To the Editor:
Question 4 on the November ballot is the most important question we as Shrewsbury residents must vote yes on to preserve our town’s historical significance.
Many value the concept of community and what the Community Preservation Act supports is a vibrant and desirable community honoring its New England history.
Upon moving to Massachusetts, looking for a fixer upper with character and history to renovate, I found it in a property which was over 200 years old. Understanding the importance of honoring the properties past, I approached the renovation with respect of the old and the importance of functioning in the 21st century. The history of the property helped to guide me in the decisions I made. Nothing stays the same but I felt I needed to honor what had come before while still embracing necessary changes.
The ongoing historical transition Shrewsbury is experiencing is some of what I experienced with my renovation. What should be saved? What can go? What is important to maintain the existing character?
We are slowly losing the pieces of the past that tie us to the future. Community Preservation Act can slow that process. Preserving historic resources such as buildings, grave stones, stone walls, documents and artifacts , protecting them and making them accessible for hundreds of years is essential for future generations to understand how our community developed.
Choices we make now reflect what Shrewsbury will be in the future. Community Preservation Act helps us be stewards of the past by providing the mechanism for us as a community to collectively decide what is important to preserve. CPA projects are brought forward by those living here and as stewards we decide what projects we feel best benefit our community and will maintain a strong historical presence in Shrewsbury.
We needn’t lose the character of our town or not be able to preserve our historic resources because of budget restraints or missed opportunities. Shrewsbury has a rich past which should be preserved and we as a community can all be a part of that process by adopting the Community Preservation Act. Vote YES on 4.
Gail Aslanian
Historical Commission
Community Preservation Act Committee Member
Shrewsbury
