Hopedale History No. 21 The Park Department Back on April 15 I mentioned that Rick Espanet had completed a history of the Park Department, including material on the Town Park, Parklands and Hopedale Pond and posted it on the town website. Since it's 21 pages long, I thought that some of you who don't have time to read all of that might be interested in a condensed version. If you'd like to know when young ladies and women were first granted permission to swim in the pond, what year pond attendance first went over 15,000, or when the basketball court was built, this is where you can find the answers. 1899 Park Commission Formed (3/6) Startup budget: $12,000 / annual budget: $2,500 - approved by town meeting. The first necessity: "A public play ground of suitable contour for such as baseball, football etc. requiring a large acreage of fairly level land." First Parkland parcels acquired $3,917 paid to various landowners for 176.11 acres 1900 Budget: $2,500 Swamp at Town Park drained Land graded, drainage system installed Rawson's Bridge constructed Wooden bridge at north end of pond connects both shorelines. Adin Ballou homestead lot acquired. Ballou Statue dedicated October 27th 1901 Budget: $2,500 First tennis court built Dirt surface Temporary bandstand erected Large & small ball fields constructed Rawson's Bridge raised Mistakenly built too low - boats couldn't pass under. Hazel St. entrance built Road cut to west side of bridge connecting to railway line. Moroney's Grove picnic area built Picnic area in a majestic pine grove off of Hazel St.entrance. Open brook from Park to Pond enclosed 1902 First Park Field Day Celebration - July 4th Became a Town tradition for decades. 1903 Hunters elude "No Hunting" in Parklands... ...by hunting from boats. Fines then posted for this activity too! Adin Ballou Park addition Front doorstep from Ballou's "old house" placed at the site. Electric cars make Parklands stop Passengers dropped off & picked up at north end of Parklands near Rawson's Bridge. The more things change, the more they... First arrests made by police in Parklands for "drunken carousals." 1904 Budget: $2,500 Bath House constructed Cost: $1,048.09 Built at site of old ice house which burned down during demolition. This prevented the intended re-use of much of the frame and sheathing in the new structure. Locker rentals were $1.50/yr. - .50 deposit given back with key return Town Beach Opens (males only) Season attendance: 1971 baths taken. Daily high: 79 Organized sports flourish at Town Park Baseball, rugby and association football are popular 1905 Budget: $2,500 6,322 baths taken. Daily high: 143 Town Beach & Bath House expansion. Sand placed on ice melted in to create beach area / Dressing rooms built / float and springboard added. Bath house matron position created. Young ladies and women granted permission to swim. 1906 Budget: $2,500 Pond attendance: 3,633 / Daily high: 154 Permanent bandstand constructed Cost: $828.40 Also used as a tool shed and dressing room for visiting teams utilizing the Town Park - if "properly behaved." 1908 Budget: $2,500 Pond attendance: 6,370 / Daily high: 181 August 15th Field day attracts 3000 1917 Budget: $2,500 Pond attendance: 6,641 / Daily high: 410 Darling Hill Roadway cut in off Freedom St. 1,800' of roadway completed - known today as Overdale Parkway 1921 Budget: $4,500 Pond attendance: 10,580 / Daily high: 555 Draper "Twilight" baseball league expands Season stats & standings kept. Huge attendance Flagpole erected at Town Park Cost: $370.31 1928 Budget: $5,000 Pond attendance: 6,685 / Daily high: 283 Rawson's Bridge replaced Cost: $1,300. Stone structure became known as the Rustic Bridge 1932 Budget: $3,500 Pond attendance: n/a Daily high: n/a Fisherman's Island shelter repaired Cost: $120 1937 Budget: $4,750 + $2,000 appropriation Pond attendance: 11,000 / Swim lessons: 71 passed First N.E.A.A.A.U. swim meet competition 48 children participated 1938 Budget: $5,750 + $2,200 appropriation Pond attendance: 10,350 / wim lessons: 164 passed First tennis tournament held "The tennis courts were in almost constant use and a baseball game took place nearly every day." Sept. 21st Hurricane devastates Parklands Maroney's Grove leveled. Fallen timber creates a severe fire hazard. 1939 Budget: $4,000 + $7,500 clean-up funding Pond attendance: 11,077 / Swim lessons: 145 passed Parkland clean-up goes all winter and spring. Dry weather and fire danger prohibits fireplace use all summer First organized "play" at Town Park Community House conducts organized youth sporting events. 1944 Budget: $5,000 Pond attendance: n/a Swim lessons: not offered All facilities used heavily as war limits travel Limitations on wartime travel keep residents close to home. Facilities getting heavy use. No swim lessons due to labor shortages. Bath House hours expanded to Sundays and holidays. Men's & women's softball introduced 1946 Budget: $8,500 Pond attendance: 8282 / Swim lessons: 137 passed F. Carlton Miner hired as Waterfront Director. 1949 Budget: $11,000 Pond attendance: 8,740 / Swim lessons: 130 enrolled, 125 passed New Park playground equipment installed Cost: $1,078.40 Swings, jungle jim, horizontal bars added. Draper Corporation drains Hopedale Pond Solution to curb weed problem. Pond lowered & cleaned. 1950 Budget: $11,300 Pond attendance: 10,982 / Swim lessons: 100 passed Basketball Court installed at Town Park Cost: $1135.19 Park staff added to supervise heavy use Baseball and basketball "schools" and tennis tournaments offered Diving class added at Pond In-town swim meets continue at Pond An end-of summer tradition started in 1937. Park programs continue to expand Archery, handicrafts, horseshoes, tennis, baseball and basketball sessions are all well attended 1955 Budget: $14,000 Pond attendance: 10,310 / Swim lessons: 122 passed. Large slide installed at Pond More playground equipment added at Park Kiddie and horse swings plus overhead ladder bar installed Park evening hours extended to 5 nights Supervision needed to ease "rowdyism and noise" More minor hurricane damage Rains from Hurricane Diane washes out some of Parkland roadway Pond closes for year on August 13th Flooding and polio epidemic force shutdown of swim season. 1956 Budget: $14,000 Pond attendance: 13,537 / Swim lessons: 154 passed Lighting added to first tennis court Summer morning bus pick-up instituted 58 youngsters pr/day average brought to & from Park. Additional swim lessons added at Pond, 30 classes offered. 1961 Draper Corporation leases Ski Hill to Town Ski area built under thesupervision of Mr. Willard Taft. Park Commission to operate as part of winter sports program. 1962 Budget: $14,000 Pond attendance: n/a Swim lessons passed: n/a Parks Maintenance Supervisor passes away Longtime employee Earl Simmons meticulously maintained grounds Diving Tower on little raft added at Pond Tow rope and fencing added at the Ski Tow. 1966 Budget: n/a Pond attendance: 15,024 / Swim lessons passed: 151 Park Tennis Clinic attracts 150 youngsters Park programs heavily utilized ""...that because of this fine recreational program the destructive acts of personal property by juveniles in the Town is very small." All-time record Pond attendance "The money appropriated to run the recreational program is one of the best investments for the future the town can make." 1966 S.Hopedale land purchased for development Town appropriates $15,000 to Conservation Commission for purchase of Deluca and Draper property abutting Rt. 140 and Mellen Street Buildings razed and burned on-site. 1968 Budget: 21,970 (approx $1 on the tax rate) Pond attendance: 18,387/ Swim lessons passed: 196 Pond attendance jumps 6000 in three years Approximately $1 on the tax rate allows the Park Commission to "not only run one of the best recreational programs in the area but provide all maintenance as well." 1969 Budget: 21,970 (approx $1 on the tax rate) Pond attendance: 16,120/ Swim lessons passed: 1977 Summer Program interest remains high Basketball league play, shuffleboard, paddleball, tetherball, arts & crafts, tennis, archery and baseball offerings all well attended as are various contests such as bike races and decorating, doll contests. Trip to the new New England Aquarium added. Swim team is popular. Water Safety Demonstration at Pond Director Charles Espanet's waterfront staff and Firemen led by Chief Charles Watson perform simulated lifesaving procedures to a large turnout at the Bath House. 1987 Parkland foresting controversy creates stir A major deadwood and brush clearing operation in the Parklands was halted when the forestry agent representing the Town resigned, leaving behind a mess of slash and debris of considerable size. 1993 No Report Issued Budget: n/a Pond attendance: n/a Swim lessons: n/a Conservation Commission acquires land Multi-acre lot at intersection of Lapworth and Tillotson Roads in the Pinecrest development is potential site for active recreation fields. Huey & Duey issue ruffles feathers Domesticated ducks placed illegally on Hopedale Pond attract children but also create problems as heavy feeding is contributing to a rapid rise in the Canada Geese population. Some residents want them removed, others insist that they remain. Issue receives coverage in Boston media. 1997 Budget: n/a Pond attendance: n/a Daily high: 203 Swim lessons: 114 Wooden Dugouts constructed at Town Park Hopedale High School industrial arts students design and construct two full-sized dugouts with materials purchased by the Park Dept. The group builds two picnic tables with leftover materials. 1997 Swim program closed nine days in July Combination of severe drought and trickle of inflow from upstream headwaters at North Pond (despitethat area being near capacity), causes stagnancy. Elevated bacteria count forces interruption of swim program - which never recovers upon re-opening. Board to keep Parkland gates closed Gates to stay shut permanently. Vehicular vandalism and trash dumping primary reasons. Hopedale Police back the decision. 1998 Pond open to non-residents for swimming Reverses Commission policy enacted in 1922. Pond attendance increases marginally. Water quality excellent all summer. The end of swimming at Hopedale Pond Sports, Park and Pond Menu Hopedale History Ezine Menu HOME . |
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