Concord subcommittee adopts three objectives for outreach on proposed memorial park at Parcel 1693

At a Town of Concord Permanent Memorial Subcommittee meeting held on Zoom, members voted to adopt three objectives for a six‑month communication and engagement plan centered on a proposed memorial park on Parcel 1693.

The objectives approved call for: raising awareness of the subcommittee’s proposal to create a memorial park on Parcel 1693 that is aligned with the project statement of purpose; engaging the community to shape the park’s vision so it reflects the legacies of people who fought for freedom, equality and justice; and fostering broad‑based support by connecting the park’s purpose to the town’s Concord 250 charge and the anniversary of the American Revolution.

Why it matters: The subcommittee framed the outreach as the next phase in a multi‑year effort to define what a permanent memorial in the town center might be. The outreach plan ties the park’s purpose to the Concord 250 activities and seeks community feedback on content, stories and interpretation. At least two members of the public urged the subcommittee to explicitly invite alternative physical designs for the site during the outreach, saying people currently see just one design option.

The subcommittee began the meeting by confirming the minutes from a prior meeting and then focused the session on revising the draft objectives for a six‑month engagement and communication plan. The group worked line‑by‑line on wording and removed the working name “Freedom Park” from the objectives to emphasize that the project is a community proposal rather than a finalized plan. Polly (project coordinator) read a drafted objective aloud during the meeting: "Raise awareness about the subcommittee’s proposal to create a memorial park on Parcel 1693 dedicated to the expansion of freedom and equality as reflected in the project statement of purpose." The subcommittee refined wording (for example, using "memorial park" and removing the word "human") and agreed the objectives should refer to the project statement of purpose rather than exhaustively restating it.

Members also discussed how the recently identified list of roughly 19–20 Revolutionary War names that local researchers uncovered should be treated in the project’s content. Several subcommittee members noted those names could be integrated within the park’s interpretive story because they reflect previously untold or under‑represented histories tied to Concord’s role in the Revolution.

Members agreed to brainstorm tactics and activities between meetings to achieve the objectives over the next six months, with a follow‑up meeting scheduled for the same weekly time. Suggested outreach tactics included small facilitated conversations at the library, student video projects, art projects, pop‑up events during Concord 250 activities and targeted conversations with community groups.

Public comment: Two public commenters urged the subcommittee to explicitly invite alternative physical designs for the Parcel 1693 site. Peter Lee said the current concept has been the only design publicly presented and warned that people opposed to that specific design may not offer alternatives unless the subcommittee actively solicits them. "You have all your eggs in one basket," Lee said, asking the group to announce that alternatives are welcome. Melissa (public commenter) echoed that concern and said she supports the project’s theme but not the single physical design that has been shown to date.

Advisory group and next steps: The subcommittee reported that a separate advisory group of historians, artists and outside advisers remains in formation. Town staff are reviewing whether that advisory group must comply with open meeting requirements; the subcommittee said they are waiting for the town to confirm the procedures before scheduling the advisers to act. The committee asked members to return next week with concrete outreach activity ideas to populate the six‑month plan.

Votes at a glance: 1) Approval of prior meeting minutes — motion to approve carried unanimously among members present (roll call recorded during the meeting). 2) Adoption of three outreach objectives for the six‑month engagement plan — motion carried; roll call recorded as unanimous among members present.

The subcommittee closed by confirming the next meeting time and asking members to submit outreach ideas in advance so the group can use the following meeting for brainstorming and to start assembling an actionable schedule of events and communications.