Public Meeting Notice  Shade Design Standards and Preliminary Design Public Meeting 2/29/2024

Due to unforeseen circumstances, DCR will be consolidating the two scheduled Shade Design Standards and Preliminary Design Public Meetings into one meeting hosted on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

DCR is taking action to address climate impacts in our parks, and a priority is addressing extreme heat by installing additional shade for our visitors and staff. At this virtual public meeting, the project team will present the DCR Shade Design Standards project, including the draft Kit of Parts—a catalogue of existing and proposed shade structures—and solicit public comment.

Climate projections for 2050 are for almost a month of high heat days—daily high temperatures above 90°F in Massachusetts—with a disproportionate impact on environmental justice populations, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases like asthma. DCR’s Shade Design Standards will enable the agency to design, permit and install shade structures quickly and thoughtfully as funding becomes available, to protect vulnerable populations and those who serve the public daily, including DCR’s rangers, interpretive and recreation program leaders, and operations staff.

The public will be invited to ask questions and provide feedback on the presentation, using the Q&A functionality that will be available through the virtual participation platform. After the meeting, the presentation will be available for viewing at https://www.mass.gov/dcr/past-public-meetings.  DCR encourages the public to share additional feedback, with a deadline for receipt of comments by March 15, 2024. Comments may be submitted online at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/public-comment. Please note that the content of comments you submit to DCR, along with your name, town, and zip code, will be posted on DCR's website. Additional contact information required when commenting, notably email address, will only be used for outreach on future updates on the subject project or property. 

If you have agency-related questions or concerns or would like to be added to an email list to receive DCR general or project-specific announcements, please email Mass.Parks@mass.gov or call 617-626-4973.