Gathering Areas, Events and Programs
“A grateful serenity may be enjoyed in (Franklin Park) by many thousands of people at a time, if they are not drawn into throngs by spectacular attractions, but are allowed to distribute themselves as they are otherwise likely to do.” FLO 1886 Franklin Park has a long and distinguished history of hosting events and public programs. Its strong association with the city’s Roxbury, Dorchester and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods has made it the gathering place of choice for cultural festivities, community pride days and family celebrations. The Zoo, Stadium, cross-country track and Golf Course attract visitors from across the city and around the region. A concerted effort by both the community and Parks Department to attract people and events to Franklin Park has succeeded to such a degree that the park, large as it is, exceeds comfortable and sustainable capacity several times a year. The existing festivals may be allowed to continue, but new events of this scale and duration should be prohibited. Cross Country meets shall be treated as special events and required to meet all applicable rules and regulations. In the interests of consistency, the broad standards developed for Boston Common shall apply to Franklin Park as well. Several sections below have been reproduced in their entirety from the Boston Common Management Plan. These standards and protocols shall be used in assessing any event requiring a permit from the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. The standards will be shared with other entities within the historic boundaries of the park. The Department encourages those entities to conform to these standards. Permit Process A park use permit is required for any special programmed or organized use, activity or gathering that occurs in the area of Franklin Park under the care and control of the Boston Parks Department. Examples include a seasonal festival, a youth event, a cross-country meet, a public theater event and a race start or finish line. Written application for a park use permit must be submitted to the Boston Parks and Recreation Permitting Unit no fewer than 30 days in advance of the date being requested. The deadlines for annual permits are 2/1 for Spring/Summer athletics, 7/1 for Fall athletics and 3/1 for Special Events. Special arrangements for large events - staging, tents, sound equipment, barriers, security, Ranger details, service needs, provisions, cleanup and assurances against damage must be made at least 30 days in advance Park permits are issued solely at the discretion of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. The department reserves the right not to issue a permit to use Franklin Park if the size, timing, or other factors connected to the proposed event may cause stress or risk to Franklin Park, and/or unmitigated disruption of general use of the Park. In case of inclement weather, the Parks Department reserves the right to cancel the event without
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advance notice in order to protect Franklin Park. In this case, rescheduling of the event may be made based upon availability. The Parks and Recreation Department reserves the right to review all requests for events and assign the appropriate time and location for an event. The Department must consider suitability, neighborhood impacts, traffic issues and public safety, including the Fire and Police Departments’ ability to serve the area as well as the Park. The Department will entertain a request for an event in Franklin Park on the following criteria: Event applications submitted after the deadline are considered on a first come, first serve basis, subject to availability. Athletic permits are prioritized 1) Boston Public Schools 2) Neighborhood Youth, 3) Neighborhood Adults, and 4) the public at large. The event does not unreasonably interfere with the normal use and enjoyment of the Park. The event does not conflict with another previously approved event or similar event, even if that event is in a different section of the Park. Events that have a significant impact (i.e. are expected to attract more than 2,000 people, have a complicated set-up and/or last more than one day) and require multiple permits must have an approved plan consistent with the standards set by public safety and other relevant city agencies. Transportation plans should emphasize the use of public transportation to minimize impact on the park. The sponsors of an event demonstrate adequate capacity to be held responsible for organization and management of the event including cleanup and restoration of the park. Events that have a major impact on the park as determined by the Parks Department (i.e. are expected to attract more than 5,000 people, have a complicated set-up and/or last three or more days) shall provide at their own expense appropriate public safety details, portable toilets and clean-up details for the area of impact. The area of impact shall be assumed to include Circuit Drive and any parking areas indicated on the permit or transportation plan. If the permit holder fails to clean the area of impact within 24 hours of the event, the Department may clean the area and send an invoice for such services to the permit holder. If the permit holder, its successors or assigns fails to provide details as required or has outstanding invoices with any city agency, no permits shall be issued for any Boston park. City noise regulations for sound amplification consistent with the standards set by the Boston Environment Department. The arrangements, logistics and the set up and the take down of the event that require large trucks and heavy equipment that pose a potential damage or hazard to the Franklin Park grounds, architecture and furniture are controlled, that every effort is made to ensure safety and the permit holder is responsible for any harm to the park and its facilities.
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Insurance is required to repair possible damage. No commercial advertising will be permitted except in accordance with Section 6 of the Parks and recreation Commission. Event Locations Figure XXX Map with Locations The Refectory This area between Blue Hill Avenue and the Golf Course Club House was identified in the Master Plan as a suitable site for a visitor’s center consistent with the historic use for the site. The reconstruction of the Club House provides some public amenities and the concentration of uses and traffic in this area suggests a lower impact use than a visitors center is appropriate, at least in the near term. The Resting Ground These open lawns across from the Shattuck Hospital are a very popular location for picnics and community gatherings. Two areas are available for permitting, both are used heavily. These areas are close enough to the hospital that amplified sound should be restricted. Access and parking should be improved consistent with the Master Plan. The addition of bike racks would be helpful in this location. Wayfinding signage and general information about the park should be added to encourage visitors to explore beyond this site. Some of the most scenic areas in the park (Scarboro Hill, Scarboro Pond and Ellicott Dale) are a short walk away. Ellicott Arch and Dale The ballfield at this location is a popular facility. The surrounding lawns allow a combination of sport and more passive uses. The Master Plan suggests reorientation of the field both for the benefit of the batter and to diminish the backstop’s impact on the view as one comes through Ellicott Arch. This area is not accessible by vehicles, but many users park above on Circuit Drive and walk down the slope to the field. Wilderness Picnic Area This once popular picnic area may not be available as the condition of the hemlock trees deteriorates due to the infestation by hemlock wooly adelgid. (See Natural Resources section). No cookouts should be allowed in the woodland areas of the park due to fire hazards. Wilderness Cross Country Special events permits are required for meets. Practices that draw fewer than 25 participants need an athletic facility permit. While the cross country track is an important city athletic facility, this use should be balanced with normal use of the walking trails by the public and controlled to ensure long-term ecological health of the resources.
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Schoolmaster Hill Schoolmaster Hill, with its sweeping views across the meadow, has the potential to serve more visitors as a picnic area. Wayfinding signage and improved crossing from Valley Gate parking area would be beneficial. Playstead Playstead is the largest gathering area in the park. Its flat, accessible open space generates the highest demand of any permitted area in the park. In addition to hosting events of varying scale, it contains ballfields and a cricket pitch. Although it has a negative impact on the turf, this is the only area in which tents, amusements, staging and vehicles are permitted for event purposes. Permit holders should seek alternative venues outside the park. The Overlook The Overlook area is a focus for cultural programming in the park due to the historic association with Elma Lewis’ Playhouse in the Park and on-going Parkarts programs. The ruins are attractive to performers and use of the site should be encouraged consistent with the Master Plan. In order to protect the resource, the performance and audience space should be confined in the footprint of the foundation wall. Siting of equipment in such a way that it disrupts normal use of the park and park paths should be discouraged. Programs that will draw larger crowds may be held on the lawns entering the Overlook area near Valley Gates and the swing gate. Very large events with extensive equipment needs should be limited to Playstead. The Playgrounds These neighborhood play areas should be available for general use whenever the park is open. Small, public, child-focused activities (face painting, puppet shows) may be sponsored by the Department from time to time. Overflow from Zoo, Stadium, Golf Course and Hospital Events Several areas of Franklin Park can experience intense pressure from activities programmed and controlled by parties other that the Parks Department. The responsibility to arrange in advance for adequate security, traffic, and extra space shall fall on the event organizers and the organizing party and must be coordinated with the Parks Department. The Parks Department reserves the right to take any action it deems necessary in order to preserve normal use of the park. No event organizer should assume that the parkland or Parks Department can absorb the impact of events by others and event organizers should plan events in such a way that their actions do not have an adverse effect on the normal use and enjoyment of Franklin Park. The Department is an abutter with the established right to sign off on such events. Times for Events To make Franklin Park available to as many people as possible a strict time limit is set for events using space in the Park. Any single event shall not be scheduled for more than 7 consecutive days (this seven day period shall include all time necessary to set up and
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take down an event). Events shall generally occur between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm. Evening events will be considered on a case by case basis. Amplification The City of Boston ordinance limits sound levels in a Residential/ Commercial area to 70 decibels/25 hertz and to daytime hours (7:00 am to 6:00 pm). Amplified music or sound should only be permitted at Playstead, the Overlook and their lawns. Use of amplified sound must conform to permit requirements. No amplified sound shall be turned on before 10:00 am except for the purposes of a sound check. The rest of Franklin Park shall be considered a quiet zone and a peaceful refuge away from amplified sound including loud radios, cassettes, CD players and the like. This standard shall also apply to the use of radios in cars parked in Franklin Park that are audible outside the car. Neighbors or park users who feel that an event in the park or within the historic boundaries of the park is in violation of the city ordinance should report such a violation to the Boston Police with a request for enforcement. Bonds Performance bonds may be required on a case by case basis. Insurance All sponsors must provide liability insurance coverage in conformance with City of Boston requirements as described on the Parks Department permit application. Approval If an application for a permit is approved, the Parks Department will draft the permit in the form of an agreement between the Parks Department and the person or group requesting the permit. The Permit agreement will be signed by the person or group requesting the permit and then signed by the Park Commissioner or her designee. The permit agreement will include the rules and regulations and any other relevant documents such as a site plan and production schedule. The person requesting the event will sign the Permit Agreement indicating that he/she has read and understands the regulations and will abide by them. Permit documents must be in hand by the event organizers on the day of their event and on site at all times. Sports Permits There is a high demand for sports facilities throughout the City of Boston and the facilities in Franklin Park are no exception. The cross-country course is one of the few in the region and heavily used. Sports facilities can exacerbate some problems such as parking or driving on the turf. The lack of sanitary facilities can also be a drawback. The Parks Permitting Division issues permits for athletic facilities specifying hours of use, number of attendees and responsibilities such as Ranger and/or police details, clean up plans, portable toilets and vehicle control. In case of inclement weather, teams shall be responsible for calling the Parks Permitting Division to ascertain whether facilities are open. The diamonds, cross country and cricket pitch are subject to permits issued by the
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Department. The tennis courts and basketball courts are available on a first come first serve basis except when permitted to a youth service program. Cross-Country Course is a very popular facility but heavy use for both events and practice interferes with normal use of the park during the fall season. Runners place a heavy demand on the park, and the sense from neighbors is that some teams are not responsible stewards of the resource. In particular any marking of tracks should be temporary in nature, runners and spectators should respect the natural and historic resources in the park and organizers should provide adequate facilities and services to support events. Meets are issued permits and must meet conditions for special events, but teams who use the track as their practice facility should also be required to get permits consistent with the Department’s Cross Country Policy. This will allow closer monitoring of use and better control of the resource. Teams are responsible if they damage the facility or disrupt the park. Those who do so will lose the privilege of using the track in the same way that leagues may lose the privilege to get permits for fields.
DRAFT for discussion purposes only
May 11, 2005