Parks-Recreation board discusses potential hockey rink at Lawrence School

The Parks-Recreation Board discussed potential plans for a hockey rink at the former Phineas Lawrence Elementary School property during their meeting this week. The property was signed over into the control of the Recreation Department during Monday’s city council meeting. Waltham’s lease on the Massachusetts Department of Recreation’s Veteran’s Rink on Totten Pond Road will run out in four years, so building a rink at the Lawrence School is an option that can provide the city with a rink so that hockey programming can continue.

The vision for the property is a year-round 1.5-rink facility. Director of recreation Kim Hebert let the board know that a feasibility study will take place to see if the property is fit to house the rink. Board member Thomas Creonte raised concerns about parking in the area, citing concerns with the 200 Trapelo Road property. Hebert said that the parking situation would most likely be examined in the feasibility study. She emphasized that this was not a guaranteed solution, but it was currently the only place available to build a rink in the city.

In other business, the Parks-Recreation Board:

• Brought Recreation Department staff in front of the board to introduce themselves and thank them for their work. “You are superlative representatives for our city and we appreciate everything you do,” said board chairman Jerry Walker.
• Heard a presentation from Waltham Youth Soccer board member Peter Fekkes. The program consists of nearly one thousand participants from all areas of the city, and scholarships are available for those in need. Waltham’s program is one of the largest in the league, according to Fekkes.
• Decided to forgo applying for the Community Block Development Grant. The grant provides funding for improvements to parks in low-income areas or for parks to become more accessible for those with disabilities. Hebert said that since there were no outstanding projects that qualified for the grant, she would rather the money go to another community in need.
• Approved staff pay rates for the summer of 2026.