Debate arises over Town Common use
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The area of the Town Common behind the gazebo is the proposed location for a Veterans' Memorial Garden, but Historical Commission members are concerned about the preservation of the Town Common. FILE PHOTO

The Westminster Board of Selectmen plan to hold a meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 2, to try to determine how to resolve a controversy that started this summer about the look of the Town Common.

Selectmen gave their approval for two different memorial projects on the Common before hearing from the Historical Commission that it would prefer no memorials be placed on the Common.

"The proposed plans will add modern elements to the Common not in keeping with its historical integrity," states a letter from the town's Historical Commission. "However, both projects have merit. We do not want to see the Town Common to turn into a memorial graveyard, as commons have in other nearby towns."

One of the projects that was approved was a proposal by the Ashburnham-Westminster Rotary Club. The group had decided to plant a Veterans Memorial Garden for the town's 250th Anniversary. The Rotary approached the Selectmen in August with the idea of the garden on the Town Common behind the gazebo.

"We wanted to do something as a gift to the town," Rotary member Daniel Stango said. The club members decided they liked the area on the Town Common because of its beautiful location and views, as well as the peace and tranquility of the area.

The Town Common is located on the top of Academy Hill. The two-acre property has been town-owned since the town was founded.

"(The garden) has been designed," said Stango. "We have done some fundraising for it. But no physical work has started on the site."

The club's goal is to have the garden up and ready by fall of 2009, when the town celebrates its 250th Anniversary.

The garden was designed by Joan Anderson, a landscaper from Westminster. The garden is designed in a circular shape and it is 60 feet in diameter, with five walkway spokes leading towards the center of the circle.

Each of the spokes is designed to honor one of the branches of the United States military.

Stango said the design takes into account the existing bushes and trees on the site, as well as the view of Mt. Wachusett.

Rotary members looked at a variety of sites throughout town and decided this one was the best option before approaching the Selectmen. "It's one of the more beautiful places in town," Stango said.

The other project that was approved was a request by Elaine Jones, of West Main Street, to place a couple of benches along the edge of the Common in memory of her son, who was killed in Iraq in May while serving with the United States Army.

Jones proposed the benches as a place for people to sit and view the band concerts, and other events on the Common.

"Westminster is a new, lively community, and residents deserve to have a place that can be user friendly, a nice garden area, a place where seniors can go to listen to band concerts and not have to lug a chair to sit on because there will be places to sit and enjoy the music," Jones said.

In their letter to Selectmen, the Historical Commission wrote that if these projects are allowed, then the commission would like certain restrictions.

"If these two projects will be constructed on the Town Common, we would like to see a cohesive signed that blends these two concepts together," reads the letter. "The reconfigured design should a) place limits on the height of anything such as an arbor, b) utilize uniform walkway materials, c) if placed on the common should provide open access to the entry of the gazebo, and d) should provide some means to mitigate any subsurface disturbance of archaeological deposits."

The Common is used for summer band concerts, the annual Christmas celebration hosted by the elementary school's PTO, weddings, the Neighbors Helping Neighbors town benefit, and other town-approved events.