Q&A With Previous Resident of Asa Parlin House [VIDEO]

A question and answer session with Molly (Vaillancourt) Lyttle, previous occupant at 17 Woodbury Lane.

AP: What is your first and last name (age if you're willing to share), and when did you live at 17 Woodbury Lane?

• My full name is Molly (Vaillancourt) Lyttle. I lived at from the time I was born (1974) until my parents (Roland and Katherine Vaillancourt) sold it in 1996 (I believe they bought it in 70s, and renovated it in '75). I now live in Ayer. I grew up there with my parents in the home as well as my sister Hilary and my brother Peter.

AP: Will you share some fond memories of the home?

• It was a great location to grow up, the old playground abutted the property as well as the baseball field where my brother played little league and we attended the town summer camp. The library was virtually in our back yard and was an endless source of entertainment for us. Our family dog was notorious for getting loose and going for a run through the library. For a few years in the mid-80s my parents ran an ice cream and sandwich shop out of the center store named "Sweet Molly's", also, very convenient as it was within walking distance. It was also always a treat on Patriot's Day to see the Minutemen re-enact their march as they went right by the house on their way to Concord. As you can tell, for many reasons it was a special place to grow up.

AP: What was different about the property when you lived there?

• Although it was in the busy center of town my father worked diligently to landscape the property so that it seemed separated for the Town Hall and library. The perimeter was lined with arbor vitae bushes providing privacy, he had also cultivated beautiful flower gardens in several areas of the property and there was also a large in-ground pool where the parking lot to the right of the house is now.

AP: What was it like for you to see the of the inside of the house? What was your reaction? 

• To see the video documenting the decay of the house is sad, it's truly a shame that a once vibrant and usable property has been left to rot. What is done is done however, and I think that there is really no other option but to tear it down. It's not only an eyesore in one of the most beautiful sections of Acton, but it appears to be a safety hazard as well. It would be tragic to see someone get hurt if they were exploring the property, or if in the decaying process, the house, appliances, etc. could leech chemicals into the ground around it.

AP: What would you like to see the Town of Acton do with the property? Preserve it or demolish it and use the space for something else? Could you explain...

• I read one suggestion of a picnic area which I think is a fabulous idea, and probably not too expensive. I wish you luck in your project with this property.  

What do you think the Town should do with the home? and join the public forum held June 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Faulkner Room of the . 

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