October 18, 2024 By Carol Britton Meyer
The equipment for the new Hingham Community Playground located at Cronin Field behind the Hingham Centre fire station has been delivered, and plans have been moving forward to bring the project to reality.
At the same time, some residents are questioning certain aspects of the plan.
In response to concerns voiced, including many parents — partly through a change.org petition containing 315 signatures as of Oct. 17 — the recreation commission held a meeting Thursday night both in-person at Town Hall and on Zoom to provide an opportunity for interested members of the community to voice concerns, ask questions, and hear a presentation by CHA Consulting Project Manager/Sr. Landscape Architect Michael Moonan and principal engineer for the project Jason Pollard — who also provided some answers.
“Throughout the process, as is the case with all our projects, safety and accessibility have been top priority,” Recreation Commission Chair Vicki Donlan said.
Concerns about tree removal shared
The petition expresses concern about “significant tree removal, thereby reducing much-needed shade. This deficiency in shade canopy will raise temperatures at the playground and increase heat and sun exposure for both children and their caregivers,” it states.
Those signing the petition are urging town officials and the recreation commission to revisit the playground plan pertaining to the planned removal of 10 existing trees “and the resulting lack of shade” and to take timely action. “We value our trees and believe in creating healthy, sustainable environments for our children,” according to the petition.
In addition to residents expressing concerns about tree removal at the meeting, others asked questions about the planned pour-in-place rubber surfacing as the top layer, with SBR (synthetic rubber) at the bottom level that will be encapsulated to avoid exposure to the children using the playground.
Pollard and Moonan stressed the importance of regularly checking the top layer for any cracks or other damage and to make immediate repairs as needed to avoid exposure to the lower surface while providing assurances that recycled tire crumb is not part of the pour-in-place first layer.
Alexander King spoke a number of times, including recommending that corkine be used instead of the pour-in-place rubber surface.
However, Pollard explained that while this kind of rubber surface has an initial lifespan of up to 10 years, the warranty on cork surfaces is far shorter and that cork tends to deteriorate and crack within a short timeframe.
He also explained that the surface rubber is fully encapsulated in a polyurethane network that completely covers the base layer and is the same rubber used in soft children’s toys and potable water fittings.
Other concerns voiced at the meeting centered around potential thermal burns from the rubber surface when the temperatures are in the 90s as occurred on many days this summer and wondered how hot the surface would become in that scenario.
According to Pollard, the playground surface would be about 10 to 15 degrees hotter than the outside temperature.
Recreation Director Mark Thorell explained that during hot weather, Rec campers are brought inside to stay cool and comfortable and so would not be subjected to high temperatures on the playground.
‘When its in the 90’s, most people stay inside’
“I’ve never heard of any thermal burns during my many years of experience,” Moonan said. “When it’s 90 degrees outside, most people do their activities in the shade or inside.”
Sarah Gordon asked what happens to the playground materials when they reach the end of their useful ‘life.’
In response, Pollard said they are usually recycled and put to another use.
Maria Zade noted that the base layer consists of tire crumb and asked how that material could be kept out of the aquifer.
Pollard explained that the tire crum is encapsulated, so there would be no leeching into the watershed.
Gordon also expressed concern that children could encounter loose tire crumb or ingest it unintentionally despite efforts to keep it encapsulated, which Moonan acknowledged is a possibility.
“We’ve spent an extreme amount of time checking every kind of surface to make sure we are using the best and safest materials possible,” Donlan said.
Gordon requested more information about the materials used in both layers.
“We can’t guarantee there won’t be any loose particles over the course of the playground’s lifespan,” Pollard said, emphasizing the importance of checking the surface regularly.
‘This could become the most popular playground in the state’
“We’re not saying the surface is never going to crumb, but the recreation commission will inspect it on a regular basis,” Donlan said. “This is one of the most popular playgrounds on the South Shore now, and I think the new one could become the most popular playground in the state!”
After the many open public meetings discussing the design of the playground equipment, reviewing five different playground companies, and talking with a variety of playground installers, the commission chose high-quality, durable “Landscape Structures” playground equipment that incorporates all aspects of play into its design, including elements of sensory, motion, spin, physical (hanging, climbing, balancing, etc.), and imaginary play, according to a rec commission fact sheet. The playground will also feature a number of trees and a shade canopy.
Commission on Disability Chair Stephanie Gertz reported that the commission voted to support the playground at its meeting the previous day. “Not only will the playground be accessible, which means a great deal to us, but we’re also getting a top of the line pour-in-place surface. We did our own research, and this seems like an excellent plan.”
The recreation commission, Community Preservation Committee (which awarded a $1 million grant toward the roughly $1.4 million cost following Town Meeting approval), select board, advisory committee, and planning board all unanimously approved the playground plan. The shortfall for the most part was covered by fundraising.
The commission also conducted extensive community outreach to share information with the public.
More than 300 Hingham families made financial contributions to the playground.
Commission ready to move forward
While a couple of those who spoke asked that further investigation into playground materials be done, Donlan responded that after listening to concerns and doing extensive research, the commission feels the right decision has been made and the project “is ready to move forward.”
Rec Commissioner Adrienne Ramsey emphasized that all the letters of concern received have been taken seriously and that the commission is trying to come up with the best solution. “It’s upsetting that there’s controversy when the new playground is something to be celebrated,” she said.
Fellow Rec Commissioner Steve Melia said there have been “thousands of eyeballs on this project,” including the select board, advisory committee, and the planning board.
Looking at plan “through the eyes of a grandfather’
“Our primary goal is to offer the kids of this town healthy ways to play outside,” Rec Commissioner Steve Buckley said. “This is important to me because at my age, I look at everything through the eyes of a grandfather. My grandkids will be a part of this, and if I had any inkling that this would harm them in any way my vote would have been against [the project] 100 times out of 100.”
Resident Beth Rockoff wondered how with so much money being spent and so much effort put into the playground plan the project could be moving forward “when there’s any kind of risk, which it sounds like there is.”
There are natural materials that might be better for the sake of the children’s health and safety, she said.
CHA Consulting is “trying to look at as much data as possible and trying to be good stewards of the town’s money and the safety of the community,” Pollard said. “There are inherent risks with every material we touch and consume every day, and we’re not suggesting any of these materials or surfaces are perfect. We’re trying to pick the best of those that are available, and the pour-in-place [method] checks off the safety and accessibility boxes.”
Go to https://www.hinghamanchor.com/opinion-to-members-of-the-hingham-recreation-commission-and-hingham-select-board/ to read a column written by Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research sharing her concerns about the safety of various playground surfaces.
Go to https://www.hinghamanchor.com/opinion-hingham-playground-surface-safety/ for a letter written by Moonan and Pollard regarding the safety of the proposed materials, specifically the poured-in-place rubber surfacing of the proposed new playground.
For more information about the playground plans, go to www.hinghamrec.com.