The Boston Parks and Recreation Department recently held a meeting on the James H. Roberts Park in Lower Allston.

According to Project Manager Kenya Thompson, the main goals of the renovation project are to rejuvenate the playground’s splash pad, highlight and protect the trees around the playground, and improve the area’s drainage so that it doesn’t flood or get muddy during the season. The last time this park saw a renovation was 20 years ago in 2005.

The Parks Department has hired Weston & Sampson to facilitate the renovation process. Project Lead Cassie Bethany went through the history of the playground, which was originally used for farmland and then as a cattle market. The playground was first named the Hooker-Sorrento St. Playground, until it was named for Roberts in 1959.

Roberts was a pillar of the community by all accounts, and Bethany said during their research, they found he was a member of the Allston Civic Association (ACA), among many others.

“We would really love to learn more about who James Roberts was, and if there are ideas from his history and work that can be infused into this park space,” she said. “We know his home was at 31 Seattle St. in Allston; he was a World War II vet and served honorably in the China-India Campaign; he served in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the State Treasury Department for 28 years; he was also a member of the NAACP and the ACA; he was the director of the Vietnam Conflict Veterans’ Bonus Program until his death in 19;69 and he was also cubmaster and committee chair for Cub Scout Pack One.”

Landscape Architect Gracie Swansburg went over the health and disposition of the trees in the park, which she said was expansive and diverse for such a small area. She said there are currently nine different species of trees in the park, and they’re all in pretty good condition.

“So they’re thriving and have robust canopy; the arborist assessed them and thought they were looking good and would live a long and healthy life,” she said. “However there were two trees he found to be in ‘fair’ condition, and those trees may need some pruning. There is a little bit of scarring on the trunks and those are trees they would want to get some attention. And there are two trees listed in poor condition, so both of those trees had obvious damage to their trunk and some canopy dieback.”

Swansburg said though some trees are not doing great, the diversity of species means that if a risk factor like a species-specific pest or disease or parasite comes in, the entire canopy isn’t at as much risk as there would be if they were a monoculture.

Residents said they were happy with the idea of renovating the park but had some concerns as well.

Resident Marlene Aery said she felt the park needs a lot of work. “There are a lot of things that need to be done in that park,” she said. “The equipment is quite outdated, and with all these buildings coming – like that big building of apartments or condos – then we need much more for more children.”

Aery added that a dog park in the neighborhood wouldn’t go amiss either. “Because there are a lot of dog owners in this neighborhood and they’re bringing their dogs into the tot lot playground because it’s fenced in,” she said, adding that there is an underutilized space at the park’s entrance that would be perfect for a dog park. “It’s not an empty space but no one uses it. That would be a perfect place for a dog park.”

Resident Jessica Robinson said she’d like to see some benches or similar amenity, as people of all ages use the park. “I’ve seen people bring their own folding tables, which seems like it could be a hassle,” she said.

Resident Andy Breeding said he abuts the property and felt that drainage improvements are needed as soon as possible. “We do get mosquitoes into that corner,” he said.

Breeding added that the space could be utilized for social gatherings as well as play space for young residents. “I have some seen some community gatherings happening; not much recently, but I have seen some block parties and so whatever concessions could be made towards that happening and having that in the thought process would be great,” he said.

Residents also asked for more than one trash can, as rats in the neighborhood are a constant problem and overflowed trash cans are a “buffet” for them.

Thompson said she is taking notes for the department so they may address such outstanding issues before construction.

For more information on the park project, to see updates, this meeting’s recording and the presentation, go to https://tinyurl.com/mta838e9