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Bedford committee advances Depot Park addition planning as VFW demolition is bundled for bidding
Summary
At its April 28 meeting, the Depot Park Advisory Committee agreed to hire a local design professional to develop alternatives for a proposed Depot Park addition and heard that the VFW demolition will be bundled with three other projects for bids to seek economies of scale.
Chair Joseph Piantedosi said the Depot Park Advisory Committee met April 28 at Town Hall to advance plans for a proposed addition that the committee says will showcase Bedford’s railroad history and provide a quiet place of enjoyment.
"displaying Bedford's railroad history and providing a quiet place of enjoyment," Piantedosi said, describing the objective of the proposed park addition. Committee members discussed adding walkways, benches, picnic tables and a display focused on the town’s railroad past, and they raised the possibility of relocating the EV charging station to preserve visitor flow.
Facilities Director Ronald Scaltreto told the committee that the planned demolition of the nearby VFW building is being combined with three other demolition projects when soliciting bids to "seek economies of scale," listing work at 33 Shawsheen Road, garage bays at 180 Springs Road and a building at 139 The Great Road (the future fire station site). The committee agreed that, although preparing the fire station site is urgent, the VFW demolition should proceed as soon as possible.
Members emphasized design constraints intended to protect nearby views. Committee discussion stressed avoiding obstruction of the Depot’s view from Loomis Street and adding plantings along the park’s north edge adjacent to Patriot Pediatrics as a visual buffer.
On funding, the committee noted that $35,000 was approved for the project at the Annual Town Meeting and that private donations or pledges total $13,000. Members agreed to hire a local design professional to prepare alternative designs for public discussion and iterative review with the committee.
The committee will take up the professional’s proposals at a follow-up meeting; the next session is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on May 19 in the railcar. The meeting adjourned at 11:37 a.m., with Chair Joseph Piantedosi and members Steven Hagan and William Deen voting in favor and none opposed.
