Wamesit Indian Park To Get A Facelift
Planning Board gives positive feedback to preliminary design ideas.
Photos
The majestic Wamesit Indian statue, crafted in bronze by sculptor Mico Kaufman, serves as something of a 'gatekeeper,'' welcoming visitors as they enter Tewksbury, along Route 38 from the north.
Unfortunately, aside from the statue itself, the Wamesit Indian Park isn't much to look at. Located along Main Street, near Vic's Waffle House, the park is no more than a few hundred square feet of dirt and dead or dying grass.
But all that may change next spring.
Steve Sadwick, Director of Community Development, has hired landscape architect Lorayne Black to re-design the park, the first step in re-creating the park as a true showpiece for Tewksbury.
Black presented conceptual sketches to the Planning Board at it meeting Monday night and received positive feedback.
"It was great. She does fantastic work all the time," said board Chairman Robert Fowler.
Black's ideas for the park include the addition of several areas of vegetation, as well as pathways with multiple entry points leading to the statue. Black said would recommend using native plants and plants that are drought-resistant.
"We all know this is an amazing statue and one of the main gateways to the community," said Black. "We want to bring visible attention to the statue itself."
Once all input and information is gathered, Black said she will be returning to the Planning Board with "a more fine-tuned preliminary plan."
Actual landscaping work could begin as early as the spring.
Sadwick said the entire project, including the landscaping work itself, will cost around $20,000. The project will be paid for with mitigation money the town received from Walmart, when the retail giant was expanding its Route 38 location.
According to Sadwick, the town has another $25,000 from Walmart it will be spending on traffic improvements on the north end of Route 38.
Rick M
7:16 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
complements to the planning board for pulling this together, great job of obtaining private funding as well to beautify the area. I hope that there is some parking and improved sidewalks in the plan so the public can enjoy this open space.
Karyn
12:33 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
This plan was in the making for quite awhile now and there was much work done behind the scenes out of the public eye to bring it to fruition. Kudos to those who provided impetus to keep the project on the burner. I believe the statue which has been neglected for so long upkeep-wise will be refurbished as well in conjunction with this landscaping effort.
Eric Madeiros
8:12 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Wrong Route number. "welcoming visitors as they enter Tewksbury, along Route 39".
Route 38.
Bill Gilman
8:37 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Thanks Eric... typo≥ Just fixed.
BILL REBAS
8:40 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
wow that will be so nice when its done, i might even come back to wamesit to see it some day. as far as i know it was named by a indian chief sitting under a big oak tree on clark road. they tryed to get to move, but he said me WAM ME SIT thats how the name came about i was told many years ago
Christine Abramoski
9:10 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Hi Bill; if you believe that story please don't repeat it.
Patti Gill
9:24 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Excellant idea. A compliment to Mr. Kaufman. It is a beautiful statue and it should be surrounded by a beautiful area around it.
malcolm nichols
10:33 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
What goes with the defunct chicken coops adjacent to this park?
bob m
1:07 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Check your eye sight Malcolm , you cant see the chicken coups from the park. Did you forget about the Waffel House ? If the coups bother you buy the property it's for sale.
bk
11:06 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Thanks.
I wish Town/Private-sponsors pick south Tewksbury from Walgreens to the Shawsheen st and I am willing to contribute if some one do so.
--B
brigara
2:38 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
I am happy to see the area around the statue is being beautified and cleaned up! I am in support of and willing to contribute to the improvements of similar areas. We all notice the deserted slivers of land scattered around town, it is an eye sore and reflects on our community. I agree with Steve that without sidewalks I don't imagine the area will see much foot traffic, therefore the walking paths seem irrelevant. Thank you planning board! Keep the momentum moving forward, lets clean up the town!!
Janellen27
8:19 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Pretty much agree, brigara. No matter how pretty the landscaping turns out, it probably won't be conducive to strolling through the park--except for possibly neighbors who have dogs to walk. However, the Indian does deserve a little more respect than what's he's always had standing there.
Speaking of "let's clean up this town"... two constant eyesores that I guess we've just grown accustomed to are 1) the lousy Jersey Barriers at the State Hospital, which is, afterall, on the National Register of Historic Places! That's State property, so I sure wish someone would get after the State to fix the historic brick archway and bring it back to its formal appeal. The idea of a State Hospital with such a gloomy past is forboding enough, nevermind the ugly Jersey barriers. Oh, and, over on Maple Street on the State field, too. I cannot believe they "roped off" that section w/Jersey barriers--in the middle of what could be the prettiest field left in town! A simple wooden fence (not chainlink) would have done as much to imply "Keep Out"!
Another item: The ugly sign at the old Police Station! What is wrong with this town that it is still standing, all rusted, sign post and frame but no sign to indicate what it is! How big of a deal is it to just get rid of that mess! And, get rid of the attached trailer beside the building, too, and it might look almost normal!
Steve Sedwick and The DPW, I sure wish they'd do something about this instead of looking for new projects.
Patti Gill
9:54 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
One more clean up for the town would be ... all the political signs and the yard sale signs . Could'nt a fine be imposed for all this trash that the DPW must pick up over time? The politicians should have , say, a week to rid the public places of their signs, or pay a fine for every one the DPW would pick up. And the yard sale signs should be returned to that address with a fine also. I know this would have to go to a town meeting, but something should be enforced. It would be a nice fund raiser for the town. Just a thought.
Who Me?
6:03 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Where will the cell tower, masquerading as a flag pole, be placed?
Christine Abramoski
7:28 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
How about getting after Wilmington to do something about their compost heap at the edge of town. The smell is disgusting not to mention that it must be a rodent magnet.