Published October 9, 2019

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — The sidewalk benches that are in pairs facing each other in the downtown area will be reconfigured and some will be moved after the Town Council received a memorandum from Police Chief Steven Skory recommending the realignment.

Skory met with the Town Council this week and reminded them of some of the issues that have arisen related to the benches, which he said have become a focal point for groups to gather. Those groups have sometimes engaged in behavior, including public drinking, that has resulted in complaints and calls to police.

The police chief said that he has been tracking calls related to bench activity since the beginning of August. In that time, he said, police have responded to 19 calls. The calls have included issues related to drinking, disturbances, fights and medical issues. Those calls have led to eight individuals being arrested or taken into protective custody, Skory said.

He proposed a plan to reconfigure the benches in such a way as make them less inviting for groups to gather.

“There are 10 pairs of benches throughout the Square,” Skory said. “I recommend removing one bench from each pair and turning the remaining bench to face inward on the sidewalk. The benches that remain can stay in the same location.”

Skory identified possible new locations for the 10 single benches that would need to be relocated. He proposed redistributing them on the sidewalk in front of the following areas: ZuZu’s Café, Artichokes, Aria, The Doll House, CVS and the empty former Ski & Sport Shack storefront. The remaining benches could go at the bus stop in front of the Galvin Middle School, the Dog Park, JJ Round Park and Mapleway Park. Skory said.

“In addition there are two sets of benches that face each other at the bus stop on Main Street at the corner of Water Street,” Skory said. “This was a focal gathering point before the other benches went in, so I would recommend removing one bench from each pair, turn the remaining benches toward Main Street and finding new homes for the two removed benches.” There was some question as to who owns the bus stop benches — the MBTA or the town.

The main issue was the other 10 pairs of benches that were given to the town by Wakefield Main Streets as an enhancement to the downtown. Bob Mailhoit, president the Main Streets group, also addressed the Town Council on the matter of the benches.

“We have noticed on the agenda this evening that there will be a discussion and possibly a vote on removing the benches from the downtown district,” Mailhoit said. “I would like to ask that they remain in the downtown district, as previously approved by the Town Council.

Mailhoit reminded the board that the benches were part of the Patronicity Community outreach program. As part of this program over 200 community members and organizations donated money, ultimately raising over $58,000.

“The community donated with the notion that the benches were for the downtown district,” Mailhoit said. “Ten of these benches were bought by private parties and organizations for $1000 with the stipulation that they could choose the spot for their bench. The Klapes family, who has a special connection to Cravings, the Class of ‘66, The Wakefield Rotary and The Savings Bank, among others, all had particular spots in mind when they donated. To move those benches would go against the wishes of those strong community members as well as Wakefield Main Streets.”

Moving some of the benches entirely out the downtown district, to MapleWay, JJ Round and the Dog Park, Mailhoit said, would go against the very idea of the Patronicity Program, which was to help the downtown merchants and help create an active and vibrant and welcoming downtown.

Mailhoit said that the Main Streets group could understand the dilemma faced by the town regarding undesirable activity around the benches.

“However, moving the benches to address the issues downtown, is not the answer,” Mailhoit said. “There are good people using those benches every day to rest, like our neighbors at BrightView, to sit and have an ice cream at Cravings, wait for a table outside of one of our restaurants, or read a new book outside the library. This is the fabric of our community.”

He said that more outreach, family support and social services was the more appropriate way to deal with the issues with the benches.

“Moving the benches is not the answer,” he said.

There was some disagreement among Town Council members as to whether the board’s acceptance of the benches in 2017 included specifying locations for them. But ultimately, members agreed that regardless of the original vote, the town had the right to move them.

“I don’t think we anticipated people congregating for extended periods and requiring police intervention,” Chairman Edward Dombroski said. “If we find that the placement is not working, we need to find a remedy.” He added that the relocated benches would be kept in the vicinity of the original layout.

Skory agreed.

“No one knew in 2017 what the effect would be,” he said. “We need to try something different.”

Town Councilor Julie Smith-Galvin reminded the board that the original intent was to put the benches in the “core” of the downtown — between Sabatino’s and Lincoln Street.

Dombroski suggested letting the DPW, Maio and Skory work out the details of how the benches would be reconfigured.

Councilor Jonathan Chines made a motion to that effect, with the provision that any reconfiguration should take into account the original intent as much as possible. Councilor Peter May suggested including Mailhoit along with Maio, Skory and the DPW in the decisions regarding the reconfigurations.

Chines agreed to make that part of his motion, which passed unanimously.