🔨 What to do with the Athenaeum in Saxonville?
Get Involved with Our City! | Students Graduate from Early College Scholars Program | Downtown Adult Resource Fair | Gun Law Listening Tour Tuesday | The Week Ahead
What a great Framingham weekend! Great to see so many people enjoying our community. From placing flags at veterans’ graves at Edgell Grove Cemetery Saturday morning to the History Centre Patrons Party that night, to the House Tour on Sunday, it was a full weekend of celebrating who we are as a city. Thanks to everyone who said hello!
Have a comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at mkfeeney@gmail.com
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What to do with the Athenaeum in Saxonville?
Mayor Charlie Sisitsky met with the Friends of Saxonville on May 9. The packed Open Spirit Hall at Edwards Church was focused on three things: 1.) The Athenaeum; 2.) McGrath Square, and 3.) State Lumber.
Time for a reality check: The Mayor cited a “reality check” is needed on the Athenaeum and its future. He told the Friends he wants to find a good use for it. $75,000 of Community Block Development Grants (CBDG) were allotted to study Watson Place, the Pumping Station, the old firehouse and yes, the Athenaeum. This study will be a “new look at old plans.”
Why this matters: The Athenaeum and the area around Watson Place has been a point of debate for decades. Built in the 1840s, the Athenaeum, located next to the Saxonville Mill, has a long history of being used for a variety of needs from a jail to a school to a hospital to a venue for wedding receptions, dances and community meetings. Framingham closed the building in 1995 citing the need for repairs. In 2014, Town Meeting allotted funds for a full restoration. But little action has occurred for full restoration. Its future is up in the air.
McGrath Square updates are years away: Projected to cost $5-7 million (as of today’s numbers), Sisitsky says he is seeking federal money to fund the restructuring of the square. The loudest applause occurred when he announced plans for putting the electric wires underground.
No plans for old State Lumber: Contrary to rumors on social media, Sisitsky said he has no update on the current status of the old State Lumber site. It is understood the contact agreement with Stop & Shop not to put in a competing grocery store in the area is still in effect for a few more years.
Additional tidbits: Plans are underway for updates to the park by the dam and the city is addressing the issue of trucks parked overnight in Pinefield.
Get Involved with Our City!
Framingham seeks new members for various boards and commissions. I’m going to break the 4th wall here to say we need new voices and new people to get involved. The Mayor’s Office should be flooded with applications for committees, but in many cases, it is not. Let’s change that today, okay?
For example: Are you a youth wanting your voice heard in our government? Awesome, apply for the Youth Council. Do you have experience or interest in conservation? Great, apply for the Conservation Commission. Are you interested in approving liquor licenses to our restaurants? Try the Board of License Commissioners.
Many opportunities: The following the city is specifically seeking applications:
Zoning Board of Appeals
Youth Council
Police Advisory Committee
Human Relations Commission
Fair Housing Committee
Board of License Commissioners
Conversation Commission
Charter Review Committee
Cable Advisory Board
More information:
Questions? Reach out to Heather Gutierrez, Citizen Participation Officer
We can only bring change if we have new people at the table: I look forward to seeing many new faces on our boards!
Framingham Students Graduate from Early College Scholars Program
41 Framingham High School juniors completed the inaugural cohort of the MetroWest Scholars Early Start Program. The students took part in a graduation ceremony last weekend.
Getting ahead on their future: The Early College Scholars program has saved 68 college-bound students from Framingham, Milford and Waltham nearly $1 million in college tuition with a combined 3,000 credits, while providing the students with a solid foundation to achieve their academic goals and career path options.
What is the program? The Early Start program offers instruction to low-income and underrepresented students and families starting in 8th grade in high-demand professional fields and career pathways such as business, sociology/criminology, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), and education. The students participate in college-level, credit-bearing courses. The Early Start program is overseen by the MetroWest College Planning Collaborative, a joint initiative of Framingham State University and MassBay Community College.
How many students are involved? 212 FPS students, including 8th graders, are enrolled in the program.
What the students say: “I love being a scholar,” says Jennifer Panza, a junior at Framingham High School. “I get to explore different pathways before I finally choose which one I want to do. There’s also a great community that puts support behind you and classes and activities. It’s hard to believe that we have already made it this many years and we are now choosing colleges.”
Congratulations!
Downtown Framingham Adult Resource Fair
Who: MetroWest Care Connection is hosting an adult resource fair on the Downtown Framingham Common on Tuesday, June 6 from 10:00am-1:00pm.
What: The fair connects adults with health and social service resources, such as employment, health insurance enrollment, mental and physical health services, and housing assistance.
Statewide Gun Law Listening Tour Comes to Framingham
Share your thoughts on current laws: A statewide gun law listening tour hosted by Representative Michael Day (D-Stoneham) comes to Framingham State University tomorrow, Tuesday, May 23.
The topic: Tuesday’s listening session will focus on preventing school shootings.
How to participate: The event takes place from 6:00-8:00pm at the FSU Dining Annex. Our Framingham legislative delegation will be in attendance.
Memorial Day at the Memorial Building on Monday
Monday is Memorial Day.
Honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice serving our country at a ceremony starting at 11:00am in Nevins Hall in the Memorial Building. (150 Concord Street)
Nine Medals of Liberty will be awarded to Gold Star families in recognition of their loved one's service and sacrifice.
Framingham will also issue its first-ever Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity. This medal recognizes individuals with service-connected injuries related to exposure to harmful substances like Agent Orange and conditions like Gulf War Syndrome, in addition to combat-related mental illness.
The program: Framingham Veterans’ Services Officer Kathleen Lang will oversee the ceremony, featuring keynote speaker retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Hal Griffin. Framingham Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, and members of the Framingham Veterans Council will participate, along with the Framingham Fire Department Honor Guard.
On display in Nevins Hall: Beautiful memorial quilts by Deanne Joy.
On Memorial Day night, the Memorial Building will be lit up in red, white, and blue to pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
All are welcome to attend the event.
The Week Ahead
Meeting agendas are linked
Monday, May 22
7:00pm: Community Preservation Committee - Agenda
Tuesday, May 23
Wednesday, May 24
That’s a wrap! See you next Monday on Memorial Day.