To the Editor:
We are writing to express our concerns regarding the possible destruction of yet another historic building here in the Town of Westborough. It appears to be part of a pattern in which town facilities are allowed to fall into disrepair, due to lack of active facility management, maintenance and upkeep, and then, lo and behold! It is decided that they are “too far gone” to save, and aren’t “up to code.” Of course, if the stewards of the building (the town leadership) had done their job, it wouldn’t be in that state.
Judging from a recent “survey” developed by the Golf Club Building Use Committee, they have an agenda that does not include saving this historic building, but rather to build something to benefit the few hundred town residents who use the golf course. More disturbing is that the survey was sent to non-residents who use the course – as if they should be deciding where our municipal tax dollars should go! And why should those responding to the survey “identify expected use of the building considering the needs of the golf course, pro-shop and maintenance barn?” What about those of us who don’t believe those things should be considered? We could use the property for Affordable Housing, a Senior Center, or a Community Center, as the 2021 community-developed and officially accepted Master Plan suggests. A Golf Club may be a nice recreation feature for a town, but how can we justify spending what could be over a million dollars for a few hundred golfers? The golf course could continue to be enjoyed with a much lower investment by supplying porta-johns and food trucks.
If a restaurant on the site is the desire of a majority of residents (many who do not golf) why not sell the building and a new lot to a private investor group (including golfers if they so choose), who can rehab the building, bring it up to code, and open a restaurant on the site for all to enjoy, one that competes equally with other downtown restaurants that do not benefit from being a town supported entity.
Luanne Crosby and R. Christopher Noonan
Westborough
