Laura Glesby Photo
New parks chief Siciliano: Intends "to learn the town."
The Board of Parks Commissioners unanimously approved a proposed playground for that site at the most recent monthly meeting held at 720 Edgewood Ave.
Per an early sketch presented by landscape architect Katherine Jacobs to the board, the playground will comprise a climbing structure with a slide, a splash pad, a swing set, and a “rain garden” of native plants to help with water drainage.
The city plans to build a new concrete walkway leading up to the playground, which would be surrounded by metal fencing.
The playground will be built using $300,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
West Hills/West Rock Alder Honda Smith, the Board of Alders’ newly-designated representative to the board, asked when the structure would likely be completed. Jacobs responded that she expects it to be finished next year.
The board also had an opportunity at the Wednesday evening meeting to meet the city’s new parks and public works director, Michael Siciliano, who previously worked as an assistant director of Hamden’s public works department.
“It’s been, uhh … interesting,” Siciliano told the board when asked about how his first week had been going. The snowstorm had created an eventful week for the department.
Siciliano grew up in Hamden and worked in the town’s government for more than two decades, most recently serving as deputy director of public works. New Haven is “a lot bigger than Hamden,” he said with a laugh.
“What are your priorities?” asked Smith.
“To learn the town,” and as many streets as possible, Siciliano replied.
The Fairmont Park playground proposal.
Architect Katherine Jacobs.
Good grief, does Katherine Jacobs' architectural rendering software really not have ANY patterns for "people" who look like the actual residents of Fair Haven Heights?