Board halts Riverfront furniture expansion
Fitchburg parks board halted further Riverfront furniture expansion over public safety concerns. The Board of Park Commissioners voted unanimously to suspend plans for additional benches and picnic tables, with Board Chair James McGrath agreeing to consult police about vagrancy and park cleanliness.
Board of Park Commissioners · Meeting of May 5, 2026
Fitchburg parks board halted further Riverfront furniture expansion over public safety concerns. The Board of Park Commissioners voted unanimously to suspend plans for additional benches and picnic tables, with Board Chair James McGrath agreeing to consult police about vagrancy and park cleanliness. The board voted 4-0 to adopt new compliance requirements for youth organizations using city parks: Certificate of Good Standing, Tax Compliance, and Charitable Solicitation Registration.
Director James Bunnell said these supplement existing requirements and ensure accountability. The commissioners voted unanimously to deny a permit request from Restoration Recovery citing previous incidents, and voted unanimously to amend permit payment policy requiring balances paid within 30 days of application submission.
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Source: the Board of Park Commissioners meeting of May 5, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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