By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Northborough – Near the intersection of Main and Church streets in the center of Northborough is a sign that reads: “Home of the Future Town Common.” For those of you who are wondering when construction will begin, the answer is soon – hopefully by this coming summer.
A parcel of land adjacent to the site of the Town Common has been donated to the town. This caused a delay to allow for the donation to go through the proper procedure which will culminate at Town Meeting this April.
“We had to wait a year because the family that owned 20 Rear Gale contacted us right after Town Meeting last year and said that they wanted to donate [the land] so we had to wait until this year’s Town Meeting to accept the parcel,” explained Amy Poretsky, a member of the Town Common Committee and Northborough’s Planning Board.
Town Meeting will vote on accepting the parcel and appropriate $115,000 which will cover construction costs associated with Phase III of the project. This includes the survey and design of the additional parcel. The first three parcels have already been approved at a previous Town Meeting.
The parcel itself is .41 acres and sits back directly behind the lot, along Route 20, that housed a building which was demolished last year in preparation for the Town Common. It is hoped that the additional parcel will provide a nice connection between the Town Common and Assabet Park.
“The family would like the donation of the parcel to reflect that it is being donated in memory of their parents, George & Phyllis Moroney,” noted Kathy Joubert, Northborough’s town planner.
Joubert also said that the design firm has been selected and, after Town Meeting, will put forth their options to the public. There will be a series of public hearings (which will be filtered through the Board of Selectmen.) Once the design is approved, then the project will go out to bid and construction will begin. Joubert is hopeful that the Town Common will be completed by the fall of 2019.