By JON BAKER

LINCOLN  -—  Call this “Extreme Makeover: Park Edition.”
Since 2000, Town Planner Albert Ranaldi has spent hundreds of hours working with M.G. Landscaping Inc. of Woburn, Mass. on designs for the Lonsdale Elementary School/Park renovation project, and he claimed it’s been an exhausting process.

By JON BAKER

LINCOLN  -—  Call this “Extreme Makeover: Park Edition.”
Since 2000, Town Planner Albert Ranaldi has spent hundreds of hours working with M.G. Landscaping Inc. of Woburn, Mass. on designs for the Lonsdale Elementary School/Park renovation project, and he claimed it’s been an exhausting process.
Still, that long-ago dream is about to become reality, as the Town Council voted unanimously last Thursday to award the bid to Lucena Bros. Construction, Inc. of Cumberland. The approximate $1.1 million, two-tiered project will include the building of a state-of-the-art baseball field — to be used only by Lincoln Little League, Inc. — and other park-like features, not to mention 74 new parking spaces in front of and to the left of the school.
Ranaldi stated Wednesday afternoon he expects Department of Public Works employees to begin demolition of chain-link fences and other structures behind the school today. He also added that only a few trees will be taken down for completion.
This endeavor’s funds, the planner said, came from Lincoln Park/Twin River officials, who initially had planned on building a new Little League complex on their property back in 2000.
“Later, they ended up donating $850,000 to the town to construct it, and this is it,” Ranaldi noted. “That money was invested, and obviously it grew (to about $1.2 million). Because (Town Administrator) Joe Almond has been such a huge proponent for it, that extra money will go to future renovation of Manville Park, another in need of repair.
“Lucena Bros. offered the lowest qualifying bid, and -- as part of the savings -- the town said it would take care of demolition to portions of the existing park,” he added. “We’ve done a lot of work on the designs, because there are so many stakeholders involved,
including the Lincoln Little League, the school administration, the Parks and Recreation department, the Town Council, the residents and other organizations.
“We kept everyone’s needs and desires in mind, and I believe this design will work to create all of the stakeholders’ visions for the area. We were very cost-conscious with this project. In fact, Paul (Prachniak, the veteran Parks and Recreation director) and I have gone back three times to make cuts, and -- every time -- we again had to look at those stakeholders. Obviously, you can't cut any safety measures.”.
The estimated cost of the school phase is $330,000, which will fund those new parking spaces.
“Anyone who has been to the school understands they’re needed because of flooding after heavy rain and snow storms,” he said. “We’re also going to fix the drainage between the two additions in the back (by) building a new catch basin.”
More improvements included a new basketball court and multi-purpose recreation area, which will be marked for children’s games such as hopscotch, dodgeball, etc.; and a “Play Structure” for those ages 5-12 -- swings, slides and jungle gym made of plastic and metal. Ranaldi pointed out a plastic/fiber safety surface will be planted underneath.
“It’s like mulch you’d have in your front or back yard; it’s designed to take the impact of a fall,” he said. “This isn’t like our old playground.”
As for the “Lonsdale Park” area beyond the school, with a price tag of $713,000, the main feature is that Little League diamond, to be located at the old practice site. (For those traditionalists, Sam Moore Field will remain intact, as will the announcer’s box/concessions stand near the right-field foul pole).
It will feature four “top-of-the-line” Musco lights for night play, a sod outfield, all-dirt infield and two dugouts, complete with metal roofs and chain-link sides. Two sets of bleachers, with seats for 50 fans each, will be placed on either side of the dugouts for viewing pleasure.
(Those wondering where the diamond would be situated need only stand behind home plate at Sam Moore Field. Look out toward center field, and one would see the back of the new park’s center fielder).
“It’s virtually a ‘flip-flop’ of Sam Moore,” Ranaldi stated. “We’re also building a new 25- x 25-foot concession stand with rest rooms … There is room for a press box, but not at this time. We’re looking right now at making an elevated deck behind the plate.”
The good news: The picnic area (beyond the current concessions stand) will remain. Adjacent to it will be a new handicapped-accessible playground for those ages 2-5. Ranaldi also claimed a semi-circular, one-way driveway will surround the park (to create easy access for public safety vehicles), and a walkway will be built between the two baseball fields.
“Parking for a normal game will still be pretty easy; it will all be in front or to the (left) side of the school,” Ranaldi said. “If it’s an All-Star game, people will have to park on the street. I still say it’s going to be better than it was.
“We also plan on moving the granite marker by the new flagpole,” to be erected near the walkway and outside the center-field fence of the new diamond, he added. “That is meant to symbolize the entrance to the new field, as well as a memorial area. The flagpole will also have ‘yard arms’ for the hanging of pennants.
“There’s been forethought to this, too. If we get the funds and decide to add amenities -- say, lighting at Sam Moore -- we’re prewiring the underground between the two outfield fences. That way, when such a decision is made, we don’t have to tear up the field again.”
Councilman James Jahnz, representing District 4 (Lime Rock, Albion and Quinnville), expressed delight with the project.
“I’m very happy to see the town add more reasonable recreational space, and I think it will be a boon to the town’s Little League,” he said. “I know (league president) John Sharkey and some coaches and parents were at the meeting. I’m sure they were thrilled that this is on the horizon.”