Public Meeting Announced for Grover Site after Neighbor Concern

The residents surrounding the Emery Grover building have spoken and now they will have their say in an official capacity.

Appearing before the Senior Center Exploratory Committee (SCEC) Wednesday evening, Oakland St. resident Bill Betcher shared his concerns about using the Grover site for a new senior center, citing traffic and vehicle congestion as deterrents.

According to Betcher, a group of Needham residents has been meeting of late and discussing the potential issues they see developing should a senior center come to Grover. Betcher distributed a packet of information on Wednesday and asked that a public meeting be offered regarding the site.

"We are enthusiastically in support of a new Senior Center, but it must be one with adequate space and safe access," read a letter that was signed by Lee and Bill Betcher, Laurie Katz, Barbara MacDonald and Chris Nowicki.

The letter additionally referred to the group of concerned residents as "ever-growing" and one that "transcends neighborhood boundaries."

Within the packet was a policed vehicle report, which documented cases of property damage, personal injury, motor vehicle violations and vehicle accidents that occurred in the Grover area between 2008 and 2010.

Betcher and his group asked the SCEC to host a neighborhood meeting in which residents could air their concerns in an official capacity, while also afforded feedback from committee members. SCEC co-chair Jim Healy explained that the committee had previously discussed hosting such a meeting, but that a date had not yet been selected due to the committee being unsure of whether or not it would pursue the site.

Healy did take issue with Betcher's belief that a senior center would increase traffic in the area, saying that he does not think a potential center would create "new high use" and that the area already sees congestion.

"All sites in the downtown area have issues with parking and traffic congestion, but these will clearly be taken into consideration," Healy said.

Healy added that the police reports were a good idea and one that the committee may want to take into account for the other sites. He did not feel comfortable, though, judging the data until likeminded figures were available for the other sites.

SCEC member Moe Handel told Betcher that most downtown sites would require the work of the Planning Board, which looks at parking issues.

"In my 14 years with the board, they have always listened hard to resident needs," Handel said.

Ultimately, the SCEC decided that a neighborhood meeting will be held on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. The location is yet to be determined.

"Every site downtown has its blemishes, but the vast majority of people I've met want a center in the downtown area," Healy said. "I have every faith that parking and traffic issues will be addressed."