Last winter, when the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) was looking for two communities to participate in a Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Project , Acton stepped up. Economic and Community Development Director Julie Pierce recognized an opportunity to use art to enhance our new trails and adjacent business districts.
“I offered the Town of Acton as a participating town specifically because I was interested in the Technical Assistance offered by MAPC to create a strategic plan for Public Art in Acton along with the great funding for an artist to create a project here in town,” Pierce explained in an email exchange.
Acton and Holliston were chosen for the project, which introduces the communities to Creative Placemaking through a planning workshop and funds, and assists the towns with a temporary public art exhibit. According to the MAPC, “Creative Placemaking is a planning and community development process that occurs when planners, community development practitioners, artists, and others deliberately integrate art and culture into community revitalization work—placing arts at the table with land use, transportation, economic development, education, housing, infrastructure, and public safety strategies.”
On Thursday, November 2, the Town hosted approximately twenty-five people—both employees and residents–from Acton, Holliston, Westboro, Sudbury, and Concord, for the planning workshop. The group zeroed in on one of our trails, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, and its relationship to the businesses, roads and residences surrounding it. MAPC staff specialists in arts and culture, transportation, economic development, humanities, and government affairs led the group in mapping exercises and discussions about how to foster a sense of welcome and belonging for those who live, work and play in Acton; how we can connect the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail with businesses and the town center; and the experience of (or lack of connection to) the Trail for regional visitors and people just passing through town. The Town of Acton provided a bus to bring participants to “walkshops” at three spots along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, where the focus was on design, signage, street crossings, and connection to the adjoining businesses.
Catherine Usoff, chair of the Economic Development Committee, and Ann Chang, also of the EDC, joined the event. Usoff said, “The trail is such a great resource. We need to integrate it with the businesses. We want people passing through to know what’s there.”
Paul Fenton, Director of Environmental and Outdoor Education at the Discovery Museum, recognizes the advantage of the museum’s proximity to trails, both in Great Hill and at the nearby Assabet River Rail Trail. He creates opportunities for museum visitors to get outside. “When you build a rail trail, your house value just went up,” he said at the workshop.
Pedal Power bicycle store owner Joyce Reischutz provided a business owner’s perspective. After the walks, she welcomed the visitors to her store where they saw her new automatic glass door to the Rail Trail at the rear as well as an accessible bathroom. There was a lot of discussion about how to let trail users know what store’s back end they are looking at and where amenities are, as well as let business customers know where they can rent a bike, approach the trail, park a car.
Reischutz is concerned about the loss of independent stores such as Gould’s, whose owners retired in May after 89 years. She pointed out how much those businesses support local activities such as Scouting and school groups. “I look and I see businesses on the edge. People don’t realize that your small businesses are your middle class, and the middle class is what supports your community.”
Acton Memorial Library Community Engagement Librarian Rebecca Schmidt was in her element at the workshop. “It was a nice networking opportunity with other people who work in town or live in town. We’re actually doing cool things for the future…making meaningful plans.” One participant spoke of events that might connect one town’s library to another using the Trail. Another suggested live performances along the trail. Presenters showed examples of Creative Placemaking in Natick Center, at Malden River, and at Medfield State Hospital.
Residents will have a chance to propose temporary outdoor art and culture activities along the trail when MAPC puts out the call for art in February and March, 2024.
Franny Osman is an Acton resident and vice-chair of the Minuteman Area Group for Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC) subregion of the MAPC.