Westborough EDC previews downtown wayfinding plan; Civic Club offers $50,000 pocket-park gift

Chair Sandra Coker opened the Westborough Economic Development Committee meeting and later the committee heard a branding and wayfinding update from Laura, the town’s economic development coordinator. Laura said the select board has chosen a winter/sleigh scene for the sign family and staff are preparing a master plan and an RFP for design, fabrication and installation; staff expect to present the package to the select board in June or early July.

Laura also reported that the Civic Club has offered a $50,000 gift to create a pocket park in the alley between town hall and the co-op. A Civic Club representative said the group voted May 20 to offer the funds and shared renderings; Laura said the town will present the proposal to the select board, which must formally accept any gift. Committee members welcomed the offer and discussed the project’s potential to draw people downtown.

Committee members also discussed an earmarked $20,000 signage pot tied to the branding/wayfinding work that can be used as a match for business signage. Laura said the signage money is part of the wayfinding funding and that businesses would provide matching funds; the program’s administrative details and timeline are still being finalized and may not require EDC-only approval. Members stressed the need for a clear application path and timely action to spend earmarked funds.

The committee agreed the next procedural step for both the pocket-park gift and final wayfinding approvals is presentation to and acceptance by the select board. No final appropriation was recorded at the EDC meeting; Laura said more details will be shared as staff prepare materials for the select board agenda.