By Janet Stoica

McGovern Lane and Brian Avenue in Webster are on a developer’s agenda. The road is the last thoroughfare on the right after the Harrington/UMass campus on Thompson Road. The town of Thompson, Connecticut has granted a construction project permit with the only access road being through the town of Webster. Thompson has approved major construction for 30-plus condominiums and townhouses, but never properly notified Webster as an abutter, according to Town Administrator Rick LaFond. The entire situation is under appeal by Webster in a Connecticut court. The only access to the large construction project is through the town of Webster. Will construction vehicles like heavy dump trucks and land-clearing machinery soon be pummeling and destroying the pavement of Thompson Road, McGovern Lane, and Brian Avenue?  Will Webster receive all the negative heavy construction dust, debris, and traffic without any tax benefits? How will fire trucks and emergency vehicles gain access to the sizeable development?  The fragile roads leading to the proposed development were certainly not meant for heavy equipment rolling through. 

“We are certainly displeased over the lack of concern by the town of Thompson,” said LaFond. 

The town of Webster has received a generous and incredible offer from local resident Christopher Robert. The local businessman has offered to restore the town’s auditorium and town hall to its former magnificence. Visions of Worcester’s Mechanics Hall are in order for Mr. Robert’s inspirations. The auditorium has approximately an 1,100-1,200 seat capacity and according to Wikipedia “was built in 1927-28 to a design by Michael Dyer and Company, whose later work included several other notable municipal buildings in Massachusetts. The two and a half brick story building is laid in Flemish bond, with paneled concrete corner quoins. Like the former Anthony Sitkowski school, now senior housing, it has a hip roof, denticulated cornice, and wide frieze. The school’s cupola was moved to top the town hall at this time, and the work done at this time included construction of an auditorium that joined the town hall and school together.”  

There will be an article regarding the offer at the upcoming town meeting to be held on Monday, October 21.

An update on the Beacon Street refugee center located off Lake Street indicates that the site is still in its site-planning stage with the town Planning Board. A Planning Board hearing is scheduled for Monday, September 23. According to the town’s consulting engineer, 33 items needed to be dealt with including access for fire apparatus to the side and rear of the building as well as parking and drainage issues. New plans were submitted on Sunday, one day before the Planning Board’s last meeting, where requirements still had not met the Planning Board’s conditions. In September the plans will be approved or denied. Neighbors have been sued for use of Rosemont Street as an access road, however, the neighbors do not own the street. A title search must be conducted by the developer and the land court judge has established a January 2025 hearing to review the title search submission.

Town Administrator LaFond also advises that a Mexican restaurant has applied for occupancy in the former Stave and Still restaurant located at 131 Main Street.