THE FACTS ON BELMONT'S PARKS AND RECREATION BONDS

VOTE NOVEMBER 6, 2007

ü     The Belmont City Council voted unanimously to call for a $12 million Parks and Recreation Bond Referendum on November 6, 2007 to fund the acquisition of land, the development of new recreation facilities, and the upgrading and development of existing parks.

ü     The referendum asks Belmont citizens to give the City permission to use a special type of financing for the projects - General Obligation (GO) bonds.

ü     GO bonds are the least costly financing option available for these projects.

ü     The deadline to register for the November 6, 2007 general election is October 12, 2007.

ü     Belmont polling locations will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Parks and recreation in our community offers our citizens the opportunity to use their leisure time in the parks, on the playing fields, and through special events.
• The Parks &Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan from 2003 notes the following points regarding recreation needs in Belmont:

Ø      The City will need to acquire land for and develop one community park (20-30 acres), develop one neighborhood park (10-15 acres), and develop fine mini parks (1-2) acres to accommodate both existing and anticipated needs by the year 2013.

Ø      The community park should be intensely developed to provide multiple fields such as youth baseball, adult softball, football, and soccer.  This park should be a high priority.

Ø      The neighborhood park should be developed on City-owned land with passive recreational amenities such as trails, picnic areas, and shelters.

Ø      A mini park should be developed on City-owned riverfront land as a passive use facility.

Ø      Park sites should be acquired in the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the City to provide facilities for underserved areas.

Ø      General obligation bonds should be used as the major funding source for the proposed park acquisition and development activities.

• The $12 million in GO bonds will be used to help complete the tasks listed in the Master Plan.  These bonds would allow the City to purchase land that is quickly disappearing to utilize as recreational areas, to develop property already owned by the City for such uses, and to upgrade existing parks.