Phillipston residents talk upgrades to town common

PHILLIPSTON – About two dozen people showed up to Phillipston Common Thursday to share their thoughts on how to best improve or beautify the green space in the center of town.

Chief Administrative Officer Adam Lamontagne and all three members of the town’s Selectboard were joined by Jon Ouellette, senior landscape architect for Halvorson Desing, an arm of the engineering firm Tighe & Bond of Westfield.

Aerial views of the town center were spread out on a table, along with pens and note pads which attendees could use to write down ideas for upgrades to the common. Halvorson/Tighe & Bond was hired by the town to develop a proposal for improving the common by potentially relocating utility poles on the periphery of the parcel, as well as the overhead power and cable lines strung between them.

In addition, the consultants will also look at whether appropriate amenities could be added to the common. The project is being paid for with $30,000 in Community Preservation Act monies, the expenditure of which was approved by a Town Meeting vote.

“I’m here to listen, bounce around some ideas, and hear what you have to say about this special place….any idea is a good idea,” Ouellette said.

Bernie Malouin, chair of Phillipston’s Selectboard, said the concept of improving the common has been a topic of discussion for some time.

“It actually goes back maybe 15 years,” he said. “There have been different ideas floated from time to time. The Cemetery Commission, the guys who take care of the lawn here, the town clerk and others have talked about cleaning this up.”

On problem Malouin pointed to is the practice of visitors to Town Hall or the Congregational Church to park along the edge of the common.

“If people keep parking like that we’re going to lose more and more of the green. The lawn just doesn’t look as good as it should,” he said.

Malouin said the placement of a berm around the perimeter of the common has been discussed.

In addition to moving the utility poles and overhead lines, Malouin said people have suggested having a water line extended to the common to allow for watering of grass and other plantings.

He said a plan to apply for a grant to help pay for the project was discussed several years ago, “but I guess it fell apart.”

As far as the relocation of the utilities, Malouin said, “That’s part of the plan but that’s not necessarily what’s going to happen. That could end up being between $300,000 and $500,000.”

He said fellow board member Gerhard Fandreyer has been in contact with National Grid “to try to clean up some of this stuff.”

Asked about the potential for amenities, such as a gazebo, being added to the common, Malouin said, “All those things are on the table. They’ll be making recommendations based on the community input.”

“There are also thoughts about potentially closing that crossroad right there,” Malouin added, pointing to the short stretch of road that ties Baldwinville Road to the confluence of Petersham and Barre roads. Doing so, Oullette said, might allow for that section of roadway to be torn up and grassed over in order to enlarge the common.

Another possible change, said Malouin, is the addition of diagonal parking in front of Town Hall. He also suggested the potential for creating more parking space across from the common near the entryway to the town’s police station.

Ouellette said draft recommendations would be put together in the months ahead.

“When it is ready we’ll come back to the town and look for more public comment on it,” he added. “Once that input is digested we’ll be back again with our final recommendations.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.