Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 8/17/2022
BRIMFIELD – A vision for two members of the Historical Commission has turned into a reality now that improvements to the Brimfield Town Common are complete.
On Aug. 24 at 5 p.m., a dedication of the gazebo and grounds will be made to the town, during the final performance of Hitchcock Academy’s Summer Concert Series.
Mark Conners, member of the Brimfield Historical Commission, said they decided to have the dedication ahead of the concert, as they have been “very well attended” over the past month.
Conners, along with fellow board member Bob Corry, are the brains behind the desire to build a gazebo on the common. “We thought it would be nice,” said Conners. After driving around and observing other towns’ gazebos, they reached an idea on what they were looking for.
“We went to the Board of Selectmen to get their approval,” shared Conners. Additional meetings had to take place with the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, along with abutters to the common. He noted that a lot of time was spent communicating with the necessary parties. Luckily, Conners said the community seemed to be in favor of their plans.
To carry out this project, three different grants were involved: an earmark from the state for the gazebo, the Senior Center received a grant for benches and tables and the town received a grant for streetlights and sidewalks.
“Our money went [toward] the gazebo, flagpole, brick walk around the gazebo” and more, said Conners.
He shared that the gazebo came from Kloter Farms in Ellington, CT. Similar to assembling playground equipment, Conners said they delivered the structure in separate pieces and put it together in a day’s time.
The white coating on the octagonal design allows it to stand out during the day, while sizable lights illuminate the gazebo at night. A few yards away, the recent installation of the flagpole catches the eye no matter the time, as a bright bulb shines on top of the mast.
Over the past couple of weeks, the overall project has been completed in stages, however, Conners told Reminder Publishing that he has seen a lot more people frequenting the common – even some from nearby towns.
With both the recent and upcoming flea market traffic, Conners predicts this will attract even more crowds.
He went on to say that although the summer concert series has been ongoing for years, the recent improvements to the common have amplified such activities. For instance, electricity has been installed all around. Conners shared that about eight to 10 students from Tantasqua Regional High School installed the lighting – providing them with “real world experience.”
The final addition to round out the common’s upgrades will include a 7-foot-high aluminum sign. On one side, there will be facts and photos about the history of Brimfield. On the other side, it will serve as a bulletin board for the town, with a “Welcome to Brimfield” sign above. Conners said he does not expect to have the sign in time for the dedication, as it is coming from New York.
Throughout the four-year prolonged project, Conners noted that one problem they ran into was with the construction of Cumberland Farms across the street. He explained that the gas station was built last year, replacing an old home that could not be preserved.
As the buildings surrounding the common are primarily mature, Conners said they called and asked Cumberland Farms to see if they could make their store “look more 1800’s.” To his surprise, they agreed. The entryway now matches its neighbor – Country Bank.
During the dedication on Aug. 24, Conners said they plan to thank Cumberland Farms for their adaptation.
He went on to recognize his board members, including Corry and Chairman Sue DeBruin, for their efforts on this project. “Bob did most of the heavy lifting with contractors,” said Conners. Over the past six months he added that Corry put in an “incredible” number of hours as renovations were underway.
During the dedication, DeBruin will be discussing all that the Historical Commission has done recently, on top of this accomplishment.