Seekonk Voters Approve Playground, Senior Center Expansion

Voters at last month’s town meeting approved funding for several projects, including a $1.4 million expansion of the town’s senior center. The money will be used for renovations of the unused space at 540 Arcade Avenue. The first floor is used for the seniors and the human services department. However, the building’s upper floor is currently unoccupied. The total building size is 6000 square feet. Voters at last year’s town meeting appropriated $50,000 for the development of plans for phase two of the building.

Building committee chairperson Michelle Hines noted the changes will include the installation of an elevator, along with offices for the Parks and Recreation Director and the Veterans Agent, a conference room, and a pool table room. There will also be storage space designated for the two town employees.

Voters also approved $357,000 for the design and construction of a playground on the Seekonk Town Hall property and $200, 000 for a new turf athletic field and renovations to the athletic complex at Seekonk High School.

“I am grateful that the town approved this first step,” said School Superintendent Rich Drolet. “Our goal is to improve our flagship field at SHS, and for all of our SHS athletic teams (which include football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track and field, and girls field hockey) to be able to play on campus at our flagship field at SHS.”

Drolet noted the town meeting appropriation approving will pay for the architectural and engineering design of the field. The school committee will go out to bid for the architectural and engineering design work this fall. The Town Moderator will appoint a Building Committee composed of Seekonk residents this winter.

“Work would not begin until the next phase is brought forward and approved via town meeting, which we hope would be brought forward and approved in the spring of 2020,” Drolet said.

A zoning bylaw change pertaining to the number of chickens allowed to be kept on residential properties was approved. The bylaw mandates that all chicken owners will be required to register with the animal control officer on an annual basis.

Another zoning bylaw change which limits the number of adult use marijuana retail establishments to be operated in the town, passed. The number of licensed marijuana establishments will be limited to five: one marijuana cultivator, one product manufacturer, one independent testing laboratory, one research facility, and one marijuana transporter.

The only warrant article to be rejected was a zoning bylaw amendment which proposed the incorporation of Old Fall River Avenue lots into the Marijuana Overlay District.