Committee and legislators consider future of Stoneham's 'crown jewel'
Published on April 22nd, 1998
With the future of Spot Pond now a matter of speculation, the Spot Pond Committee sought the input of legislators and government officials at its meeting last Thursday.
State Senator Richard Tisei, State Representative Paul Casey and Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Project Manager Gretchen Roorbach were among those in attendance and attempted to give the committee some instruction as to how it should proceed in its pursuit to restore the pond in a way which would best benefit the community.
"I'm interested in what happens to this," Tisei told the committee. "I certainly understand the importance of Spot Pond to this community and to the area in general."
Tisei suggested that other area towns which surround the pond, such as Medford, Malden, Melrose and Winchester, be involved in the decision making process. He also suggested that the committee work with the Stone Zoo to ensure that no large obstacles would present themselves when work, if any is proposed, is scheduled.
In addition, he said that he would support the committee and Spot Pond and would seek out the funds needed to accomplish the goals that are set forth.
"We're going to, at some point, have to search for some funds and we'll certainly do that."
Casey also voiced his support and addressed a touchy area on behalf of the other town he represents, Winchester.
Earlier in the meeting, MWRA official Gretchen Roorbach told the committee members that Winchester made a request to continue using Spot Pond as a water source. Since that town recently constructed a large water treatment plant, it proposed that it would pay a reduced rate (due to the town's filtration work) to the MWRA if allowed to use the pond.
Committee members voiced strong opposition to the proposed usage.
"The MWRA is going to stay out of this fight," Roorbach explained. "We're not going to get in the middle of this."
Casey said that, if allowed to use the pond as a water source, Winchester would not attempt to restrict the Town of Stoneham from using it for any recreational activities.
"I don't think you're going to have any problems as to restrictions from (Winchester)," he said.
Casey said that the future looks bright for any plans which the committee puts forward, but added that funding from some source will be needed.
One large problem that both he and Tisei pointed out is an understaffing of Metropolitan District Commission which runs the Fells area. Only one employee, Tisei explained, oversees the Fells' 2,000 acres. In the past two years, the state has allocated funds to the MDC for additional staff members, but, due to a two-year-long MDC hiring freeze, the money has stagnated in an account.
"In terms of getting jobs done, the MDC is great," Casey said of projects similar to those that will be developed by the committee. "In terms of maintaining them, historically speaking, they are terrible."
Due to this shortcoming, he explained, the communities which surround the pond will have to take up the slack and, possibly, put together their own supervisory staff.
Roorbach explained that, after nearly 100 years of usage as a reservoir, Spot Pond came off line in September due to the Safe Drinking Water Act. This piece of legislation stipulated that open bodies of water were susceptible to contamination in the form of air pollution, bird droppings and human usage (i.e. swimming) and, therefore, could pose a threat to the public. The Act mandated that these bodies of water be covered.
"Spot Pond was a little big to cover," she told the committee, "and I don't think any of you would like it if we figured out a way to do it."
The pond was then deemed to be of little use to the MWRA other than in emergencies such as large fires or catastrophes which break lines which feed to the area from other MWRA sources.
The MWRA will, however, cover the Fells Reservoir and continue its usage there.
Roorbach said that her employer would not abandon Spot Pond, however. Beginning in May, the MWRA will be conducting a two-year study of the Pond to ensure that the water level and quality are maintained at acceptable standards.
She did tell committee members and the public to expect the water level to drop this summer ("We're expecting the water to evaporate this summer and you'll probably see the banks more then you ever did before," Roorbach explained), but the water would not reach a dangerously low level.
Hopefully, she said, after the two-year study, the MWRA will discover that the pond will be able to maintain itself. If not, the MWRA should be able to offset any large losses by pumping in water.
In terms of recreational use, Roorbach said, "Any shoreline activities we don't see a problem with at this time, but you guys are going to have to be the watchdogs here."
The committee will likely be meeting with officials from the MDC in the coming months and will also set up dates to meet with surrounding communities to get a better handle on what use would best serve the area.
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