Conservation panel OKs Parker turf field order

Conservation · Meeting of October 14, 2026

Reading's Conservation Commission voted 4-2 to approve replacement of the artificial turf field at Parker Middle School over a commissioner's objection that the project violates wetlands buffer rules. Commissioner Walter Talbot said he would be "personally voting against" the project, citing 310 CMR rules protecting the 25- and 35-foot zones behind the field. Design firm Activitas, represented by Ben McDonough and Megan Visinski, said the field size cannot shrink because relocating it would disturb subsurface drainage, and an engineer identified only as Ryan guaranteed the new surface would use no crumb rubber.

The commission also voted 6-0 to approve an MBTA order of conditions to replace a 30-inch culvert carrying the Aberjona River under the Haverhill-Reading rail line with a 60-inch pipe during a single 48-to-52-hour weekend shutdown. Separately, commissioners unanimously approved a $2,100 Eagle Scout footbridge project in Kershaw Woods proposed by Troop 702 scout Nate Goodfellow.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
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• The complete report — 2,756 words

Source: the Conservation meeting of October 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.