BACKGROUND INFORMATION
What is Ward Park?
Ward Park is a 7.6 acre public park in downtown Marlborough that is highly valued by the surrounding community.
Honor Our Heritage
Ward Park is a Place of Pride in our community. In 1925 Marlborough’s mayor and city council, in the name of our founding fathers, acquired Ward Park for Marlborough’s youth. Two large plaques on the wrought iron and stone gate tell the story of its beginnings:
The Artemas Ward Gateway
Erected in memory of WILLIAM WARD one of the founders of Marlborough and of his great grandson General Artemas Ward, first Commander in Chief in the American Revolution – By their descendant Artemas Ward 1848 -1925
The Artemas Ward Park
of about 20 acres mostly within the bounds of William Ward’s original house lot. Acquired by the city of Marlborough and dedicated to the better development of its youth. November 11, 1925
Committee:
James M. Hurley, Mayor
and the city council of 1925
Harrison E. Brigham, President
Protect Our Open Space
The Ward Park Neighborhood Association is presently fighting an attempt by the city of Marlborough to use Ward Park for a new Senior Center in clear violation of the Article 97 Open Space law. Ward Park is listed as ‘Protected’ in the city’s Open Space reports and, when first built, contained over 19 acres. The official area now is 7.6 acres and the senior center, with parking, would reduce an additional 2.2 acres. This would be the third land taking of Ward Park land, after the Bigelow School and Granger Blvd projects. The City Council will be voting on the two bond proposals (Ward Park and Senior Center) at the November 4th meeting which begins at 8:00 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The Ward Park Citizen’s Petition can be found at savewardpark.com. – by Paul Brodeur
Save Ward Park Info
A dedicated group of people are working hard to save Ward Park. Info at www.SaveWardPark.com includes:
- YouTube posted October 17, 2013
- News Articles
- Petitions with 900+ signatures
- Save Ward Park Discussion
PUBLIC LETTER
October 28, 2013
RE: Municipal Plan to Build in Ward Park in downtown Marlborough
The Conservation Officer will have a meeting on October 30 at 7pm in City Hall to review the recently revised Open Space Plan.
Marlborough City Council will vote on November 4 at a council meeting whether to fund or not fund a $7+ million building project in Ward Park. The meeting begins at 8pm.
People who want to Save Ward Park include: government officials, neighborhood groups, inner city residents, parents and youth, lifelong residents, current and future senior citizens. Many want to protect our environment and our health in our community because we live, work and play in Marlborough.
Building in Ward Park raises concerns:
Environment
1. Building in Ward Park means a permanent loss of precious Open Space and Recreation Land in downtown Marlborough.
2. Open Space provides significant environmental quality and health benefits.
Equity
3. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental decision-making.
4. Some residents have complained that they were ignored, overlooked, dismissed and discouraged from participation by elected and non-elected city officials.
Economic
5. Projected costs are $7+ million to build a new senior center in Ward Park.
6. This means $500+ for each of the 15,000 taxpaying households in Marlborough.
7. The Council on Aging current budget is nearly $200,000 per year with a staff of four.
8. If the planned senior center is fully staffed it’s unclear how high the budget will be.
9. It’s unclear if building funds would be better spent to reach out to and subsidize underserved seniors who are unable to participate in current activities if they want to.
10. Gentrification and overspending may create unintended inequities in the community.
11. Increased development may decrease surrounding property values.
12. The new development and infrastructure costs will increase taxpayer burdens.
Social
13. Marlborough is fortunate to have exceptional cafes, restaurants, parks, church groups, clubs. (Rotary, Lions, Garden, etc.), recreation facilities, senior housing options, Council on Aging activities, and much more where seniors are actively engaged and can enjoy diverse activities when they like.
14. A senior center at Ward Park may reduce interest in these vibrant organizations and create an unintended lack of participation.
Building
15. A senior center in Ward Park would benefit and accommodate a small percentage of our seniors.
16. Much of the proposed building design accounts for office space, dining, emergency, and recreation which duplicates existing services in Marlborough.
17. Current office space for senior services already exists within two blocks of Ward Park.
18. The temptation to expand can lead to further loss of Open Space in Ward Park and set a negative precedent for the taking of Open Space in the future.
Over-Development
19. In recent years it was reported that 20% of business building space was vacant.
20. Several houses were foreclosed and abandoned.
21. Some municipal buildings have been and still are underutilized.
Honor Our Heritage. Protect Open Space. Renovate Existing Buildings.
Marlborough has underutilized and empty buildings that can be renovated or repurposed. Some examples include the Old Meeting House on Pleasant Street, Jericho Park building, Walker Building, old Post Office, and Armory to name a few. Other options include commercial buildings on the market that can be purchased or rented with large parking lots to accommodate many people.
Marlborough has a recent history of restoration and renovation. Examples of beautifully renovated or restored buildings include: Renaissance Lofts, the Design Pak Lofts, Saint Mary’s Condos, and the old fire station/courthouse on Main Street.
We do not need a new building on this precious, protected Open Space in Marlborough. We can restore and renovate existing buildings in the city.
Moral and Legal Obligation
Our forefathers made sacrifices and took great pride in setting aside Ward Park as Open Space and Recreation Land for future generations and the public good.
Like them, we have a moral and legal obligation to Save Ward Park for future generations to enjoy the health, history, culture, recreation, and environmental gifts of this public park.
I ask city council to vote NO to building on Ward Park Open Space and Recreation Land in Marlborough.
I ask all municipal officials, elected and nonelected, residents, and businesses to work together to find a better solution.
We do not want our youth, our seniors, and our citizens to compete for Open Space at a high cost to our economy, history, culture, health and environment.
If municipal officials vote to build on public open space in Ward Park I will support the legal battle to fight it.
Jen Boudrie
jenboudrie@gmail.com 508-481-0569
Resident, Marlborough
Founder, Green Marlborough
Researcher/Author: 2006 Marlborough Energy and Environmental Inventory; 2008 Marlborough Sustainability Action Plan
Co-Chair, 2008 Marlborough Sustainable Action Plan Task Force
Member, 2010 Marlborough Open Space Committee
Attendee, 2013 Marlborough Mass-in-Motion
RESOURCES
Save Ward Park
www.SaveWardPark.com
Article 97 Municipal Land Disposition Policy
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/mepa/about-mepa/eea-policies/eea-article-97-land-disposition-policy.html
Massachusetts Open Space Workbook
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/eea/dcs/osrp-workbook08.pdf
2011 Land Protection Report, EOEEA
Land Priorities: Commonwealth Urban Parks, pages 5-6
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/eea/land/11-eea-land-report-web.pdf
Smart Growth and Environmental Justice
http://www.mass.gov/envir/smart_growth_toolkit/pages/mod-ej.html
Mass In Motion
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/community-health/mass-in-motion/community/
Jen Boudrie letter