Local author's book to raise money for park bench
By Hilary Shepard Contributing Writer

The bench preferred by the Design Committee is six feet long and will come in a black powder coat finish, matching the rest of the site furnishing and the lamp posts. SUBMITTED

Westborough - Tatnuck Booksellers, at 18 Lyman St. in Westborough, will host an event Saturday Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. featuring local author Glenn Parker and his book, "Cornfield Meet," which explores the history of the town's complex trolley system, which ran from 1897 to 1931.

Proceeds will go towards purchasing a bench for the park at Bay State Commons.

The promotion comes at an apt time, as the book is celebrating the 20th an- niversary of its publication. Parker, the former Chief of Police in Westborough, originally set out to write a history of the town's Police Department, but bumped into several stories about the trolleys, and started to trace the passenger transportation system back to its roots.

"Once I found out that a police chief had been run over by a trolley, I knew trolleys should be what my book was about," Parker said.

The idea for using proceeds to purchase a bench came from the Westborough Historical Commission.

"The proceeds of the book have always gone to charity," Parker said, "and I think this is a great idea."

Historical Commission Co-Chair Paula Skog said that her group wanted to use the donation for something for all town residents.

"We were hoping to use the books for something that the whole town would benefit from," Skog said.

Using the proceeds to buy a bench for the Bay State Commons, Skog said, "is a nice way to bring the past together with the present," especially since the trolley system used to run through the center of the Westborough, where the Bay State Commons is located.

Bay State Commons is being developed on 56 acres of the former Baystate Abrasives industrial complex, located at 12 Union St. The space is being transformed into a new 350,000-square-foot retail center and a 2.5-acre public park and common, where the bench purchased by proceeds from the book selling will go.

Westborough design firm Waterman has been hired to design the space by developers Phillips International Inc., of New York City. Waterman is working with the town's Planning Department to make sure the space is integrated into the town's central village, and complies with all local and state regulations.

Westborough Town Planner Jim Robbins said the town will receive the park when it is completed next spring. According to Robbins, the area has already been graded, mature trees planted, and sidewalks are being paved "as we speak." The park will eventually include a fountain, gazebo and game boards. The park, according to Robbins, will serve as a place "where the town can have public, special events, where we don't have that now."

The town will host an opening of the park later this month, in conjunction with an official opening of the Bay State Commons in the spring. Stay tuned for information regarding both events.

In addition to purchasing "Cornfield Meet," individuals, town organizations and corporations are encouraged to donate in other ways towards park items. Contact Jim Robbins at 508-366-3055 for more information.

For more information about the Oct. 20 event, visit Tatnuck's Web site at www. tatnuck.com or call at 508- 366-4959.