Are You Concerned About Open Space in Town?

Information courtesy of the Westborough Open Space Preservation Committee.

Are you interested in preserving open space in town? Do you wish you had a say in how the town is using its open land? If so, now is your time. Town officials would like to hear from you.

The Westborough Open Space Preservation Committee just finished a draft of the 2012 Open Space and Recreation Plan. This plan is required by the Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services so that Westborough can apply for grant money from the state. Such grants include funding for open space, developing parks and maintaining trails.

The plan includes information on Westborough history and population. There is also a listing of conservation land and a five-year plan for that land.

"Feedback from the community is critically important for the plan to be approved by the state and for plan to become a true 'living document' that can be used by town residents to protect and utilize open space in the community," said Tim Dodd, and chairman of the Open Space Preservation Committee.

Dodd said that the committee will be meeting with town officials this month, and it hopes to hear from residents. The draft of the committee report is available to review through March 1 on the Westborough town website. A public meeting about the plan will take place on Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in room 23 of the Forbes Municipal Building. At that meeting, Melissa Cryan from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs will speak about the purpose and benefits of creating an open space and recreation plan.

Anyone who would like to comment about the open space in town, or the five-year plan for developing and maintaining it, should send an email to openspaceplan@town.westborough.ma.us. Written comments may also be mailed to the Westborough Open Space Preservation Committee, 34 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581. 

Public comments will be incorporated into the draft that will be up for approval at Town Meeting on March 17.

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