By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — An anonymous online survey created by the North Reading Facilities Master Plan Committee (FMPC) seeking the public’s input on a potential Intergenerational Community Center is currently available online.
Responses to the survey are due by Saturday, Oct. 15. According to the FMPC, the survey provides an opportunity for the public to “let the town know your wants and needs for an Intergenerational Community Center.”
Questions about the survey may be directed to the FMPC via email at: fmp@northreadingma.gov.
The survey questions are reprinted below; however, the survey should be completed online for ease of compilation for the committee.
Intergenerational Community Center Survey
North Reading residents have noted that the town lacks suitable facilities for the kinds of programs the Edith A. O’Leary Senior Center, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Veterans’ Department and the Department of Youth Services would like to sponsor. Rather than meet the needs in individual buildings, a multi-generational community center is being considered.
Discussions have been going on for many years. An initial study was done in 2018 exploring the programming and planning of an inclusive facility that supports social, physical and intellectual well-being.
HKT Architects was recently retained by North Reading to do comprehensive facilities master plan, with Abacus Architects and Planners focusing on the community center. This survey, and the associated feasibility study, builds off the earlier study and HKT’s concurrent work.
This survey is intended to help the town understand what kinds of facilities and programs the community would like to include in a community center. Please keep in mind that the town’s funding and land resources are necessarily limited and not every idea can be accommodated, but we hope to use these survey results to provide maximum benefit given our limited resources.
We hope to get as many responses as possible so that appropriate priorities can be reflected in the planning and design options that will emerge.
North Reading Intergenerational Community Center Survey
DEMOGRAPHICS
1. How many people are in your household? (List 1 through 6 or 7+)
2. How many members of your household are between the ages:
__1-4
__5-9
__10-15
__16-18
__19-25
__26-35
__36-45
__46-55
__56-65
__65-80
__80-110
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
3. Fill in the blank with what activities you or your family members attend at the following programs and facilities:
__Edith A. O’Leary Senior Center Programs
__North Reading Veterans Department Programs
__Parks and Recreation Department Programs
__Youth Services Programs
__Flint Memorial Library (other than for checking out books)
__Facilities in other towns used for cultural, social and physical activities
4. How many times per year do you or your family members utilize these programs and facilities? Do they meet your needs?
__Edith A. O’Leary Senior Center Programs
__North Reading Veterans Department Programs
__Parks and Recreation Department Programs
__Youth Services Programs
5. Fill in the blank with additional activities you would like to see offered in a new facility for the following programs:
__Edith A. O’Leary Senior Center Programs
__North Reading Veterans Department Programs
__Parks and Recreation Department Programs
__Youth Services Programs
__Flint Memorial Library (other than for checking out books)
__Facilities in other towns used for cultural, social and physical activities
BUILDING ACTIVITIES OPTIONS
6. From the list of possible building activity options, the activities that are most important to you or your family are: (check all that apply)
___Veterans Programs
___Senior Programs
___Indoor exercise, fitness, physical activities
___Outdoor exercise, fitness, physical activities
___Performances, lectures, and larger community events
___Meetings on specific issues of interest (book club, gardening club, etc.)
___Art, Music, and Cultural activities
___Social Services, Wellness programs
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Kids
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Teens
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Young Adults
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Parents
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Singles
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Older Adults
___Meet friends and new people to hang out with: Seniors
___Probably wouldn’t go – I don’t really have unmet needs
__Other activities (please specify)
BUILDING SPACE OPTIONS
7. From the list of possible community center space options, the options that are most important to you or your family are: (check all that apply)
___Multipurpose space(s) for use by residents for community groups, exercise activities, basketball, pickle ball, volleyball, and small to medium group equipment
___Dedicated arts, crafts, maker spaces with equipment
___Dedicated music and recording spaces
___Dedicated game room – cards, billiards, etc.
___Smaller multipurpose spaces for use by community groups
___Kitchen for classes and food service for events
___Lounge and lobby space for intergenerational hanging out
___Young children play area
___Dedicated Teen Room for gaming, studying/tutoring, teen group meetings
___None of the above – not really interested in a community center
___Other indoor spaces and activities (please specify):
USE TIMES
8. When would you or your family be most likely to use a Community Center: (check those that are likely to apply)
__Weekday mornings
__Weekday afternoons
__After school
__Weekday evenings
__Weekends
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
9. While many sources of funding will be explored, including state and federal grants, private fund raising and user fees, it is likely final funding will include tax assessments for residents.
How likely would you be to support construction of a Community Center that addresses the needs of the community if the plan included an increase in real estate taxes? (Check the most appropriate)
___Very likely
___Likely
___Somewhat likely
___Somewhat unlikely
___Unlikely
___Very unlikely
FOLLOW UP
10. Based on your input the Facilities Master Plan Committee will:
• Formulate a building program or program options, with spaces and sizes
• Develop conceptual building plans suggesting spatial layouts
• Hold a public forum to review program, planning options, and facility feature options for input and further development.
If you have any other thoughts and comments, please write them in the comment box below.
11. Would you like to receive regular communications from the Facilities Master Plan Committee on upcoming meeting and planning proposals? If so, please provide the following contact information below.
Name
Email Address
Thank you for taking the time to help make this study a success! If you have any questions about the survey, please email: fmp@northreadingma.gov.
