Three Saxonville projects totaling more than $1.1 million were among those recommended for funding tonight by the Framingham Community Preservation Committee:
$650,000 to create an ADA-accessible boardwalk on the Carol Getchell nature trail overlooking the Sudbury River. The 1,000-foot boardwalk would replace a deteriorating 900-foot structure. The request had been for $700,000.
$500,000 for phase one of a multi-phase project to rehabilitate the historic Athenaeum building. Applicants had initially submitted a multi-million-dollar request for the entire rehabilitation both inside and out, but the committee responded earlier that was not feasible in a single year. This year’s request includes exterior work such as roof repair, new period-appropriate windows and doors, siding removal, and insulation and re-cladding the structure.
$39,500 for work along the School Street section of the Cochituate Rail Trail for erosion control and installation of native plants, including a more inviting display at the start of the trail.
Another $500,000 was approved for work at Reardon Park for a splash pad, playground equipment, and other improvements, contingent on city funding. Community Preservation Committee members found out just today that Mayor Sisitsky has proposed slashing the city’s FY25 capital spending, including expected funding for the park.
The committee’s funding recommendations now go to the City Council next month.
The Athenaeum project is a long time in the making. In addition to tonight’s recommendation, this portion of the project would be funded by $1 million appropriated by Framingham Town Meeting. (Framingham became a city in 2018.)
“I want to thank the Community Preservation Committee for your support of this project on behalf of Friends of Saxonville, which has been working for the last 30 years to encourage investment in the preservation of this property,” said Steve Weisman at tonight’s hearing. “This is only Phase One, but I think it’s an important phase because it will demonstrate to the residents of Saxonville and the residents of the city as a whole, that the city cares about its historic structures and is willing to commit funds for their preservation and adaptive reuse.”
A proposal for a Getchell Trail stairway did not come up for a vote, as the committee decided not to move that forward tonight because of questions about the design.
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