April 22, 2009

Northampton Community Preservation Committee Recommends Four Projects

At its meeting on April 21 the Northampton Community Preservation Committee recommended support for four projects, one in the CPA funding area of historic preservation, two in the area of open space conservation, and one in both historic preservation and open space conservation. Contingent upon acceptance of the committee’s recommendations and conditions by the Mayor and the City Council, the following projects will receive CPA funding.

Northampton Community Music Center: $150,000 for preservation and renovation of an historic municipal building for use by the Music Center.

Childs Park Foundation: $6,350 for dredging and restoration of the Childs Park North Pond.

Northampton Conservation Commission: $50,000 for a conservation fund, to be used after consultation with the Agricultural Commission for the purchase or permanent preservation of significant open space and agricultural parcels where action is time-sensitive.

Friends of the Upper Roberts Reservoir and Chesterfield Road Dam: $25,000 toward preservation of the historic dam, provided that the City of Northampton decides to repair the dam rather than removing it, and $500 from CPC administrative funds in support of having the dam placed on the National Historic Register.

The committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Mayor during the coming week, and are projected to come before the City Council in May. Questions regarding the recommendations may be directed to Fran Volkmann, Chair of the CPC (franv@comcast.net; 413-584-6641), or Sarah LaValley, Community Preservation Planner (slavalley@northamptonma.gov; 413-587-1263).