Has the MDC jumped the gun at Spot Pond?
Published on April 28th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - The resurgence of action in the Spot Pond area has many people excited. The concept of opening the land to the public for the first time in over 100 years has many residents in Stoneham and surrounding towns eagerly anticipating the proposed walkway and the possibility of canoeing and kayaking on the former reservoir.
"We're focusing on the public entity," said Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) Commissioner David Balfour in an interview with the Independent. "I think the general feelings are that everyone would like to see something good happening in this area. We just want to take it one step at a time."
The MDC began its work on Spot Pond's 308 acres of land last week. Large crews of state employees and county inmates were brought in to clear the area of small trees and other brush which had, Balfour stated, severely diminished the pond's pristine vistas. The crews, aided on Saturday by volunteers, managed to clear the portion of land between the Flynn MDC Ice Rink and Route 28 of much of the brush and debris which had formed over the past decades.
The rapidity of this work took many people by surprise.
"Anything that has been done so far has not surprised us," said Stephen Sylvester, chairman of the Spot Pond Committee, about the work that has been done in the area. "We just didn't know how rapidly they'd be able to do it."
Too fast for Friends
This swiftness has at least one person worried, however.
Hubert Holley, president of the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, says that the MDC has gone forward with work in a half-hazard manner which may ultimately adversely affect the Spot Pond landscape. Holley, a six year member of the Friends, says that Balfour had promised to allow his group the opportunity to voice their ideas and concerns about Spot Pond's accessibility prior to the commencement of work at the site.
"As far as Spot Pond accessibility goes, we really wanted to have input from our members," he said. "We were told that there would be public hearings. We have a variety of opinions.
"We were working under the assumption of what we were told. It wasn't something that someone just thought would happen (public hearings), we were told.
"I don't think people from Boston should just come in and arbitrarily do this."
Sylvester and Balfour explained that this first phase of work was done on an aggressive schedule due to the available manpower at this time of year. Balfour said that in the coming weeks, a majority of the MDC's force, which includes inmates on many projects, will be responsible for the numerous miles of roadway and parks land in control of the MDC. If these crews were not brought in immediately, this valued asset would be lost for the season.
"This is a window of opportunity right now. I think we're here to get an access plan to the pond," Balfour said. "These crews were brought in from all over the MDC. We really took advantage of that this week."
With the formal opening scheduled for July 1, Balfour stated that these crews were absolutely vital to the project.
Sylvester agreed with the approach taken by the MDC, saying, "Mr. Balfour is moving very quickly to take advantage of the time before things got too dispersed manpower-wise."
Holley says that there is some folly in this belief. With no formal plan of action, he explained, the MDC is moving forward based upon assumptions of what the public desires at Spot Pond.
"We don't have any problem at all with public access, but we're just miffed that the MDC didn't give people a chance and just went in there with chain saws.
"There's been a major transformation of that area without the process. I think that's a shame."
Sylvester says that the work to clear brush from the pond's banks is merely the first and easiest of several phases in the overall project.
"What's going to happen from this point on is probably going to be very slow," he said. "We knew that once the land was open, phase one would move very quickly."
Balfour agreed, saying that public meetings would be scheduled (the first on May 5 at 7 pm in the Botume House) to assure that the public has ample opportunity to tell the MDC how they envision Spot Pond in the future.
"We want to work together on all of this," he said of the project. "It just raises the quality of life for everyone. Some people think we're going very fast, but we're taking our time."
He added that this clearing of the land had to be done due to the neglect of the site in recent years.
Spot Pond was closed to the public in 1889 when the state took the land and turned it over to the MDC. In the mid 1980s, however, the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority took control of the property and failed to maintain its borders, Balfour said. The small trees, leaves and trash which was allowed to remain on the banks of the pond has to be cleared away in order to make the area attractive as well as passable.
Other problems
In addition to the advanced schedule by which the MDC has been working in the early stages of the process, Holley voiced his concern about the future of Spot Pond. The three areas that Holley says will be of major concern after July 1 are parking, policing and maintenance.
"There's no good plan for safety in that area. Safety is an issue. You're opening it up to the public and there's no officers to patrol the site. You can be sure that, at night, there's going to be a lot of problems down there.
"The other thing is there's going to be a lot more people (in the area) obviously, but there's not much parking. I don't see it being like (Lake) Quannapowitt at all because the parking's not there and there's a lack of accessibility.
"And who's going to maintain the area? They don't have that in their budget."
Balfour admits that these are areas of concern. At present, the MDC is seeking additional funds from the state to hire more rangers to patrol the land surrounding Spot Pond. Also, additional funds may have to be found to keep up the land once it is opened to the public.
"The way we'll deal with Spot Pond is the same as any of our reservations; we'll keep a close eye on it and keep full time rangers in that area.
"Certainly we'll be beefing up in the coming months from the present staff."
Sylvester said, "There's going to be even more of a presence in that area than there ever has been before. It's just a beautiful place and I know the people in my community do not want to wreck that environment."
Balfour said that parking may be increased at the intersection of Route 128 and South Street. In addition, the land across from the Stone Zoo could be used as a lot if the need arises in the future.
New Spot Pond inhabitants
Balfour explained that the MDC released brook and rainbow trout in the pond early last week. The 500 fish were introduced in the pond after a study of the water quality assured the MDC of their survival. An early test showed low levels of chlorine in the water, a status which was found to be acceptable for such marine life.
"It's just a testing period," the commissioner stated. "I think every year we'll work with (the Department of) Fish and Wildlife to see how things go and we'll add more."
Balfour said that the new 500 inhabitants have joined yellow perch, sunfish and pumpkin seeds - all natives of the pond.
Other proposals
Balfour said that canoeing and kayaking activities are a good possibility for the pond. The boats would likely be rented to the public by a Friends-like group at a launch pad near the Route 28/South Street intersection.
"The ability to have two leadership groups here (Spot Pond Committee, Friends of Fells) is good," he said. "That (the boating) will be fed by the community and what they want to see and how much they want to see."
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