It’s time for another open thread.
What’s on your mind this week, Southborough?
For those of you new to the blog, the open discussion thread is your place to ask questions, sound off on town issues, or share information with other readers. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Ask questions about programs in town or the town itself
- Post a note about things that you’re selling or giving away, or things that you want
- Share notices about upcoming events (Southborough or otherwise)
- Register your thoughts on town issues or news stories
- Point out interesting or helpful resources
You can add comments to the thread throughout the week. Check back often to see new comments. (If you read the blog via email or RSS, you might want to check the site from time to time for new comments.)
To view past open discussion threads, click here.
(photo of a past Christmas display at the Southborough Historical Museum by Susan Fitzgerald)
Is there a map of Southborough to see Christmas lights? I thought one was posted recently but I cannot find it now.
You can find info on lights in this post: https://mysouthborough.com/2020/12/10/spreading-holiday-cheer-christmas-display-extravaganza-and-mapping-outstanding-christmas-lights/
It is sooooo nice to have the Main Street Project (nearly) done. Sidewalks and turning lanes make a big difference in my ability to get around the neighborhood 10 million times a day. We have made it to the 21st century, and it has not “destroyed the rural character of our town,” as so many opponents had prognosticated. Now I don’t have to play chicken with oncoming traffic every time I make a left turn. And there is a designated place, separate from motor vehicle traffic, for me to push the stroller. Yay for progress!
I agree. So happy to see this..though I have seen some words regarding the road signs at the intersection of 30 and 85, it hasn’t been a problem for me.
The turning lanes are a good addition. However, the downtown now looks a lot more like surrounding towns with less or no “bucolic” charm. The most beautiful feature of the downtown is now torn down, forever gone: the lovely cherry trees that lined Main Street. They were an unmistakable sign of spring that inspired town pride, especially when they rained blossoms in the wind. It made us different. The replacement trees are woefully wrong and too close together in part, will grow much too large, unlike their perfect predecessors. The poor replacements were planted with no vision, forethought, or care for what was there. The historical mile marker, a key and important visual artifact, personal to our town, is now over-ensconced in too much concrete and surrounded by six inch curbs that can ruin tires and a car in ice conditions. Where was input and care of the Historical Commission on that important artifact. It is ruined by concrete and will take an expert with hammer and chisel to repair and save. The common’s historic stone wall is likewise buried and obscured by six inches of dirt and unnecessary curbing that isn’t even a sidewalk, just an eyesore. Not necessary as no one walks on that side of the street. Again, no vision or managerial oversight until it’s too late and the country charm is gone, just like the ridiculous gargantuan 5G tower masquerading as a flagpole. Town manager asleep at the wheel and overpaid, not worth it. As for all the curbs, was not aware of the safety issues they can impose. What about the Southborough family at their family member’s grave? There was a tragic fatal accident from hitting a curb in a nearby town. Not all would agree that all the so called “modern” improvements are improvements at all — some fine — some bad, a loss and a broken promise.
If it weren’t for the few responsible visionary saviors of what’s left of the golf course and the town residents, that would be ruined too. Remember the recent tug-of-war with the gone-but-not-forgotten town officials pulling for their developer buddies?
Caution on more to come with the attempted town takeover by crybaby developers and the scofflaw EDC, as they push through their downtown initiative plan to line their pockets. Talk about misplaced and misguided energies. The focus should be on Route 9, what a mess.
Apparently the economic development bill that the MA legislature approved, includes authorization of $250,000 for waste water treatment in Southborough. Do you have more information on this? It has been under my radar.
I hadn’t seen that. The EDC previously applied for and received a grant for $25,000 for a feasibility study for wastewater treatment related to the initiative to revitalize downtown. (Septic issues in the area have hampered development including the ability to add restaurants.) I was not aware of anything for 10x that size as having been awarded.
That is the figure presented as having been appropriated at the end of the legislative session by our state legislator, Carolyn Dykema in a social media post. I will contact her directly. Thank you.
Recently noticed many, man ESG (Eversource Gas?) markings with crossed arrows spray painted on the following streets: John Matthews, General Henry Knox, Parkerville, etc.
What is going on?
Are these streets going to be resurfaced? Is someone planning on excavating the gas lines? What’s up?
I learned the answer today by speaking with an engineering firm representative. The gas main running the length of Parkerville Road (North) is going to be replaced. Work is scheduled to start TOMORROW (01/20/21).
A big “thank you” (NOT!) to NSTAR for keeping its customers informed. So much for corporate communication skills!
The man I spoke with indicated the gas main would first be installed parallel to the existing line, then customers would be switched over individually probably in the Spring, with only a 10 minute or so interruption in their gas service.
There are two (2) lines running on the West side of the street, one higher pressure and the other lower pressure. It was not specified whether one or both lines were being replaced. If homeowners are eventually being switched over, that owuld suggest the lower pressure line.
I hope they don’t make a mess of the road like they did on 85
Heard on this morning’s news that MA lags behind every other New England state for vaccination penetration.
What’s up with that?
I hope our Town Officials are clamoring for improvements in the process… quickly.
Not to worry – starting tomorrow everything will be fixed.
LOL… wise guy… Even with our Republican governor still running things…??
The last person Gov. Baker should look to for support would be me. If he runs again I will write in someone else. Worst governor since the Duke.
Driving along the new Main Street project, the road looks smooth but is actually quite irregular and bumpy. Going in and coming out of the Town House lot is awful. The traffic patterns work really well and it’s esthetic, but is anything going to be done about the bumpy ride or is it just me?
Seriously? Did you not drive on Main Street before? It’s WAY better. Guess you can’t make everyone happy.
Seriously I had. Yes it is better, but wouldn’t you want it done right? Rhetorical question, as clearly you don’t. Whatever the cause of the irregularities, poor compression, aggregate issues, it affects the life of the road. I think that’s important especially on a project of that magnitude and expense.
Going in and out of the townhouse parking lot is terrible
Town House paving mess
I observed the Town House entrance/exit roadways recently. Apparently, someone attempted to continue the concrete sidewalk using asphalt creating a sharp diagonal rise from the street onto a 3 foot wide “sidewalk”, followed by an even steeper diagonal rise back to the road surface leading to the parking area. Reverse this order tor the exit pathway.
This is the source of the mess!
NSTAR Gas Line Replacement
I had the experience of driving on Church St. in Marlborough recently as well, and it looks as though the NSTAR contractors have been busy there too (as on Parkerville Rd. in Southborough). I am not encouraged by the patching job completed on Church St. To say it was poorly done would be giving it too much praise.
Let’s hope, and contact the BOS over this one, the patching to be performed on Parkerville Rd. is done in a more professional manner. These contractors are being paid for their work – it does not seem to be a chain-gang effort.
I just tried signing up my mother-in-law for the Covid vaccine. She’s over 75 amd lives on Cape Cod and does NOT own a PC and is NOT very tech savvy. The nearest site was CVS after being routed to their site from the government’s COVID-Vaccine registration site their web site said they had no vaccines. Starting over, the next nearest was a Walgreen’s and they insisted that she join their frequent shopper program before opening up any scheduling pages. Because I was calling to register her from a phone number that was different from hers, I was routed to their Call Center and after waiting a long time, I decided I’d try the main vaccine center at Gillette Stadium. After going thru a batch of questions to sign her up… some very confusing… (e.g. requiring Group Number even tho she’s on Medicare and there are no ‘groups’ ) I finally get to a section that requires me to upload front and back images of her Insurance Card…which of course I do not have and she has zero idea as to how to photo and upload images of her card to me. What a mess of a system… really shameful that the state would demand this sort of tech savvy from our seniors. There are no options other than online registration.
Does anyone know what they are doing on the Westbound side of Route 9 and Parkerville?
All I can get from Town Hall is that they are working on the gas lines. Seems like a bigger project to me. New business perhaps? A diner?
As described above – the work is for gas line maintenance/replacement by NSTAR.
Wishful thinking for a new business or a diner. Look around at the route 9 commercial properties. Most are sporting AVAILABLE billboards indicating vacancies abound.
Lights on route 9 southboro near dearfoot road are terrible very hard to see when driving and lane changing unless u are used to it on westbound side before Ted’s towing .They need lights or a yellow blinking light anyone else have issues or just me?