Around Natick

Turning the corner onto Forest St in Natick. circa 1963, this Kodachrome slide show us the way it used to be in Natick not so many years ago. Just click on the picture to see a larger view.

Every once in awhile, it makes things more interesting, to post links to other’s sites. Some sites are worthy of more attention, others are already getting a great readership, and may be of interest to those who visit here. Currently we average about 350 visits a day. Posting links brings it up substantially.

I try to avoid advertising, but if you visit someone else’s blog, you might find something of interest. Certainly the world doesn’t revolve around Natick and Rail Trails, Mathworks, or the HOOP.

There are also places I’d like to visit. http://www.pbase.com/hurtman/north_alabama

Here are a few more of my favorites:

http://www.ericd.net/2007/09/photos-apple-store-natick-collection.html

In my own words
Mothering Many
Me and My Life
Garden Gnome
Two witches
Stev
Matthew
Kuanyin
Whatever

Jump Back
Lucky Lady
Nancyrowina
Ibibliophile
NeoBluePanther
On the Horizon
Writing in faith
The Hot Dog Truck
The Building Brows

On another note, just before the last election in Natick, for School Committee, there was an editorial or letter written about a candidate, by one member of the School Committee. That letter appeared on another web site. That letter was so nasty, that anyone of decency would have been embarrassed to even read it. That letter has since been deleted, or revised by the author. Maybe he was afraid it would reflect poorly on his own image.

Anyway, someone asked me if I remembered it. I do, and as a matter of fact, I saved it. One day soon, I’ll reprint it for all to read again. Maybe it’ll appear here as a link, closer to another election.

Those who are hardcore biking fans, and who may someday use a rail trail to get from Saxonville to Home Depot and beyond, may find the Naked Fish on Route 30 to be the perfect spot to take a break. Here are a couple of trail fans stopping for a rest near the Mass Pike overpass in Framingham. They had to stop at route 30 because it’s overgrown and hasn’t been cleared yet.

These two “trailers” are enjoying the “rail”, even though it hasn’t been paved yet. I hope some folks will form a non-profit and start fundraising for improvements.  That way, my tax dollars can go toward something the majority will use.

A citizen’s group in Sudbury recently wrote the following:

“Town officials delegated many issues surrounding a rail trail to the Rail Trail Conversion Advisory Committee (RTCAC) for resolution. From the outset, there were a number of problems that were evident with this process.

Many members of the RTCAC have strong ties to bicycle lobbyist and special interest groups, whose vision of a bike trail may be quite different than the needs of our community.

The RTCAC’s charter is to make the rail trail occur - not to evaluate the need.

The Sudbury Master Plan is not specific to a particular bike trail design or standard, and accordingly, is open to interpretation. At this time, only the RTCAC is providing interpretation and design input. The community must have a larger stake in this process.
The Selectmen presented numerous issues associated with building, maintaining and living with a rail trail, yet none of these issues were publicly considered, addressed or debated prior to the vote. Not surprisingly, it is now recognized that many of these issues are well beyond the scope of the feasibility study.

Alternative, and possibly less expensive, bicycle and pedestrian projects, also supported by the Sudbury Master Plan, were not considered or presented to the community.

In examining many of the issues surrounding the construction of a rail trail, it is evident that the need for responsible land management is greater than simply preventing the misuse of a great natural resource. It also calls for sound use of our tax dollars. In addition to
providing information on the rail trail conversion, SCRLS will explore alternative ways to use Sudbury’s resources to the benefit of the community as a whole, and not cater to special interest groups. The organization is committed to providing accurate and truthful representation of all the issues, and presenting a strong voice to the town government.

The first goal of SCRLS is to demonstrate the rail trail conversion project is not in Sudbury’s best interest. The SCRLS believes the trail will

A· negatively affect our environment, conservation land and wildlife
habitat

B· be expensive to build, maintain and monitor create safety and security concerns that do not exist today (and
can only be partially alleviated with additional spending). change the quality of life in Sudbury by altering the character of our
historic roads and recreation areas

C· further exacerbate our parking and traffic problems

D· Expand to the CSX line south of Route 20 and to the East-West rail beds.

We welcome anyone to join our organization or just get the facts about the rail trail. We need a concerted, organized effort to provide alternatives to this project. We want to avoid spending huge sums of money that benefit very few, and to use the limited financial resources for higher priority programs, such as improving schools, caring for the elderly, maintaining our existing infrastructure, and taking better care of our land. If not, we will have the equivalent of a very ugly and expensive “paved highway” running through our woods.”

You never know what you’ll find at a yard sale. Here’s a recent find - a photograph of the graduating class of 1921.

Looking a bit closer at the individuals, I wonder if any readers recognize a grandparent from this group. Let’s take a closer look.

This guy looks like he was the class joker. Here’s another one: maybe voted “future actress?

How about this fellow: He looks like a future scientist. Finally, this girl:

It wouldn’t matter if it were 1921, or 2001, she looks like the all-American farm girl.

Thank you to “my blogs” for bringing in a fresh bit of opinion. I received this lengthy article, from the U. of Kansas, with the most popular methods used to attack the person who asks questions;
First,  opponents may try to deflect the opinion in two different ways. First, they might try to turn the debate to other issues, instead of focusing on the real problem. For example, when you are trying to make taxpayers aware of the cost of development of a rail trail, the opposition may deflect the argument into a drawn-out discussion of smart growth initiatives. Or maybe even bring in the Community Development department as responsible parties.

Second, denial works when the opponent refuses to admit there is any truth to either: a) the problem you say exists (e.g., “We don’t have a problem with traffic in our community”), or b) the solution that you propose (e.g., “stopping growth with a moratorium won’t work, it will just stagnate the economy”). A second kind of denial is when an official or other opponent says they would like to help, but don’t have the resources or clout necessary to actually make a change.

A third method, discounting, occurs by suggesting that the problem you are working on isn’t really that important (”downtown is thriving with retail business”), or by questioning the legitimacy of your opinion. In its most extreme form, the latter can take the form of lies, mud slinging, and accusations: “he’s just a whiner” or make up some other personal insult the way .. town officials respond.. fill in the blank.”

Example of discounting: “Why would anyone be against a rail trail? It’s the latest trend in alleviating traffic?”

A fourth method is deception; the act of intentionally misleading someone by lying or by “forgetting” to tell the whole story. Deceptions may be carried out in a variety of ways, such as trying to confuse readers with bureaucratic nonsense and red tape, misrepresenting statistics, or making suggestions that in reality have nothing to do with what you are trying to accomplish.

Insiders with special interests may try to divide a group over controversial issues. By doing so, they hope to reduce the overall effectiveness of the real voters. At the most extreme point, opponents may try to “buy off” members with hints of more jobs for residents or other incentives.

Example of dividing tactics:

Big business wants to expand. Neighborhood doesn’t like the plan. Town Planners say the residents will lose jobs and the economy will be hurt if the big business is turned down. (Mathworks)

Appeasement is an easy method to quiet the natives with small, meaningless concessions. This tactic is particularly tricky because it may be difficult to determine the line between compromise (which you may find helpful) and allowances that turn out to be meaningless. Example: sidewalks made of concrete will improve the value of your homes.

Discrediting is similar in many ways to discounting. When a member of the establishment tries to discredit an opinion, (s)he may attempt to make you look incompetent (unreasonable, unnecessary, et cetera) to the community at large. Your motives and ways of accomplishing your goals are both called into question.
The destroy tactic has the simple, clear goal of trying to ruin your opinion or initiative in any way possible. This method may use one or more of the other tactics as a means to achieve the ends. The hint and accusation of slander for example

it’s important to realize that even these serious methods of intimidation there is reasonable action that can be taken.

To sum it up, all of these methods have been used by defenders and advocates of a trail idea for Natick. You have to wonder what their fear is. I say they must realize that spending millions on something so unnecessary will be considered the same way the golf course is thought of today.

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x225120715

From today’s Metrowest Daily News comes this startling story about people using CSX land without permission. What more can be said? I guess the town needs to spend the money to protect it’s future asset.

By Andrew J. Manuse/Daily News staff

GateHouse News Service

Tue Aug 21, 2007, 01:10 AM EDT

ATVs and pick-up trucks are tearing up CSX Corp.’s railroad right-of-way just weeks after the company’s contractor removed rails and ties from the possible rail trail, acting Town Administrator Martha White reported.

“We need to take action,” White told selectmen last night.

She urgently requested money to erect Jersey barriers and gates at each intersection of the trail and roadways to block such “cases of unauthorized access.”

The board, using money appropriated at a December 2006 Town Meeting, set aside up to $5,000 to pay for materials the town doesn’t already own. The money will come out of the open space fund set up as part of General Growth Properties Inc.’s expansion of the Natick Collection.

White said she was unsuccessful in attempts to reach CSX about the incidents. She said she would send the company an official notice about the board’s actions after the fact.

For those who haven’t traveled throughout our town in recent weeks, take a ride by “Natick” as I think they deserve a huge thank you for the great landscaping going on right now. Click on the picture for a larger view.
Nouvelle is getting to be a destination.

Looking west on East Central toward the common, what if the block of stores hadn’t been demolished for a municipal complex, and the original Colonial Theatre had been renamed for an arts center? Here’s how it might have looked last night.