Wayland Group Raising Money To Help Buy Sherman’s Bridge Road Site

WAYLAND, MA — A group of Wayland residents who fought to preserve a parcel along Sherman's Bridge Road is now trying to raise money to help the town preserve the site as open space.

In 2021, a developer applied to build a cluster of five homes along a cul-de-sac at 27 Sherman's Bridge Road. The group Save 27 Sherman's Bridge Road opposed the development, and the developer withdrew its application in October.

The group then lobbied the Wayland Community Preservation Committee, which oversees Community Preservation Act funds, to purchase the 8.3-acre site. The CPC approved, and now Town Meeting on May 14 will vote on purchasing the site for $1.5 million.

Now, Save 27 Sherman's Bridge Road is working with Sudbury Valley Trustees to raise about $30,000 to demolish a building on the parcel and perform conservation upgrades.

"It is important that we raise funds for this so we can assure Town Meeting voters that the town will not have to expend more than the $1.5 million in already dedicated CPA funds to purchase the property and conserve it. These pledges will be collected only if the warrant article passes and the town desires to receive the property with the current dwelling demolished," the group said in a recent fundraising appeal.

The Sherman's Bridge Road parcel sits just south of the 18-acre Riley conservation area, which contains a network of trails.