Land Purchase For Newton Senior Center Not Enough: Group

NEWTON, MA — Neighbors for a Better Newtonville (NBN), the group that filed a lawsuit against the City of Newton to protect the current Senior Center building, has applauded the city’s decision to acquire more land adjacent to the Senior Center while still reiterating several concerns about the Newton Center for Active Living (NewCAL) project.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller recently announced her plans to ask for City Council approval to use ARPA funding to acquire the property at 47 Walnut Place to create more than twice the open space currently available to seniors. At some point in the future when the current owner is ready to relinquish the property, Newton will have a total of 0.8 acre for the new facility.

However, in a statement released Monday, NBN noted that this plot is still substantially less than the 2 to 2.5 acres that the NewCAL Working Group determined necessary last year.

The group also said the city has not provided details on how the new space will be used, although Public Buildings Commissioner Josh Morse commented at the NewCAL meeting on June 30 that the space might be used for public open space or for parking.

On Monday, NBN called on the mayor to consider redesigning NewCAL so that the parkland in front of the building is preserved, arguing that parkland on Walnut Street is immediately visible that major street and will therefore be used more than parkland created behind the Senior Center.

“...the historic nature of the building and the existing setback are major contributions to making the Newtonville village center such an attractive place for residents and visitors,” NBN said in a statement. "If a redesigned Senior Center is not feasible, perhaps it is time to recognize that this parcel is just too small for the Senior Center that Newton deserves.”

Filed on June 3, NBN’s lawsuit addresses the protection of the current Newton Senior Center building, originally the Newtonville Branch Library, as well as the park in front of the building, both of which are at risk due to the city's proposed plans to build a new Center for Active Living (NewCAL).

“We filed a lawsuit because the city refuses to recognize the Senior Center Park as city parkland
protected by Massachusetts state law,” NBN President Fred Arnstein said in a statement. "The city continues to deny that the Senior Center Park was officially designated as a park by the Board of Aldermen in 2005."

"We also filed our lawsuit because the Newton Historical Commission failed to follow its own
procedures when it voted not to accept the landmark petition for consideration,” he continued. "The NHC has also ignored its responsibility, described in the Board Order creating the Senior Center, ‘That all feasible means be taken to preserve and/or replace the architectural elements, both interior and exterior, which gives the building its historic character...’"

"Allowing demolition of this building would set a dangerous precedent,” Arnstein concluded. "We will continue to oppose the City’s willingness to sacrifice our parks and historic buildings.”

Despite opposition from Neighbors for a Better Newtonville, many residents have spoken out in favor of the current NewCAL plans, saying there is no other place to build a new Senior Center.

The Programs and Services Committee will take up the mayor’s request to purchase the land at 47 Walnut Place at its meeting on Wednesday, July 13. Also on Wednesday, the Public Facilities Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss NewCAL site plan approval and funding.