Preferred Concept Plan: 

Through a series of Community Engagements Weston & Sampson has created the following preferred concept plan for Motta Field. 

Beginning in November of 2022 the Motta Field Working Group and Weston & Sampson began a seven month community input process. The first event where the community became engaged was a "Park Day". Residents and visitors alike gathered at Motta Field and provided feedback on existing conditions and what they would love to see be added to the park. Other opportunities where the community provided input was at a series of open houses, community meetings, and an ongoing  public survey available online as well as in person. With each and every community engagement event and input from the Motta Field Working Group, Weston and Sampson used feedback to create the "Preferred Concept Plan." 

The preferred concept plan was then presented to the public on May 3rd, 2023 at Provincetown Town Hall. The slideshow presented can be seen here: Motta Field Community Meeting 3 or to watch the meeting in full please visit:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCUluVqPSKg 

Design Process & Goals 

As outlined in page 18 of the Motta Field Field Master Plan the design process began with having goals defined for Motta Field. 

The Motta Field Working Group worked together to outline the importance of Motta Field and what objectives needed to be met while designing this park. The working group came up with the following goals/objectives: 

• Inclusive

• Accessible with improved connectivity

• Welcoming

• Kid-Friendly

• Sustainable and protective of existing

environment/ecosystem

• Year-Round Opportunities

• Respects Past and Looks to the Future

• Host Events and Tournaments

• Improve Relationship to Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum

• Multi-generational Uses and Adaptability

From there Weston & Sampson conducted a series of site visits and community input events where they could gather all the information needed to further design the park. " Based on the outcomes of the public engagement process, the online survey, and frequent Working Group meetings, a range of possible programming scenarios and options for improvements at Motta Field were outlined and used to create three alternative layouts."  Through further community engagement, a final image of the park took shape and emerged, incorporating feedback from all stakeholders. This image is known as the "preferred concept plan." 

During the 2021 Spring Town Meeting of Provincetown, members of the community voted to pass Article 9 Part 3 Section E Open Space/Recreation $100,000 for a Master Plan for Motta Field. 

From there, the Recreation Commission, alongside Town Staff, decided to form a Working Group consisting of well versed members from Provincetown . The members and whom they represent are as follows: 

1. Thaddeus Soule- Town Planner 
2. John Golden-  Select Board Member
3.  Elizabeth Lovati- School Committee 
4. Robert Enos- Recreation Commission 
5. Brandon Quesnell- Recreation Commission
6. Chris Hartley- Board of Health 
7. Robert Compton- Abutter- Seashore Pointe Representative 
8. Andrew Sessa- Abutter 
9. Tracy Kachtick-Anders- Abutter
10. David Badash- Abutter

Once all members of the Working Group put their minds together they got to work brainstorming what this park needed to be for the Provincetown Community. The group met frequently to further discuss the importance of this park. After months and months of meeting they started drafting an RFP (Request for Proposal) for a design firm to come in and help consult them on the future design. The Working Group worked thoroughly and diligently to make sure that the RFP covered every aspect that the group had outlined during their meetings.

Why this project? 

Motta Field has been the only multi-purpose recreation field in Provincetown since the 1930's. Motta Field is home to community sports and events throughout the year for Provincetown Schools, Provincetown Recreation Department and other community members/organizations. However, as the community continues to grow and evolve, Motta Field has remained the same. Although Motta Field has received minor upgrades in the past, it is more apparent now than ever that it is due for a renovation to help better suit the community it serves. 

Background Information:

Motta Field has been a staple of Provincetown since its creation in 1930 which has been comprised of four different parcels of lands, which two were donated and two were sold to the town. The first land parcel was accepted by the town in gift of a donation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1930 to be used as an athletic field or playground purposes. Then the town acquired the second lot, a parcel that runs parallel with Winslow Street, as a donation from the Lions Club in 1944. The final two were purchases from land owners to complete the entire property that is now named Manuel Motta Memorial Athletic Field, as a memorial to Corporal Manuel Motta who passed away in the Korean War. Motta Field was largely created for its essential service for providing an athletic field for Provincetown High school sports, as the high school was the core of the town in the 1930’s. Sporting events were the largest social gatherings in that time, where it was not uncommon that commercial fishing boats remained secured to the pier because there was a: Game’ on a certain day of the week. Home of the FISHERMAN

As time evolves, the needs of the community change, as such with Motta Field. Aside from offering sports, Motta Field received small upgrades over the course of 92 years to offer more recreational opportunities to the entire community not just the High school. Walking tracks were put in, tennis courts were installed, smaller at leisure activities were now provided, and space for larger community events were made available. Motta field has hosted a vast offerings such as the finish line for many bike races such as PANMASS challenge, hosted circuses and carnivals, large fundraising events, and even outdoor movie screenings. 

As those small improvements were installed, the needs of the community were still evolving quicker than the field could provide for. The closure of the high school in 2013, has shifted the needs of this facility to more community based activities, while still providing sporting opportunities for youth sports. Now currently Motta field still provides those same opportunities, that were planned many years ago but there has not been a coordinated effort to create a master plan with considering planning for the current and future needs of the community. Along with those age old recreational opportunities, the maintenance of the property is far below where it should be. Little to no capital improvement projects have been put in place since its creation, creating inadequate access points to the field, old unmaintained baseball and softball diamonds, unrecognizable track, old backstops, and unused dugouts. 

Naming Of Motta Field:

Taken from Building Provincetown website, "Manuel V. Motta, one of three sons of Delphine and Frank Motta, grew up at 15 Conant and 120 Commercial. He loved baseball and basketball. Just after his 17th birthday, he joined the Army. He attained the rank of corporal and was serving in the field artillery of the First Cavalry Division. On 9 October 1950, he wrote to his family from Korea to let them know everything was fine. Four days later, he was killed in action. It was to Corporal Motta — the first Cape end victim of the Korean War — that the four-and-a-half-acre Manuel V. Motta Athletic Field was dedicated in 1953. For 60 years, it was home to Provincetown High School’s Fishermen teams."

November 19th, 2022

Park Field Day 

10AM-12Pm  

November 25th & 26th,2022

Lions Club Craft Fair @ Provincetown Town Hall

Leave An Idea

10AM-5PM

December 1st,2022

Public Meeting 1

Veteran's Memorial Community Center 

2 Mayflower St.

7:30PM

December 7th,2022

Virtual Office Hours

4:30PM-7:30PM

February 8th ,2023

Public Meeting 2

Fishermen Hall (12 Winslow St.)

6:30PM

May 3rd ,2023

Public Meeting 3

Provincetown Town Hall (260 Commercial St.)

6:30PM

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