewalk appropriations and expenditures since 1960 are shown in Table 1.
Priorities and Costs
(The following cost estimates are based on black-topped side- walks with bituminous berm).
1. First priority: School access sidewalks:
a. Loker Street from Commonwealth Road to Loker School $6,500. 00
b. Maiden Lane from Old Connecticut Path to Happy Hollow School 2,800.00
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