HYANNIS – Stakeholders gathered at Barnstable Town Hall Monday night to discuss the future of the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis.
The 50 year old site celebrated its anniversary last month. Barnstable Community Services Director Lynne Poyant said when considering a tribute to the president, the town wanted to remember a neighbor.
“When the memorial was built it was designed as an area of quiet contemplation in honor of our president,” she said. “The idea is not that there are going to be substantial changes, it’s really more of a restoration than a renovation.”
Ideas for that work were brought to the discussion by both members of the site’s trust and the town’s consultant on the project, Cheri Ruane.
Ruane said, so far, handicap accessibility, ease of maintenance, and a spatial design which will keep lingering visitors at the site longer are all on the table.
Though the town has not announced any formal budget for the project, a wide array of improvements have been recommended by the consulting firm. One of which, the removal of fencing surrounding the memorial’s fountain, was somewhat contested by those in attendance at the meeting.
However, all agreed that the fountain’s nearby plumbing compartment, which creates an uneven line in the walkway, is a problem which needs to be rectified.
Another common desire among those in attendance was to incorporate and educational, interpretive element to the memorial.
Hugh Findley said he would prefer keep the bluestone benches incorporated into the final plan in some way.
“I have to believe that this particular monument is the most-visited location in the town of Barnstable,” he said.
Poyant said the town architect was able to consult with the monument’s original builder as they consider repairs and upgrades.
A final version of the preliminary plan should be ready by the end of the year, according to Ruane.
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