On Saturday night Putnam offered a free concert in the park...on the river front. Hartford Symphony Orchestra and chorus members gave a concert of portions of several operas. The Perfect setting (river front park), perfect weather (70s and dry), perfect music (outstanding soloists) and family gathered in lawn chairs and blankets with snacks and drinks in the cooler. At intermission, the fire-pots were ignited in the river for additional ambiance. The turn-out was impressive...not a spot to be had for an additional lawn chair. I don't know what the estimate was for numbers...I'm curious, though. Naturally, my camera batteries ran-out. So no pictures to post.
Today, we went to the Heritage State Park in Uxbridge for another outdoor concert...this time it was a German polka band "Jolly Kopperschmidts". Another perfect weather day...high 70s, breezy. One could attend a free outdoor concert every day of the week if we so chose. Each night of the week, there is another town presenting community concerts. We may take in a few more if the weather holds out.
Folks in town are upset, again. For those who aren't familiar with our center, we have a very small center district with some lovely old colonial and federal style houses lining the main route through town (Rt 16). A bank wants to raze one lovely old house on a corner of the main intersection and put up a bank building. Now, CVS has purchased the house on the opposite corner, plans to raze it and put in a CVS store. Two more lovely old houses are currently for sale, as is the Mendon Country Gift Barn. This accounts for the majority of houses along our main street through the center intersection. Don't know how anyone can stop it as we don't have a master plan in place. Although lots of people have said we need one, no one has come to the plate to help develop one, so now it's a case of "closing the barn door after the horse is stolen". The character of the town is lost...we have such a small geographic area that defines "Mendon". I keep thinking of our mother's life-long love for Bingham, and upon visiting it we know why...it looks the same (Main Street) as it did in the 1920s when she grew up there. Mendon won't have that same look for our descendents. I don't like the turn of events.
2 comments:
Why aren't any of these homes designated as a "National Historic District" or something like that? With the age of Mendon and the historic significance - "mother town" and all... and didn't George Washington stop at one of these homes once??? I'm surprised that a community group hasn't started to preserve the town center and the Rt. 16 section as a historic district!!!
Whom at CVS do I need to write to complain about their CRAPPY community relations policy?
The same goes for the bank.
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