03/01/2024
Lessons from the Landscape
The Marlborough Garden Club intuitively operates with the broken window theory in mind. The theory states that features in the physical environment can have profound effects on morale, behaviors, and the sense of well-being in a community. Perhaps the most famous case study of this theory took place between the mid 1980’s and mid 1990’s when a concerted effort was made to eliminate graffiti and trash from the train cars in the New York subway system. Graffiti and trash were considered petty issues compared to crime and fear of law abiding citizenry to use the subway systems. But an interesting thing happened, with chaos and disorder no longer visible, crime rates dropped significantly and usage among all citizens increased dramatically because people now felt safe and secure in their environment.
The Garden Club believes that our efforts to change the visible landscapes, has a marked influence on citizens sense of well-being and pride in their community. Replacing the steel pipe railing in the McKinley Circle Garden with statuesque granite posts gracefully tethered with draped chain as the equivalent of eliminating graffiti! Removing the invasive shrubs and vines from the glorious Sugar Maple in front of the Town Hall the equivalent of removing the trash!
Our last area of concern is the Bell Tower Gazebo park. (Please see last month’s Marlborough Bulletin for a complete description of this project). This will indeed be our most ambitious project and therefore we are pursuing a grant opportunity through the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation called the Land and Water Conservancy Program. If awarded, LWCP would provide fifty percent of the funding.
The total cost of the project is $150,000. If accepted, LWCP would grant $75,000. The Bell Tower Park Committee has secured private donations from the Marlborough Thrift Store of $10,000 and another $10,000 from the Marlborough Garden Club, thus reducing the amount of the Town’s contribution by $20,000, to $55,000. The Bell Tower Park Committee is also committed to more private fundraising with the goal of further reducing the cost to the tax-payer. If our warrant is approved, the one-time impact of $55,000 which is being requested through a Citizen’s Petition Warrant Article at Town Meeting translates to an additional $62 on an annual tax bill for a property with an assessment of $250, 000 or $31 on a biannual bill.
The Bell Tower Park Committee will hold a presentation on Wednesday February 28th at the Frost Free Library at 6:00 PM explaining the project in further detail, and seeking input from citizens. The full warrant article will be made available to those interested. Please join us!
And now the BIG ask, YOUR physical presence and YOUR vote at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting held in Marlborough Elementary School Gym, 41 Fitch Court, at 7:00 PM on March 12th. You hold the keys to our communities’ sense of pride and well-being, so please attend. Thank you in advance for your ongoing support!
On behalf of the Bell Tower Park Committee,
Linda Ferranti-Nesbeda
