Work Continues at Mill Villages Park

Despite weather-related delays, work on Mill Villages Park in South Grafton continues to move along, Town Planner Stephen Bishop said.

The framework has been constructed for a centerpiece of the park: The pavilion, which supporters of the park hope will host community events such as concerts.

Decking, shingling and making electrical connections are the next steps, he said.

“It’s a solid structure,’’ Bishop recently told members of the Planning Board. Seeing the work should give passersby “a sense of the scale’’ of the project, he said.

at 61 Main St. in April.

The park will include benches, lights and a pavilion with electricity, among other features. The Blackstone River flows behind the park, providing future visitors with a scenic view.

The park represents years of efforts to transform a former parking lot across from the former Fisherville Mill site into an attractive area for recreation and relaxation.

Bishop said he has received one complaint about the bright lights that have been installed at the site.

But these lights are needed to maintain a sense of security and to deter vandalism and other potential problems, Bishop said.

Seeing a once dark, vacant lot transformed into a bright, well-lit area represents “change in a positive way,’’ Planning Board member Bob Hassinger said.

Committee member David Robbins agreed. He noted that the lights are an “abrupt change’’ from the previous condition. The bare trees and early onset of dark this time of year make the change even more evident, he said.

Bishop said he is hopeful the park can be dedicated in late spring.