By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Recapping Everything in Reading, MARecapping Everything in Reading, MARecapping Everything in Reading, MA
  • Depot Cam
  • Shop 01867
  • AI Meeting RecapsHot
  • Town Gov’t
    • AI Meeting Recaps
    • Board of Library Trustees (BOLT)
    • Charter Review Committee
    • Community Planning & Development Commission (CPDC)
    • Elder & Human Services
    • Finance Committee (Fincom)
    • Killam School Building Committee
    • Reading Center for Active Living Committee (ReCalc)
    • Reading ARPA Advisory Committee (RAAC)
    • RMLD
    • Select Board
    • Symonds Way Exploratory Committee (SWEC)
    • Town Meeting
  • Schools
    • 2024–2025 Calendar & Handbook
    • 2024 – 2025 Kindergarten Registration Info
    • School Committee
    • PTO’s
    • Alice M. Barrows Elementary School
    • Arthur W. Coolidge Middle School
    • Birch Meadow Elementary School
    • Reading Memorial High School
    • R.I.S.E. Preschool
    • J. Warren Killam Elementary School
    • Joshua Eaton Elementary School
    • Walter S. Parker Middle School
    • Wood End Elementary School
  • More
    • Advertise (Free)
    • Business of the Week by Empower
    • Cafè Conversations
    • Contact
    • Depot Cam
    • ElectionsNew
      • 2025 News
      • 2025 Special Election
      • 2025 Candidates
      • 2024 Special Election
      • 2024 Candidates
      • 2023 Candidates
    • Events
      • Events Calendar
      • Submit Yours Here
    • Fundraisers
    • Letter to the Editor
    • MBTA 2nd Track
    • News Archives
    • Photos
    • Police/Fire Scanner & Logs
    • Sports (Local)
    • Videos
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Weather
    • Limpy’s AdventuresLimpy’s AdventuresLimpy’s Adventures
Reading: ✍️ LTE: RECAL—Exactly What Reading Needs
Sign In
Notification Show More
Recapping Everything in Reading, MARecapping Everything in Reading, MA
  • Depot Cam
  • AI Recaps
  • Shop 01867
  • Events
  • Scanner
  • MBTA
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Select Board
  • School Committee
  • ElectionNew
Search
  • Depot Cam
  • Shop 01867
  • AI Meeting RecapsHot
  • Town Gov’t
    • AI Meeting Recaps
    • Board of Library Trustees (BOLT)
    • Charter Review Committee
    • Community Planning & Development Commission (CPDC)
    • Elder & Human Services
    • Finance Committee (Fincom)
    • Killam School Building Committee
    • Reading Center for Active Living Committee (ReCalc)
    • Reading ARPA Advisory Committee (RAAC)
    • RMLD
    • Select Board
    • Symonds Way Exploratory Committee (SWEC)
    • Town Meeting
  • Schools
    • 2024–2025 Calendar & Handbook
    • 2024 – 2025 Kindergarten Registration Info
    • School Committee
    • PTO’s
    • Alice M. Barrows Elementary School
    • Arthur W. Coolidge Middle School
    • Birch Meadow Elementary School
    • Reading Memorial High School
    • R.I.S.E. Preschool
    • J. Warren Killam Elementary School
    • Joshua Eaton Elementary School
    • Walter S. Parker Middle School
    • Wood End Elementary School
  • More
    • Advertise (Free)
    • Business of the Week by Empower
    • Cafè Conversations
    • Contact
    • Depot Cam
    • ElectionsNew
    • Events
    • Fundraisers
    • Letter to the Editor
    • MBTA 2nd Track
    • News Archives
    • Photos
    • Police/Fire Scanner & Logs
    • Sports (Local)
    • Videos
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Weather
    • Limpy’s AdventuresLimpy’s AdventuresLimpy’s Adventures
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • News
  • Advertise
© 2025 Reading Recap. All Rights Reserved.
Recapping Everything in Reading, MA > News > ?️Town Gov't > Town Meeting > ✍️ LTE: RECAL—Exactly What Reading Needs
Letter to the EditorTown Meeting

✍️ LTE: RECAL—Exactly What Reading Needs

Editor
Last updated: April 29, 2025 10:35 AM
Editor - Admin
Published: April 29, 2025
5 Min Read
Letter to the Editor Reading Recap
Reading Recap's letters to the editor are a collection of reader opinions, representing a wide range of perspectives on current issues. Personal attacks are not allowed. Constructive criticism is welcomed in a respectful manner. Reading Recap reserves the right to not publish any letters received. Join the discussion by emailing Editor@ReadingRecap.com and please include your name and address.
SHARE

The following was sent to us by a reader –

Dear Editor,

Reading is a fabulous community to live in. One of the key things that we pride ourselves on is building and leveraging every asset for maximum value. This has been described as the ability to squeeze $1.25 out of every $1.00 we spend. Through caring and qualified volunteers serving on committees, responsible forward-thinking planning, and talented staff, we have done a tremendous job taking care of our residents responsibly.

As a former 2-term Select Board Member and 9-year Finance Committee member I believe we as a community have 2 priorities and opportunities in front of us today. The Reading Center for Active Living (RECAL) AND the Killam School Project. The AND in all caps is for emphasis as this is exactly the opportunity in front of us. I support both projects as they are what we need, and they represent Reading’s approach for responsible projects and services for our residents.

The READING CENTER FOR ACTIVE LIVING, RECAL is a NEED that will focus primarily on the age 60+ element of our community which now stands at almost 30% of our residents. Today, we can’t meet the needs of our age 60+ residents, of which I am one. The facilities at the Pleasant Street Center are inadequate in space, accessibility, programming (due to lack of space) and we face issues of water and odor. There is no bathroom on the main floor among other structural limitations.

The opportunity with RECAL is to provide a welcoming, social space to serve primarily the age 60+ members of our community with both dedicated and shared spaces, while also providing community social space, a gym and an indoor walking track which can be programmed for age 60+ AND the entire community. RECAL will house Elder Services, Veterans Service and Recreation under one roof. Their ability to serve the age 60+ segment of the community and the entire community will be vastly improved. And there will be opportunities to rent out space when not being programmed for the community for special events, leagues and other organized uses.

Why not just a senior center? Folks who no longer have kids in the schools but choose to stay in Reading are the fastest growing element of our 60+ population. Boomers who will be considering retirement no longer have the social network of their kids and schools. But they/we have social as well as physical needs. The Select Board formed a volunteer committee, the Reading Center for Active Living Committee (RECALC, with a C added to the end for committee) which benchmarked many other communities around us to understand best practices. What we learned is that having active physical programming

space as well as social space is what is needed. Centers for Active Living are built for today and for the future and they meet both social and physical needs. Many communities have approved and built these CAL’s and they have found that participation levels at these centers have gone up 80-170% in many cases. CAL’S PROVIDE WHAT IS NEEDED TO SERVE THE 60+ COMMUNITY AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. Another example of squeezing $1.25 out of every $1.00 and providing the Reading community with badly needed additional recreational and social resources.

Our greatest strength as a community is serving our residents with what they/we need. RECAL and the Killam Project deliver on this. No one likes to pay more in taxes. We face regular Prop 2 ½ overrides, economic uncertainty, and the fact that we need to maintain ($) our facilities. But RECAL and Killam are the 2 key priorities for our community. The Select Board and the Town Manager have reiterated this as well. It is now up to Town Meeting and then the voters to make this happen.

I encourage you take 10-minutes to learn more about RECAL by going to www.readingma.gov/recal to learn more about the opportunity.

Respectfully

Mark Dockser

Beaver Road

Town Meeting Member, Precinct 1

✍️ LTE: Rose-Gillis and D’Arezzo for the Experienced Leadership Needed Now
✍️ LTE: Dana Guarino and Tom Wise for School Committee
LTE: Veterans Memorial Fund
✍️ LTE: Letter to the Editor
? April Town Meeting Instructional Motions
TAGGED:Letter to the EditorLTEReCal
ByEditor
Admin
Follow:
Editor for the Reading Recap!
Previous Article ? RMHS Drama Club Presents Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Next Article ? Town Meeting 4-28-25 (Articles 1-13) AI Recap
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
YoutubeSubscribe

Latest News

? Council on Aging 5-19-25 AI Recap
?AI Recap Council on Aging
May 20, 2025
?️ Bobby Jo Valentine Candlelight Concert at Old South
Entertainment
May 19, 2025
? Reading’s Annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival on Saturday, June 21
DESJ
May 19, 2025
?️ This Week in Meetings 5/19 – 5/23
?️Town Gov't
May 19, 2025
//

Reading Recap aims to be your one stop destination for all the latest local news, meetings and events happening in the Town of Reading, Massachusetts.

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Recapping Everything in Reading, MARecapping Everything in Reading, MA
Follow US

© 2025 Reading Recap.
Not affiliated with the Town of Reading.
Created by Reading residents for Reading residents.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?