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.