Downtown Westborough: Stop to smell the roses

From the Town of Westborough:

If you’ve walked around downtown Westborough recently, you probably noticed all the hard work going in to beautifying the area. At the present moment, it’s our very own Department of Public Works employees installing historic-style lampposts. These lights are not only aesthetically beautiful, but also energy efficient and pay tribute to the history on Main Street. The last few years have been dedicated to the preservation and renovation of the historic Town Hall, with interior features like the original town sign, vintage and preserved window panes, and artwork from as far back as the early 1700’s. Then there’s renovation of the 35 West Main Street property now occupied by Matthew Sotheby’s Realty and 23 apartment units on the upper floors. The investment in both properties has brought a real facelift to Westborough’s historic downtown.

Now, the Economic Development Committee, in partnership with the Westborough Garden Club, will be placing flower pots along the sidewalk with the hopes to improve the pedestrian experience when walking around the downtown area. The Economic Development Committee is working with local businesses to sponsor the purchase of the pots themselves, and the Garden Club will tend to the flower pots, planting a variety of greens and flowers each season.

“Our downtown is actually very walkable,” says Francisco Torres, Economic Development Coordinator for the Town of Westborough. “On some days, I’ve actually walked from town hall to Bay State Commons to grab lunch. People are concerned about safety around the rotary, and the town is working on improving safety for pedestrians, cyclist, and vehicles, but the reality is people do this walk every day and we’re hoping that with the addition of the flower beds, you’ll enjoy the walk that much more.”

The Economic Development Committee is seeking sponsors for 24 self-watering pots (to be purchased at $200 per pot) as well as sponsors for the flowers themselves (flower sponsorship is $215 per year). The Garden Club is working with Harvey’s Farm to purchase flowers, soil, and other necessities, but the funding will come from residents and businesses through the form of donations.

“Anyone can sponsor a pot,” says Torres. Those interested in sponsoring will be acknowledged with a plaque placed on a flower pot and announced in a future press release. Contact Francisco for more information or to inquire about sponsoring a flower pot. Francisco can be reach at (508)871-5149 or at ftorres@town.westborough.ma.us