Northborough Open Space Committee backs Blake Street Park CPA application after debate over scope and cost

Town Planner Laurie Connors asked the Northborough Open Space Committee to support a Community Preservation Act application for improvements to the Blake Street pocket park and adjacent streetscape.

Connors said the proposal is part of a larger Blake and Pierce streetscape project that would add sidewalks, stormwater infrastructure (three rain gardens fed by three catch basins), improved lighting, seating, screening for utility equipment and other downtown beautification elements. She told the committee construction costs for the park portion were estimated at $628,000, with a 20 percent contingency and additional items that brought the total project estimate to $850,000. Connors said the design is about 75 percent complete and that the Complete Streets grant—about $500,000—will fund work on the west side of Blake Street while the CPA application seeks funding for improvements on the east side and in the pocket park.

Why it matters: Connors said the project addresses chronic drainage problems in the municipal parking lot that create large puddles and ice in winter, improves public safety with two proposed LED street lights and a new crosswalk, and would screen railroad infrastructure while creating a more usable downtown gathering space.

Committee members raised two main concerns. Jacob said he did not think spending $850,000 on a small park adjacent to an active rail line matched the town’s priorities and noted the Select Board had not supported the CPA application at an earlier meeting; he said he would prefer the application be scaled back and prioritized so that nonessential features such as the pergola could be removed. “I don’t support putting a park and spending more $850,000 of our money to improve a park next to a railroad when we have other good parks downtown,” Jacob said.

Other members pushed back that the Open Space Committee’s role is to assess whether the proposal furthers open-space and park goals and to advise the Community Preservation Committee; John, the committee chair, said it was appropriate to register support for the CPA application while scope and dollar decisions remain under CPC and town meeting review.

The committee made two text edits to a draft support letter shown on screen—removing the word “fully” from the first sentence and changing a reference from “CPC” to “CPA”—and then voted by roll call to approve the letter to the CPA. The motion carried 4–1 (Carter, Leslie, Brian and John voted yes; Jacob voted no). After the vote Connors thanked the committee for their support.

Project details and next steps: Connors said the Complete Streets grant will advance sidewalk work on the west side of Blake Street and that, because MassDOT would not allow Complete Streets funds to pay to redo the municipal parking lot or certain fencing, the DPW agreed to cover some drainage and paving to make the Complete Streets elements work. The park portion covered by the CPA application remains subject to CPC public hearing beginning Dec. 4; if funded, Connors said the goal is to finalize construction documents over the summer and go to bid in January 2027 to secure competitive pricing for an April construction start with a three- to four-month work window.

Costs and constraints noted in the meeting included the need for a flagger and police details because the park abuts railroad property, elevated mobilization and oversight costs, and an acknowledgement that some existing trees may be removed where they conflict with the design. The committee recommended members attend the CPC public hearing to raise open-space considerations and watch for further refinement of the scope and budget.