Two Watertown Park Projects Scaled Back

Two Watertown projects have been scaled back to save money.

The baseball upgrades will have to wait at Casey Park, but the tennis courts will be resurfaced and an outdoor roller hockey rink with boards will be installed along with lights for the basketball courts, said Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola. In the winter, the rink will be turned into an ice skating rink.

“The baseball side is looking good, but the tennis courts are in rough shape,” Centola said.

Plans had called for dugouts, a new backstop, a batting cage and a new scoreboard at the baseball field at Casey. Watertown Little League uses the field.

Former Browne School Playground

At 552 Main Street – the park behind the Watertown Police Station – Recreation officials decided to remove a spray park planned for the park improvement project.

One of the issues was what to do with the water from the spray park, which could not be put into the storm water drains, Centola said. The runoff could have been put into the sewer system, but it would have cost the town money to do so.

A water recycling system was also considered, but Centola said the decision was ultimately made to remove the spray park.

Watertown already has spray parks at Filippello and Arsenal parks, Centola said.

It is not certain what will be done with the spot where the spray park would have gone.

“One option we are looking at is just keeping it as green space,” Centola said. “Another thought is to put in a rain garden.”