WHITMAN – The Old Colony Planning Council held a public forum on Wednesday, Oct. 23 on results of Whitman’s recent public survey on preferred Open Space and Recreation uses.
The brief meeting was conducted at the Whitman Public Library’s Community Room.
Senior Planner for Housing and Public Engagement J.D. Desrosier, who now lives in Whitman, moderated the presentation, which concluded with a workshop session, and was also attended by is associate Laurie Muncy and members of the Open Space and Recreation Plan Steering Committee, LeAnne MacKenzie and Brian Lapierre.
“We’re making sure that we’re connecting with the various users of the parks in spaces that make sense to them, to make sure we’re very hearing that the way people use the various ways that people use these spaces” he said. “Most of the land in Whitman is zoned as residential. We’re a very residential community, so making sure that we are stewarding our current open space responsibly is important.”
But identifying additional acquisitions of open space/recreational facilities that town many need is going to be part of the plan, as well.
Whitman’s updates Open Space and Recreation Plan will reflect changes since 2000, when the last plan was crafted.
“A lot has changed over the last 24 years, so making sure the updated plan meets the needs and priorities of a community with changing and shifting needs [is important],” Desrosier said.
Founded in 1967, the OCPC focuses on comprehensive development with the aim of improving the physical, social and economic conditions of the 17-community district. Planners work on transportation, economic development, housing, open space and recreation and sustainability planning projects.
The update is intended to discover why residents use open or recreational spaces, and if they don’t use them, why not and how can those issues be improved.
“We have a robust region of the South Shore and we engage in various planning project,” Desrosier said.
The Council’s work under Whitman’s Open Space and Recreation Plan, is drafting specific language for its goals, objectives and actions; developing a public participation plan; collecting data – primarily on parcel and Americans with Disability Act-accessible inventories while analyzing the town’s needs and demographics; and analyzing the resource protection and management needs.
Part of that work involves the resident survey that may still be filled out and is available online or via a QR code on literature available at the library.
“We don’t necessarily need, or want, every resident in the town of Whitman to respond to the survey, but we want to make sure that we have a robust enough response rate that we can use that in determining specific needs and priorities,” Desrosier said. “But your input on the survey is important.”
So far there have been only 120 responses. Scheduled to close Nov. 9, the survey may also be taken by people who may not live in Whitman, but who uses recreational and open spaces.
“If we see a steady stream of survey responses, I can leave that open a little bit longer,” Desrosier said.
An analysis of needs and a brief analysis of Whitman’s demographics can be done in concert with an analysis of resource protection needs, especially in regard to wetlands.
Desrosier said an Open Space and Recreation Plan prioritizes the needs of the town in those areas as well as costs.
“It’s a prerequisite for the Mass. Department of Conservation Service Grants,” Desrosier said. The public process includes the survey, public meetings and focus groups – including some interviews with clients, from elders at the Senior Center to “young folks,” at the high school.
The plan also includes an environmental inventory of environmental and recreation spaces.
“Open space can be a lot of different things,” Desrosier said. “It’s not just an open field or park. In includes Conservation lands, forested lands, agricultural lands, atheltic fields, polaygrounds, small “pocket” parks; green buffers along roadways and undeveloped land of conservation or rectation interest.”
Whitman’s open spaces include Hobart’s Pond, Whitman Middle School softball field and the fown forest, just to name a few,” he said.
The town’s demographic breakdown is – 89.2 percent (13,510) is white alone; 339 persons are Black or African-American alone; 124 are Native American or Native Alaskan alone.149 are Asian alone. There are 678 who idenitfy as two or more races and 346 who are some other race alone.
“The reason I include the demographic data is just so I’m holding myself accountable to making sure that we are connecting with the various community members that call Whitman home and/or use the vaious open or recreation spaces that we have,” Desrosier said. “I’m not naive enough to think that I’m going to connect with all 15,000 people, but I’m going to make sure that I’m going to connect with as many people as I can.”
The ADA assessment makes sure that the 5.7 percent of the population is also able to enjoy and use open space and recreational facilities.