At an April 7 meeting, Recreation and Parks Vice Chair Shelly Bedrossian presented updated plans to renovate Reynolds playground. The plan includes building an ice rink, sports deck, community green space and softball field.
“We want the space to serve as many people as possible, and we want to get it done,” Bedrossian said.
Currently, the park is home to a dilapidated street hockey rink built in the early 2000s. Though once skatable, Bedroissian said it is now a “known dump” with holes that make it unable to hold ice.
The project is funded by a $2.3 million bequest left by Marblehead resident Larz Anderson in 2018. The bequest, now worth $3.3 million, was intended to go towards a public winter sports facility and also recommended that other sports be supported.
After consulting with town departments, experts and Marblehead’s sports leaders to decide the major elements of the project, Bedrossian laid out a three-phase plan for these renovations.
Phase 1 entails building a sports deck that is 85% of the size of a regulation hockey rink. The rink would be complete with dasher boards, shielding, benches, safety netting and a chilling system to sustain ice throughout the winter. During the spring, the sports deck could be covered by modular turf to host soccer and lacrosse. Over the rink, the department plans to build a pavilion-style airnasium that could allow winter and spring sports rain or shine.
Adjacent to the sports deck, the department hopes to build a 41-space parking lot. Bedrossian said they are investigating the possibility of a geothermal ice and snow melting system, creating space for emergency parking in the winter.
Bedrossian said that meticulous planning went into designing this space to stay within budget, including opting for a smaller-sized rink and an open-air facility.
Amid concerns around the town’s budget, Bedroissian emphasized that the facility would be self-sustaining in cost.
Marblehead youth hockey rents practice time at facilities in other towns, including at hockey rinks in Salem, Lynn and Revere. Youth lacrosse currently rents the high school field for practice but does not have their own facility. Bedrossian proposed charging an hourly rate of $216 for sports teams to rent the space, and $100 when it’s covered in modular turf. This would cover the cost of the facility’s maintenance and operations, according to Bedrossian.
Phase 2, which would begin two years after Phase 1 is complete, entails building an adjacent turf field for softball and soccer. This space would be rented out for $125, which would cover operating and maintenance costs.
Phase 3 entails neighborhood improvement plans including redesigning Winslow Square, building sidewalks on Green Street and putting in benches and trees.
Game-changing space
The space could be a game changer for Marblehead youth sports teams.
A high school hockey player spoke at the meeting about travel time and late-night practices leaving her with “no time” to finish her homework. President of Marblehead Youth Hockey Mike Calabrese said families have had to travel “long distances” for practice for years. For many student athletes, practice ends at 10 pm and weekend practices begin as early as 6:30 a.m., he said.
“For these kids to get to bed late and wake up early takes away time from their families and schoolwork… It’s an investment in our community,” he said.
Calabrese said the space could bring in patronage for local businesses from out of town and could be a “gathering place for the community to come together.”
Bedrossian said Rec & Parks would focus on completing this first phase of the plan on time and within their budget to earn the trust of the community. She said she hoped that the first phase would be completed by winter 2026-27.
Pete Jaffe spoke at the meeting on behalf of the Marblehead men’s softball league, advocating that Phase 1 be completed as quickly as possible so that they could continue their use of the current Reynolds park softball field. Bedrossian said the department would work to ensure the softball team is not displaced while waiting for Phase 2.
After the plans for these renovations are finalized, Bedrossian said Rec & Parks would direct CHA Solutions, an architectural firm they hired, to create a formalized plan.
“Everyone’s got an ore in the water to move this along and make it work,” Bedrossian said.
