With two public schools and a recreation area on the street, Haverhill city councilors Tuesday night resolved to find solutions to a lack of consistent sidewalks and off-street parking on Concord Street.
Councilor Mary Ellen Daly O’Brien highlighted the issue, noting she saw skaters at Round Pond this past winter parking on the low, soft curbing of the street or parking on both sides making passage difficult.
“We went from people being parked on the street, which was at times very tricky—sometimes there were cars parked on both sides of the street so that it was single file going through, either up or down Concord Street, and now that we’ve moved into the spring, and we have fishing and people out and about in that area because it is a lovely place to walk, they’re parking on the sidewalk,” she explained.
O’Brien proposed considering off-street parking for about 10 cars near Victory Avenue and the exit from Pentucket Lake School. She asked the idea to be developed in time for this year’s budget deliberations.
Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan said he already asked the mayor to install new sidewalks all the way along Concord Street to Kenoza Avenue and install granite curbing which will discourage drivers from straddling their cars over the barriers.
“For the life of me, I don’t understand why we don’t have a quality sidewalk all the way down that street anyway given that we have two schools right in that area,” he said.
Council President Melinda E. Barrett noted many winter activities at the pond, but dangerous conditions for those on foot when cars are improperly parked. “There were kids skating and families skating and people ice fishing. If it’s snowy out, you either have to go to the street or go through the snow if the cars are parked on the sidewalk,” she said.
O’Brien, backed by Councilor Timothy J. Jordan, suggested sending the matter to the Council’s Natural Resources and Public Property Committee and Mayor James J. Fiorentini for review. Members present unanimously approved. Councilor Michael S. McGonagle was absent.