Successful projects always start with great imagination, into which seeds of “what can be” are planted. Nurtured by stick-to-it-iveness and community involvement, public works projects can and do see the light of day. Case in point, Marion’s Cushing Community Center.
The former V.F.W. hall, now fast becoming a crowning jewel and hub of multi-generational activity, houses the Marion Council on Aging and the Recreation Department offices. The interior spaces are used by both departments, but with a heavier focus on the senior community.
For seniors and those with mobility issues, COA Board President Harry Norweb said that a walking path is an important part of an overall improvement plan for the grounds of the community center. Noting that people with mobility issues have a hard time finding a level safe surface to take a walk, plans for a walking path grew.
On September 24, with Norweb and Select Board members Norm Hills and Randy Parker present with Friends of the Marion COA President Merry Conway, Police Chief Richard Nighelli, Community Preservation Committee Chair Jeff Doubrava, Donna Hemphill, the Select Board administrator and member of the Friends of the Marion Recreation Department, and Town Administrator Jay McGrail, the 200-meter long, smooth walkway was ceremoniously opened with a ribbon cutting.
Norweb said that the work taking place on this municipal property is truly a commitment from the entire community. While he said that fundraising done by the Friends was critical, it wasn’t solely how this project was funded. “There were three sources for funding,” Norweb stated. “The CPC, FMCOA, and the Friends of the Marion Recreation Department each contributed $4,500. … The town has been a full partner.”
Norweb said that fundraising will continue for some time for the project that will feature a 36-by-26-foot covered pavilion positioned in the lawn space, where all types of community events will be possible. Originally, the plan called for placement of the structure in the center of the lawn fronting on Route 6. Upon further consideration, planners are rethinking and moving the structure closer to the existing community building. Norweb said this would allow for better movement between the kitchen and bathroom facilities and a larger open space on the lawn for children’s games and other activities.
Of the walking path, Norweb stated that it is critical to keep the walkway as level as possible with special consideration for those using wheelchairs. “We had to keep the grade no more than 2 degrees of elevation. It’s fully ADA compliant.”
Plans for the walkway include some additional landscaping and possibly the placement of signage indicating how many laps it takes to reach a certain goal such as, “X number of laps and you’ll be in New Bedford,” Norweb said with a chuckle.
By Marilou Newell