"The Hut" and adjacent sledding hill: one of the proposed sites

The City of Newton is planning to develop a new municipal building known as NewCAL (Newton Center for Active Living) primarily to serve Newton’s seniors. The plan calls for a building of 37,000 square feet, including a gymnasium of 14,000 square feet, on a 2.5 acre site (about 110,000 square feet). The project team has shortlisted six locations in Newton for the site, all of which are within public parks.

It is undoubtedly important to serve Newton’s seniors. But eliminating public green space to do so is short-sighted. Newton’s parks are amongst its greatest assets, and their value to the community cannot be measured in simple financial terms. Our parks are precious natural areas and a refuge in the face of inevitable urbanization. They have been nurtured and protected by the city for decades if not centuries, and it would be a tragedy if green space is lost in the rush to find a site for a new city building.

We appeal to Mayor Fuller to immediately remove all public parks from consideration for the NewCAL site, and to reaffirm Newton's commitment to preserving its natural spaces.

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