Community Corner
Which is the Best Site for the New School?
There only one site that will address several existing problems and issues.
The Wyman Neighborhood Group is circulating an online petition to strongly urge city officials to preserve Spence Farm and select another site for the new school. The many reasons why we should select 71 Wyman St instead of any of the other alternatives are cited below. If you agree and would like to help, please click here to sign.
If 71 Wyman St. is selected:
The Wyman Neighborhood is greatly affected by the unbridled development in the Spence Farm area, which has caused horrendous, damaging flooding to many properties. Not selecting Spence Farm as the site and retaining it as open space will avoid worsening an existing, major problem.
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Hurld School students will not have to be bused to other schools for a year or more and 71 Wyman St. is easy to get to by bus, car, or even walking, and is almost an equal distance from the Wyman and Hurld schools.
The South End would not have to endure another year or more of blocked driveways, illegally parked buses and excessive traffic if the Clapp School were repaired and used again as swing space – only to have it revert to empty because by law it can only be used for Woburn students or open space.
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The City of Woburn overall will benefit by:
Finally getting value from a blighted eyesore and a cause of local flooding. The current owner is a church, which pays no taxes to the city and has neglected the 71 Wyman site for many years. Isn’t it time that the property enhance the city instead of degrading it?
Not wasting dollars searching for and creating new temporary space at any of the available alternatives, which could easily cost the city in excess of a million dollars for their brief period of use. Wouldn’t it make more sense to invest that money to purchase the land at 71 Wyman?
Using an established source of tax revenue to easily cover the cost of the land. Shouldn’t the $240,000 annual meals tax overage be used to purchase 71 Wyman St., and have the city stay true to its express promise of using that tax to protect Spence Farm?
The city will retain a unique open space that has become an exemplary center, hosting many community activities, events and outdoor recreational uses – both summer and winter – that bring value and enjoyment to the entire city.
