Neighbor News
February Newsletter - The Castle Arts
Monthly newsletter from the Save the Wyman Committee
February 2026
Hello Castle Team,
It may seem like a quiet month, but we’ve been busy working behind the scenes—gathering information and preparing next steps as we await a response from the City Council.
Find out what's happening in Woburnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Our Castle board has done the following:
- Contacted surrounding arts and community centers for their lease agreement information.
- Reviewed our cost estimates for the castle and annex building.
- Reviewed our timeline.
- Registered for the Mass Charities organization “The Castle Arts and Community Center”.
- Continued to gather community support..
- Presented to Middlesex Lions Women's Club.
Here are a few recent news articles featuring the work of our board and committee - check it out!
Find out what's happening in Woburnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION AND SEND TO EVERYONE
After meeting with city officials, they want to hear that you support The Castle Arts and Community Center nonprofit 501 (c)(3) at the Wyman Elementary School and Property. Woburn deserves to have what our surrounding communities have. This is a Win Win for our community.
- A lasting community asset that benefits Woburn residents and families.
- A place for multi generations to gather, create, and truly call home.
- The city continues to own land and preserves it as an asset for the future.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION forms.gle/oCiCziVAPaAGvMHBA
SAVE THE WYMAN CASTLE COMMITTEE’S VISION FOR THE WYMAN PROPERTY
Here is a short video presentation outlining the Save the Wyman Castle Committee’s vision for transforming the old Wyman school property into a vibrant arts and community center.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO drive.google.com/file/d/1tYl_--qf-jstCqWU5-GZOxn1yfQLFI0W/view?usp=sharing
CONTACT CITY COUNCIL
Please contact your council members and encourage others to do the same to support an arts and community center. Here is some suggested language you can use - please personalize as you see fit!
Dear City Council Members (or specific name),
We are asking you to please support the creation of an arts and community center at the former Wyman school property. This center will enhance the city’s cultural and community offerings for all Woburn residents for decades to come. I/we would be proud to have a vibrant arts and community hub that celebrates creativity, learning, and meaningful connections in the heart of our city.
OFFICIAL NON PROFIT
Under the official name “The Castle Arts and Community Center,” we look forward to working with Woburn city officials to secure a land lease and move this vision forward.
Our goal is to transform the Wyman Castle and school property into a vibrant hub for creativity, learning, and community connection.
Proposed features include:
- Studios & Art Gallery – Classes, workshops, and exhibitions
- Performance Space – Theatre, dance, and community events
- Community Center – Meeting and event space for local groups
- Greenspace & Gardens – Outdoor learning and community programs
BECOME A CASTLE TEAM MEMBER
Join our email list to get the latest information. savethewymancastle@gmail.com or visit https://sites.google.com/view/savewymancastle/home
MEET OUR TEAM - SAVE THE WYMAN CASTLE COMMITTEE
Catherine B. Shaughnessy is a proud lifelong resident of the City—born at the Choate Hospital and one of many Woburn babies first bathed by local legend and nurse Tally Ho Sullivan.
Catherine herself attended the Wyman Elementary School during fifth and sixth grades after her neighborhood Plympton school burned to the ground.
She has the distinction, along with her lifelong friend Therese Martin, of being the first ‘paper girls’ to work for Moore and Parker, delivering the Daily Times to their Hammond Square neighborhood and beyond. Catherine’s early employment also includes a stint at the former Woburn National Bank.
A graduate of the Kennedy Junior High, Woburn High School, and then the University of Massachusetts, Catherine’s professional career spanned 40 years in the private sector—mostly in the world of tech and Fortune 500 companies such as Macom, Alpha Industries, and Tyco Electronics.
She now serves as the transportation coordinator for the Woburn Council on Aging, for which she organizes critical daily transportation for Woburn residents 60 and older.
Catherine’s devotion to her hometown is easy to find. She served as an elected member of the Woburn City Council for eight years, and a member of the Cemetery Commission for 12 years. She has taught CCD at St. Charles, is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Woburn Elks Lodge No. 908, and the O’Seachnasaigh Society.
In her free time, Catherine is an avid reader of history as well an amateur birder and a master gardener, a talent she now shares as committee chair for the community garden at the Woburn Senior Center.
Castle Team: Susan Thifault, Dr. Patricia McCauley, Madelyn Farrell, Catherine Shaughnessy, Kathryn Thifault, Karen Thifault and Erin Merceruio Nelson
CONTACT CITY COUNCIL AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Mayor Mike Concannon
781-897-5901
Robert J. Ferullo, Jr.
Councilor at Large
William J. Pappalardo
Ward Two Councilor
781 - 438 - 8325
Jeffrey P. Dillon
Ward Three Councilor and City Council President
781- 938 - 8233
Joseph E. Demers
Ward Four Councilor
