Crazy Idea #7: Fill the ‘Golden Bowl’?

Note: This is the seventh installment of Eight Crazy Ideas for ’08, a multi-part posting that is looking at ideas, big and small, that could improve our community in Belmont.

On we charge with our Eight Crazy Ideas for 2008. As we’ve noted in the discussion about saving the Underwood Pool, parking, a new Library and…well…just about every major capital project in town, space is a major constraint in town. After all, The Town of Homes is a mere 4.9 square miles — almost all of it developed. That’s why I’ve always scratched my head over the hands-off attitude towards what’s often referred to as “the Golden Bowl.”

Belmont’s Golden Bowl

If you’re not sure what Golden Bowl is, just check out the picture above. It’s that grassy bowl right in front of the Underwood Pool. More often than not it’s totally empty. On occasion, I’ve seen kids skating there if a heavy rain is followed by a deep freeze. During the summer, you can visit the Ice Cream Man, then stretch out on the embankments and enjoy — providing you don’t mind a little goose poop. As for the “Golden Bowl” moniker — don’t ask me. In a best case scenario, some Henry James fan took the initiative and gave the place a name. In a worst case scenario? Well, we don’t have to go there, do we?

Whatever the case, the Golden Bowl occupies a prime piece of real estate on Concord Ave. and putting it in play – even just as a parking lot — could make planning for a new main branch for the library, police station and/or senior center more plausible. To call this parcel “under utilized” would be to give the town too much credit. The Golden Bowl is totally un-utilized, and that just doesn’t make sense in a town that’s facing the space shortages Belmont is for its public institutions.

To be sure, there are real constraints to using the parcel. From what I understand, the Bowl, Underwood and playground area at the top of the hill are designated park land. That means that, barring a waiver from the State, the town can only appropriate the Golden Bowl for development after it has replaced the area to be developed with land of equal or greater value. (Someone correct me if I’m wrong, here.) But with the Senior Center going forward and pressure to build a new library on the existing location (not to mention refurbish the Underwood Pool), putting the Golden Bowl in play would help the town develop a workable plan for its key properties in the area. Conversely, overlooking the Golden Bowl for lack of imagination or an unquestioned acceptance that the parcel is out of reach would be a mistake.

A concerted effort by the town, along with the cooperation of our State Rep. Will Brownsberger, could almost certainly find the way clear to developing the Golden Bowl. So here’s a vote for taking the Golden Bowl off the shelf in 2008!