Town Administrator Gary Brouham and Belchertown Public Schools Superintendent Judith Houle signed a letter of agreement July 25 authorizing the arrangement.
BELCHERTOWN – The long and methodical road to build a fully accessible outdoor playground that will honor a young woman who passed away in 2009 has gotten another boost.
The town and School Department have announced the donation of land for the facility, which will be called Jessica’s Boundless Playground, in memory of Jessica Martins.
Town Administrator Gary Brouham and Belchertown Public Schools Superintendent Judith Houle signed a letter of agreement July 25 authorizing the arrangement.
The school and the town “support the construction of Jessica’s Boundless Playground and have agreed to donate land at Chestnut Hill Community School, located off of Route 202 in Belchertown, for this recreational site,” the letter states.
“Robert Lachance, Director of Buildings and Grounds for Belchertown Public Schools, will manage this project and, once the playground has been constructed,” the school “will be responsible for the playground and its maintenance, in cooperation with the town.”
The 19-year old Martins, who was wheelchair-bound from Rett Syndrome, a disorder affecting the nervous system, passed away Oct. 25, 2009 during a bout with the H1N1 influenza virus.
Her mother, Vicky Martins-Auffrey is part of a volunteer group of more than a dozen adult – known as Team Jessica – that have been meeting at her home monthly for the past three years.
They have been raising money to pay for the proposed half-million-dollar state-of-the-art playground in memory of Jessica. Groundbreaking is expected next June.
The group says the playground design, by O’Brien & Sons of Medfield, is near completion.
Playground supporters plan a major fund-raiser on Sept. 8, when the “No Boundaries Ride Poker Run and Classic Car Show” takes place. To participate, email Team Jessica at teamjessicaonline@gmail.com
Information about the fund-raiser that also includes a dinner is at teamjessicaonline.com.
In addition to the school land and private donations, Belchertown Town Meeting has appropriated $100,000 of community preservation act funds.