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Select Board accepts $12,500 in memorial-bench donations and $41,500 in-kind gifts for Endicott Park
Summary
The Select Board voted to accept $12,500 for memorial benches and in-kind contributions valued at $41,500 from the Friends of Endicott Park for door and exhibit work, tree plantings, animal-barn support and signage; prior supported projects and a recent Cell Signaling Technologies donation were also noted.
The Select Board on June 17 voted to accept memorial bench donations totaling $12,500 and in-kind contributions valued at $41,500 for improvements and operations at Endicott Park.
Chris Amborn, the town’s Director of Natural Resources, presented the gifts and described each item: six memorial benches (each carrying a $2,500 donation) earmarked for specified locations including Thorpe School, Plains Park and the Center Street Training Field (three benches); in-kind donations from the Friends of Endicott Park that include up to $30,000 toward renovation of the visitor-center entryway (replacement of a carriageway door with attention to historic character), $5,000 to support the park animal barn, $2,500 for a new interactive educational exhibit in the nature center, $3,500 for planting up to four new trees and $500 for community-garden signage. The total in-kind package announced was $41,500.
Amborn also updated the board on earlier approved projects: a corn-crib timber-frame restoration completed in late 2024 for just over $15,000, and the recent opening of an education garden and new flagpole funded by a $25,000 grant from Cell Signaling Technologies with matching funds from Friends of Endicott Park and a Rotary Club partnership.
The board voted separately to accept the $12,500 in bench donations under M.G.L. c. 44, § 53A and to accept the in-kind goods and services valued at $41,500 from the Friends of Endicott Park. Select Board members publicly thanked Bill and Lois Mackenzie, identified in the meeting as Friends of Endicott Park board members, for ongoing partnership and support.
