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Select Board to seek public input on 53 River Street park name after committee recommends 'Textile Mill Park'
Summary
The Select Board discussed a committee recommendation to name 53 River Street 'Textile Mill Park' but agreed to broader community outreach and a survey before making a final decision.
The Acton Select Board reviewed a recommendation from the 53 River Street committee to name the new park "Textile Mill Park" and directed staff and volunteers to pursue broader public engagement before the board makes a final naming decision.
Select Board member David told the board the committee — which includes residents who have studied the site's industrial history — voted nearly unanimously for "Textile Mill Park" because multiple kinds of textile operations historically occupied the parcel. He said the project was delayed by higher-than-expected construction costs and contaminated soil but that construction should proceed this year.
Select Board member Alyssa urged a formal public process, including outreach to the Historical Commission, Iron Work Farm and the Acton Historical Society. "There should be a public process to get some more community input," she said, noting that the committee's charge does not specifically require naming the parcel.
Resident Anne Forbes, who prepared the site's historic inventory form, supported the use of the term shoddy mill and said the name "Shoddy Mill Park" would spark public interest and serve as an educational device about the site's very long use as a shoddy mill for clothing and blanket fabrication. An online caller, Tara, also supported a survey and said she preferred historically based names rather than naming infrastructure after living people.
Staff said existing grant applications and project documents continue to use the address "53 River Street" and that grant awards do not require a formal name. Community Preservation Committee (CPC) consideration of signage funding is expected in the next two weeks and any sign fabrication would wait until after Town Meeting in May, staff said.
The board asked a volunteer to draft a short survey and to consult with the Historical Commission and other organizations about proposed names. Board members suggested presenting a short list (three to five names) plus an "other" field that allows respondents to offer different suggestions. No final vote on the park name was taken.
Why it matters: a park name will guide interpretive signage, educational panels and signage design; it also shapes how residents and visitors understand the site's industrial history and the town's approach to public commemoration.
