[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Melrose as Rev. Ords. 1976, §§ 14-1, 14-2, 14-4 to 14-10 and 14-13 to 14-20 (Rev. Ords. 1989, §§ 12-1 to 12-16). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Animals — See Ch. 93.
Hawkers, peddlers and transient vendors — See Ch. 127.
Peace and good order — See Ch. 177.
State acts related to parks — See Ch. A250
The Park Department shall be under the charge of the Board of Park Commissioners appointed under and subject to the provisions of MGL c. 45, § 2, which shall, in addition to the powers and duties conferred and imposed upon it by General Laws, have charge of the design, construction, alteration, repair, maintenance and management of the public parks, squares and playgrounds and the lighting and watering thereof.
State law reference — Parks and playgrounds generally, MGL c. 45, §§ 1 to 25.
No person shall dig up, break, cut, remove, deface, defile or ill use any tree, bush, shrub, plant, turf, building, structure, fence, sign or any other thing or article belonging to the City under the care and management of the Board of Park Commissioners in or upon any of such premises.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 173-2, Offenses generally, was repealed 5-17-2021 by Order No. 2021-104, which order also renumbered former §§ 173-3 through 173-17 as §§ 173-2 through 173-16, respectively.
No person shall throw any stone or other missile or throw, drop or place in any park, garden, playground, beach or reservation, pond or brook any wastepaper, rubbish or refuse or, except with the written permission of the Board of Park Commissioners, moor any boat or raft in any pond under its jurisdiction or build or maintain any float or platform on or over the waters of such pond or fish in such pond or cut or injure the ice on the waters of such pond in such a manner as to interfere with the lawful rights of the public therein.
No person shall wade or swim in the waters, or row upon the waters in a boat, or skate or slide upon ice covering the waters, of any pond or brook under the jurisdiction of the Board of Park Commissioners which has been determined by such Board or by the Chief of the Police Department to be unfit, unsafe or dangerous for use.
A. 
No person shall let for hire or have any boats or canoes on any pond under the jurisdiction of the Park Commissioners without a permit from the Board of Park Commissioners. Permits may be revoked by such Board if boats or canoes are let or used by irresponsible parties or unsafe boats or canoes are let or used.
B. 
No person shall let any boat for hire to any person who is less than 17 years of age, unless such minor is accompanied by a responsible adult or produces the written permission of his/her parent or guardian.
A person shall not row or paddle a boat or canoe unless, in the opinion of the Superintendent of Parks and Playgrounds or his/her agents, such person is able to handle the same with safety to himself/herself or to the occupants thereof, nor shall he/she do so in such a manner as to annoy or endanger the occupants of other boats or canoes.
No person shall have charge of, run or drive a boat propelled by steam, naphtha, gasoline, electric or other motor or engine within the waters of any pond under the jurisdiction of the Park Commissioners unless he/she shall first have obtained from them a permit to do so.
No person shall annoy, injure, shoot or in any way molest any bird or animal or carry or discharge any firearms or fireworks on any park, garden, playground, reservation, beach or any of the grounds under the control and management of the Board of Park Commissioners.
No person, except with the written authority of the Board of Park Commissioners, shall engage in any business, sell or expose for sale or give away any goods, wares or merchandise or distribute any circulars or post, paint, affix or display any signs, notices, placards or advertising devices within any of the grounds under the control and management of the Board of Park Commissioners.
No person shall go among the shrubberies or lie or sleep upon any area or sit, stand, lie upon or climb over any railing, balustrade, wall or fence within the confines of any park, playground, reservation, beach or any of the grounds under the jurisdiction of the Board of Park Commissioners.
No person, except with written authority from the Board of Park Commissioners, shall drive any automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle or any animal in or upon any park, playground, garden, beach or any of the grounds under the jurisdiction of the Board of Park Commissioners.
No person shall refuse or neglect to obey any reasonable direction, order or command of any regular or special park police officer.
[Amended 5-17-2021 by Order No. 2021-104]
Sections 173-2 through 173-12, being the rules and regulations of the Park Department, shall not be altered or amended without the approval of the Board of Park Commissioners.
A. 
The Board of Park Commissioners shall, not later than 12 hours after snow has ceased to fall, cause the snow to be removed from an area on every pond and rink under its jurisdiction and which has not been determined, as provided in § 173-4, to be unfit, unsafe or dangerous for use and which will be adequate both for hockey playing and skating by the general public.
[Amended 5-17-2021 by Order No. 2021-104]
B. 
Whenever necessary, because of the roughness of the ice or for any other reason, the Board of Park Commissioners shall cause every such pond or rink to be flooded or scraped.
Any athletic team desiring to secure the exclusive use of any field under the jurisdiction of the Board of Park Commissioners on any particular day shall file an application with such Park Commissioners stating the time for which such use is desired, and the Park Commissioners may issue a permit for such exclusive use according to their discretion.
[Added 6-4-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-179]
A. 
The Board of Park Commissioners with the approval of the City Council may designate parkland under its jurisdiction for use as off-leash dog areas in accordance with § 93-6D. The Board of Park Commissioners may promulgate additional rules and regulations to govern the use of such off-leash dog areas.
B. 
Said rules and regulations shall be posted by the entrance to each off-leash dog area and also posted to the City of Melrose website.
C. 
An independent, nonprofit sponsor group may assist in the operation, control or financial support of such an off-leash dog area under the discretion of the Board of Park Commissioners.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 173-17, Mini-Board, amended 6-17-1996 by Ord. No. 96-354 and 1-20-1998 by Ord. No. 98-146, was deleted 8-21-2017 by Ord. No. 2018-4.