Westborough begins seven‑year Open Space and Recreation Plan update; consultants highlight grants, accessibility and mapping

The Town of Westborough held its first public outreach session for an update to its seven‑year Open Space and Recreation Plan, where town staff and UMass Amherst consultants outlined how the plan will shape grant eligibility, an accessibility inventory and mapping work and invited residents to identify sites to preserve or improve.

Consultant Wayne Fiden of UMass Amherst told the small audience the plan is intended to help the town “think about their priorities” and to strengthen grant applications: “We will certainly identify all the grants that are out there,” he said, citing state open‑space and recreation grant programs and crossover opportunities such as MassDOT and disability‑related grants. Jennifer Miller, the town’s conservation director, opened the meeting and noted the plan’s seven‑year horizon and role as a guiding document for conservation and active recreation.

Why it matters: an approved open space plan increases eligibility for many state programs and gives the town a documented list of parcels and facility needs that funding applications can reference. Fiden said the state also now requires communities to inventory accessibility needs; that inventory will appear as an appendix to the plan and will be reviewed with the town’s disability committee and ADA coordinator.

The consultant showed low‑cost examples that might be included in the inventory and future work — moving a bench closer to asphalt, providing at least one accessible picnic space per table or choosing accessible portable toilets — noting that not every conservation area will be fully accessible but that “low‑hanging fruit” can improve access.

Data and mapping: residents urged the project team to display how Westborough’s open space connects to parcels in adjacent towns. A participant from the Westborough Community Land Trust said state GIS records lacked accurate metadata for trust parcels; Fiden said MassGIS and MAPC trail layers will be used and improved where possible so the plan can reflect regional connections.

Next steps: the project team will hold targeted stakeholder sessions (recreation committee, conservation commission, leagues, land trust and others), publish a town‑wide survey and compile an exhibit summarizing public input to include in the plan. Miller asked stakeholder groups to name one or two representatives for upcoming meetings so staff can gather detailed input.

The session closed with staff asking residents to submit comments by email and participate in further outreach; no formal votes or policy decisions were taken at the meeting.