Ell Pond Park is a beloved space in Melrose, widely used and enjoyed by residents of all ages. From walking paths to sports fields to an increasingly well-cared-for pond and shoreline with a growing population of wildlife, the park offers plenty of opportunities for entertainment across its fields, courts, open spaces, and winding paths.

Following a 2022 feasibility study and earlier public comment on the initiative, the City is aiming for an ambitious, multifaceted overhaul. Along with renovating the West Knoll, East Knoll, and Cabbage Patch fields, the $12.5 million project calls for a walking trail along the pond and accessible memorials on the knoll.

The City took a significant step in June 2026, when the City Council's Appropriations & Oversight Committee approved $710,000 to advance the design of the Ell Pond Park Improvements Project. That vote gave engineering firm Weston & Samson the go-ahead to expand its 25% complete design into a near-complete design (approximately 90%). The near-complete design would include bid-ready documents for the next phase of improvements. There's ample reason to be concerned that the expanded design, like the initial one, will favor artificial turf. The preferred master plan in the 2022 design called for adding synthetic turf at West Knoll Field and recommended converting Cabbage Patch Field to synthetic turf. 

Although several City Councilors expressed opposition to the potential use of artificial turf at the June appropriations meeting, their only choice was a simple up-or-down vote on approving the design study. Therefore:

• We ask that Mayor Jen Grigoraitis, the Park Commission, and the Ell Pond Park Working Group* direct Weston and Sampson to create a 90% complete design for the Ell Pond Park Improvements Project that includes only natural grass fields and NO synthetic turf.
• We request that the 90% complete design for the Ell Pond Park Improvements Project that includes only natural grass fields be presented as an option for the Melrose City Council to vote on for the entire project.

*The working group consists of representatives from the City’s Parks, DPW, Conservation, and Planning Departments, the Melrose Park and Conservation Commissions, and engineering firm Weston and Sampson.

While synthetic fields are often presented as an easy solution, they come with significant drawbacks. Artificial turf can be 40-70 degrees hotter on warm days, increasing the risk of skin burns, dehydration, and heatstroke. Synthetic playing fields pollute soil and water with microplastics and other chemicals and require costly maintenance and replacement. They also correlate with higher rates of foot and leg injuries. Children are especially vulnerable to turf's unsafe levels of lead, cadmium, and other carcinogens due to their rapidly developing organ systems and because they breathe
more air per unit of body weight than adults.

In contrast, well-designed, properly maintained natural fields offer a sustainable, safer alternative. In addition to grass's natural cooling effects, fields made of this natural material safeguard air quality and enhance the area's natural beauty.

With the City poised to pursue a major capital improvement project in our main recreation area, we have a responsibility to protect Ell Pond Park's aesthetic character and environment. Sign this petition to protect our cherished park for generations to come.