The Medford Park Division is responsible for maintaining more than twenty-four parks and playgrounds, passive parks, Riverbend Park and Hormel Stadium and, in the summer months, Wright’s Pond and Tufts Pool. These sites comprise over 118 acres of land. In the parks and playgrounds you will find twelve tot lots, twenty tennis courts, twelve and one-half basketball courts, twenty-two ball diamonds, two football fields and various soccer fields. There is a City-wide No Smoking Policy in effect that includes all public open space.
Our objective each day is to make sure the parks are free of litter and debris, the barrels are emptied, the tot lots are safe for children to play, the grass is cut, ball diamonds are groomed and lined, soccer fields and football fields are marked, and Wright’s Pond and Tufts Pool are enjoyable environments for swimming.
Maintaining all of the above is made more difficult because of vandalism, graffiti, people who use the litter barrels for their household trash, and dog walkers who allow their dogs to leave a mess in the parks. Per a City Ordinance from the Medford Park Commission CH. 14, Sec. 43, 43A. “no dogs are allowed off-leash in parks” (with the exception of Service Animals). There is a $200 fine. In addition, no dogs (even on-leash are allowed in tot lots).
Every spring each park is visited and checked for safety and maintenance problems. These include, but are not limited to, painting benches, tables, shade structures, basketball hoops, etc., spreading wood carpet under tot lot structures, adding dirt and re-grooming ball fields, adding sand to the beach at Wright’s Pond, and planting flowers for Memorial Day.
Parks and playgrounds are used continuously from the first week in April to the last Saturday in November. Fields, parks and playgrounds are kept in pristine condition.
