Saturday I took a friend horseback riding. We started at my house on Long Hill Rd and meandered up Indian Hill behind the John Crow Farm. As we went higher and higher the mountains came into view, what a picturesque sight before me. I felt as though I was riding in the Rockies. A sense of calm overcame me. That’s one of the best things about Groton, the beautiful landscape. Miles of trails interconnecting the town and we have a small group of people to thank for that. Hats off to all of you who have worked so hard to make Groton what it is today.
In 1967, our family came to Groton and lived at the Lawrence Homestead on Farmer’s Row. At that time, my father worked for James Lawrence as an Architect. We were blessed to grow up in such a beautiful home on Groton’s most scenic street surrounded by farmland.
The reason people come here is because it’s a beautiful place to call home. We are the quintessential New England community, with church steeples dotting the horizon, an historic downtown, and many events which bring the community together.
But I am truly saddened with the turn of events in the last few years. I find myself at a quandary. I don’t understand why we have to destroy a beautiful hay field on Groton’s most scenic road, Farmer’s Row, to build a central fire station that grows in size because its belly needs more room to expand.
Everyday I look at the papers and I see Groton families being foreclosed on. People are losing their jobs and families are struggling. We are still in a Recession, the worst since the Great Depression. Yet, we are hell bent on building the biggest and the best central fire station in all the land for all to see. Do we live in the land of plenty along with the kings? Are we the town that turns our heads on the less fortunate so we can have the biggest and the best?
I wonder?
The English nursery rhyme comes to mind regarding our beloved town and where it’s headed:
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.
Maria Hars
It is truly outrageous that the town is putting a firestation on Farmers Row. You can thank the Conservation Commission as well as the BOS for this debacle.
And yes, Groton definitely is now a rich person’s town that continuosly turns it’s back on the less fortunate. The Lost Lake sewer project is literally going to force people from their homes due to the cost. You talk about foreclosures; Lost Lake has the highest foreclosure rate in Groton. That rate will skyrocket if the sewer plan gets passed. People will lose their homes and wil not be able to sell, since they need to pay the ‘betterment fee’ (10s of thousands of dollars) before they can sell. Or they’d need to try to tack an extra $50K on the sell price, moving them out of the market.
When the Main St sewer project was done, the town picked up 50% of the cost, yet they are only offering 25% to the Lost Lake residents. What is wrong with this picture?? Especially where the lake residents are the least affluent and most heavily taxed, yet we haven’t had our roads paved in over 20 years. Short end of the stick, as usual.
And the kicker? It has not even been proven adequately that the $13M project is even necessary.
Everyone needs to attend the October 15th town meeting and stop the building of the Fire Station on Farmers Row and stop the Lost Lake sewer project as it is being proposed.