A POPULAR PARK

Cold weather didn’t keep the crowds away from Anna Parker Playground last weekend as six new pickleball courts and a street hockey rink opened

By Mark E. Vogler

SAUGUS – With the recent improvements, Anna Parker Playground is turning out to be quite a hit for residents of all ages who are packing the park, according to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree. Even with the 30 degree weather over the weekend, “there’s lines of people,” Crabtree told selectmen at Tuesday’ night’s (Dec. 3) meeting.

Crabtree said the six new pickleball courts and a street hockey rink are creating an intriguing generational phenomenon in Saugus, noting that the same park has become a destination for senior citizens as well as children as young as five years old. The pickleball courts are drawing the senior crowd while the street hockey rink has been attracting the kids.

“All weekend, they were packed with people wanting to use them,” the town manager said.

Selectman Mike Serino remarked that it was neat for him while driving around on Sunday to see “college kids playing street hockey and seniors playing pickleball.”

Even before the new sports facilities opened at Anna Parker Playground, Crabtree said, his office got flooded with telephone calls. “We had pickleball people calling and street hockey people calling, to get it open,” he said.

Town officials gathered at the playground on Nov. 27 – the day before Thanksgiving – for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Anna Parker improvements that include:

• A street hockey rink that measures 120 feet by 60 feet with a dasher board system, player benches and bleachers
• Six regulation-sized pickleball courts that feature separator fences to limit ball interference between courts
• LED lighting to illuminate the pickleball courts and street hockey rink that is designed to mitigate impact to the surrounding community
• Addition of a large picnic area with tables and benches
• Planting of new shade trees
• Updated drainage
• Security cameras

Town Manager Crabtree said he is thrilled with how the project turned out.