City Council To Vote On Cultural District Resolution

FRAMINGHAM, MA- The framingham City Council has been asked to approve a resolution that supports designating Framingham Centre Common as a cultural district.

The resolution is being pushed by the Framingham Centre Common Cultural District Organizing Committee and several institution in Framingham Centre in an effort to submit a formal application with the state.

The Framingham Centre Common Cultural District effort began several years ago and was
initiated by then Representative Chris Walsh. The Mass Cultural Council has the authority to designate cultural districts. The designation lasts for five years and carries certain requirements.

The Mass Cultural Council's Cultural District program promotes neighborhoods that have a high density of cultural organizations within a ten-minute walk of each other. The designation supports the efforts of these organizations and helps them to publicize events, host joint events, and highlights the history of the area.

The program has recognized 45 Cultural Districts in 40 communities across the state, including nearby communities such as Marlborough, Maynard, and Natick.

The designation requires no funding from the city- the organizing entities formed a non-profit, established by-laws and are building a board of directors. They have sought seed money from the Cultural Council to begin strategic planning as soon as the designation is awarded. Some of the key organizing committee members are Annie Murphy of the Framingham History Center, Debra Petke of the Danforth Art Museum, Dale Hamel of Framingham State University and Paul Joseph of the Metro West Chamber of Commerce

The organizing committee expects to have the application submitted to the state by this February.

Framingham's Centre Common was chosen because "Since the 18th century the Centre Common has been the institutional heart of Framingham," according to the Framingham Centre Common Cultural District Organizing Committee. The Centre Common and surrounding buildings were designated a local historic district by Framingham Town Meeting in 1978, and a National Register of Historic Places district by the National Park Service in 1990. Major organizations, like the Framingham History Center, Framingham State University and Danforth Art, have been vocal advocates and backed the district initiative for many years.

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