SAUGUS — The debate on Stocker Playground continued tonight at the Historical Commission Meeting, with those opposed to having a dog park in the area asking the commission for help.
Sharon Floramo started the meeting by asking the commission for its support in preserving the park as part of the neighborhood.
“The town’s proposal of building a dog park at Stocker Playground is next in line for the 2025 town projects,” Floramo said.
Floramo also said that the dog park would be a priority over the playground and ball fields in the area, which need improvement.
Mark Sacco spoke after Floramo, stating that the park was important to him and that he spent a lot of time there as a kid.
“Growing up, I spent countless hours on the courts, building lifelong memories. These courts have not only been a key part of my own experience but also serve as an important piece of our community’s history and recreational life,” Sacco said.
Sacco is referring to the basketball courts that would be removed and instead be a part of the dog park’s area. It would also include the removal of the tennis courts.
Sacco’s wife, Christina Sacco, also spoke to the commission, saying that after hearing how much the playground meant to her husband and seeing how beautiful the park was, she, too, believes that it deserves to be preserved and viewed as more than just a dog park.
A major point made at the meeting was the original Stocker Deed from April 1, 1930, which stated that the land was to be “forever used solely as a playground.” The group feels that this alone should be enough to preserve the park.
Julie Morse Mills also spoke for the group about the importance of preserving wildlife in the park. Another main concern for Mills is the Saugus River being so close to a dog park.
“In this area, a tidal river floods during seasonal rains, and there are astronomically high tides. We are concerned that a proposed dog park situated within 50 ft of the river bank will pose problems with runoff,” Mills said.
She also said that many animals, like eagles and osprey, hunt in the area. According to Mills, deer, foxes, mink, and coyotes live along the bank. She believes a dog park would heavily disrupt this wildlife.
The last group member to speak was Marie Floramo, who was worried about the possible noise disruption from the park.
“The Noise Ordinance in Saugus limits the maximum sound pressure level at the closest residential lot line to 69 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.,” Floramo said.
She continued to say that a dog’s bark can range from 60 to 110 decibels, which would be above the ordinance. She is worried that the noise would be heavily disruptive to the neighborhood and the medical home for those with Alzheimer’s that is very close to the park.
The Historical Commission chose not to state an opinion on the matter fully. However, they voted unanimously to send a letter out stating that the group supported preserving the park as a cultural landscape.
