Thayer Field
for Recreation
A snapshot of the Town Center Recreation Campus Master Plan
LANCASTER, MASSACHUSETTS
Prepared by:
Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) in collaboration with
the Thayer Field Recreation Campus Task Force of Lancaster
February 2012
Modern playground
Community Gardens
Dog park
Perimeter Walking Trails
Lawn Green Game Area
Ice Skating/ Skate Board Park
Amphitheatre
Additional Baseball Fields
?
Tennis Court Restoration
Scout Activity Area
Additional Basketball Court
Thayer Field Recreation Task Force:
Elements of the Future Campus
Can it be done?
Land area needed
Proposed
Project
Land Area
Needed Ft.
Land Area
Needed acreage
Activity
Dimensions
Badminton
1,620 sq. ft.
Playground
60,000
1.37
Basketball - Youth
2,400 - 3,036 sq. ft.
Amphitheatre
12,500
0.28
Basketball - High School
5,040 - 7,280 sq. ft.
1 Little League
Field
65,340–
87,120
1.5-2
Ice Hockey
22,000 sq. ft.
Tennis
7,200 sq. ft. - single court
Volleyball
4,000 sq. ft.
Perimeter Trails
N/A based on design
N/A based on design
Baseball - Little League
1.2 acres
Field Hockey
1.5 acres
Football
1.5 acres
Soccer
1.7 - 2.1 acres
1/4 Mile Running Track
4.3 acres
Scouts Activity
Area
50 Feet wide/ the length 50 Feet wide/ the length
of the middle school
of the middle school
Dog Park
65, 340
1.5
Lawn Games
See Table 1-3
See Table 1-3
Basketball Court
2,400 - 3,036
0.05 -0.07
211 additional
parking spaces
67,520
Estimated TOTAL
273,100 –
295,516
Total = 6.3- 6.8 acres
1.5
Smaller Games
Shuffleboard
10' x 52'
Horseshoe Court
6' x 46'
Bocce Court
10' x 60' to 76'
Sand Volleyball
79' x '50
Croquet
94' x 115'
Lawn Bowling
120' x 120'
6.3- 6.8
+
area needed for lawn games
& perimeter trails
Parking needed
The whole “Town Center” area of Lancaster should have 525 parking spaces as a
maximum.
353
With the new recreation campus,
parking spaces in the Town Center will be
needed at various times for the activities on Thayer Field (see table 8). Given that the
new campus will be located in the Town Center, there will be a definite overlap in
residents using the parking for access to the Town Center, along with access to the
new campus.
Proposed Project
Recommended Parking Spaces
Recommendations
Playground
18 spaces
Amphitheatre
150 spaces – possibly on evenings and weekends
3 Little League Fields
60 spaces
Perimeter Trails
N/A - Minimal
Scouts Activity Area
Dog Park
33 spaces – during school year. Wed. nights (6 to
10PM)
40 parking spaces
Lawn Games
22 spaces
2 Basketball Courts
20 spaces
2-3 Tennis Courts
7 or 10 spaces – peak usually 3 to 4 PM
Total
353
ADA Requirements
1.) Perimeter Walking Trails
ADA requirements relating to perimeter walking trails: The proposed trail must have a clear tread width of least 36 inches
wide with an entrance no greater than ½ inch in width off the ground. Depending on the slope of the trail, all obstacles can be
no greater than 2 inches high. Exceptions are described below, along with a graph of requirements relating to this proposed
trail system.
2.) Amphitheatre
ADA Requirements “T2*13.2.2 Outdoor Seating” Where multiple fixed benches are placed in an area, at least 50 percent
must be accessible. This assures the visitor that there will be at least one bench available which is accessible. Further, of the
benches that are required to be accessible, 50 percent must provide an armrest. ADA feels that visitors should be provided
with a choice of bench configurations that will accommodate different needs. An armrest provides support when occupying
the bench and assists in transfer to or from the bench.
3.) Scout Activity Area
ADA Requirements: “T204 Outdoor Recreation Access Route”
Outdoor recreation access routes are required to connect elements required to be accessible. For example, where a cooking
grill and a picnic table are provided in an accessible camp site, the outdoor recreation access route is required to connect
these elements. Elements such as benches or picnic tables located along a trail, however, are not required to be connected
by an outdoor recreation access route.
4.) Court Sports
ADA Requirements for Court Sports: Where courts are provided, an accessible route must connect each court. Accessible
routes must comply with all ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) requirements, such as width and changes in level or surface,
and must directly connect both sides of the court. Players must not be required to traverse through another court to get to the
other side of their court. This is especially critical in sports like tennis; in which changing sides of the court is part of the game.
No additional accessibility guidelines apply once on the court
5.) Playgrounds
Related ADA Requirements: Outlined under “New Construction for Play Areas;” there are numerous regulations
that this proposed playground should have to be accessible. A summary of these regulations are listed below:
Ground Level play components: At least one of each type of ground level play component must be accessible activities including, but
not limited to rocking, spinning, swinging, sliding or climbing. Accessibility for ground level components include an accessible route to
the structure, clear ground space between the route and component 30” by 40”, maneuvering space with a 60” diameter, proper seat
placement on components and proper reach ranges based on age.
Proper Reach Ranges (ground level play)
Elevated Play Component: Play components that are attached to a composite play structure and that can be approached from a
platform or deck area are considered elevated play components. On a large playground, with 20 or more elevated play components,
at least 25% of the components must be accessible by a ramp and at least another 25% must be accessible by a transfer point. A play
component connected to a deck on a composite structure that can also be approached and used and exited from the ground is
counted as an elevated play component.
RECCOMENDATIONS AND MOVING FORWARD
Technical Assistance for this plan provided by:
District Local Technical Assistance Program (DLTA)
funded through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts