What are your thoughts on the proposed equipment and concept plan for Quincy Park?

I live one block from the volleyball court/playground and have a 3 year old son, so this is very important to me.

I think the proposed improvements to the playground area at Quincy Park are fantastic, although I worry that the movable building blocks, while a nice concept, would be stolen within a matter of days. A large, wheel chair accessible bus and firetruck could be a very fun structure that kids of all abilities could enjoy.

I echo the many statements that a second volleyball court in that location, especially one that causes the removal of healthy trees, is unnecessary.

Quincy Park is a great park as it is now but yes would be more appealing with simple improvements as more picnic tables/benches past the volleyball courts & playground. We often share one or two picnic tables between the two. So, the shelter in the playground feature will help. But more picnic tables and benches in general will be great!

Playground ideas are nice. But ensure that anything placed will be low maintenance and don't have removable parts that are removable as they wouldn't last more than a week. It will also be great if there were just natural things like boulders set around the park in general! Even balance beams. Currently the bleachers are used by the kids as climbing features and balance beams!

Any artistic features should take into consideration that kids will be around. Mosaic district is beautifully done. They have stones that border the center "park" area, which have become great playtoys that the staff have to on a daily basis go and reorganise and remove from the water feature.

I wouldn't suggest keeping a grill/bbq pit inside the fenced playground area. Maybe slightly outside so even if there's a get together, non-invities won't feel like they are crashing a party of sorts.

My daughter is only 5 years old, so my interest in a second volleyball court was not of significant importance. But when I think about it, she absolutely enjoys watching volleyball, tennis, baseball, tennis games. She associates fun with exercise and encourages us to go exercise! It's amazing that in the midst of a city you do have a place for sports we have very often just crossed the street to watch a game and even the high school marching band practice. And if it's possible at all to address the need of a second volleyball court without getting rid of mature trees, it would be great! And even if it's redesigning the one volleyball court, please ensure that you get it up to standard that is done/required by whatever governing body.

P.S. I am not sure why it shows I am 2 miles away from the park when I am across the street from it.

Please do not remove a tree for a second volleyball court. Some people go to a park to relax and appreciate nature and not for sports activities. Since there are so many apartment buildings closeby, I think the neighbors would rather enjoy the shade of a mature maple than a court. We have lost an alarming amount of tree canopy in Arlington and keeping every possible tree on public property is important to our environment.

Any park improvements should not include removal of any healthy mature trees!

I support the renovation of the playground if the design and quality is high enough to improve the overall quality of Quincy Park. Quincy Park should be the Central Park of Arlington, not just "another neighborhood park," so the playground should be markedly higher quality than any other. I also do not support the removal of any significant trees for the playground or for a volleyball court. If we want a second volleball court, it should be placed in one of the many treeless sections of the park. Alternatively, maybe it should be placed in Long Bridge Park, which has the advantage of nighttime lighting. It is inappropriate for Arlington's "Central Park," surrounded by hundreds of apartments, to be an overwhelmoingly sports-oriented park without any beautiful horticulture, benches, stonework, woodwork, water feature, etc. (Also, the bleachers at the volleyball court are embarrasingly shoddy.) This could be a great new playground that could be an impetus to a much nicer park. Thank you.

Under no circumstances would cutting down large trees be considered an improvement to a park. To cut down a large tree for a volleyball court and or a playground is absurd. We are losing our tree canopy in Arlington at an alarming rate so this proposal is absurd.

The play area seems pleasant though I would argue against the water feature. The expansion of the sand volleyball court to two is unnecessary, however. Quincy Park is now a treasured space with an excellent balance of active and passive recreation including many mature trees. Many of us enjoy the unprogrammed space in the NE corner of the park where we can sit under a tree and read, watch the world go by or just relax. The expansion of the courts will reduce the space available for quiet activities. Moreover, the removal of a canopy tree is unacceptable.

Last, Quincy Park should be included in a comprehensive master plan for the entire park.

New playground is fine, no reason for lights at volleyball court.

I applaud the inclusiveness of the park for all children. I do have concerns about the sustainability of all the features in that FY2016 operating budgets from Parks Dept. has been asked to reduce by 2% it's proposal to the County Manager -- and is certain to sustain some cuts. Given this reality for upcoming years, all features should be closely examined and prioritized. Although there is funding to build the playground and volleyball courts, there may well not be money to maintain both. In this situation, I firmly feel the second volleyball court for adults should be much lower priority and features for the children maintained.
The second volleyball court is a luxury and a want -- places that all children can use is a necessity and a need.

Let's maintain as much open space as possible; don't develop the park further by installing another volleyball court!

Don Walsh