Planning Director Urges Public to Comment on Proposed Sign Bylaw Changes
At the Board of Selectmen's meeting on Monday, March 28, Planning Director Tracy Murphy presented the draft text of the proposed new Zoning Bylaw regulating signs. Planning Board Chair Guy Corbosiero had been scheduled to speak but was not able to attend. Ms. Murphy informed the Board that there will be a public hearing on the proposed bylaw changes on Tuesday, April 5, at 6:05 p.m., in the Town Hall second floor auditorium. All concerned members of the public are strongly urged to attend, Ms. Murphy said.
Introducing the topic, Town Manager Justin Sultzbach said, "So as you may recall, on September 27 at a Board of Selectmen meeting, as a group we discussed the merits of the signage bylaw. [See "Discussion of Signage Bylaw Heats Up BOS Meeting" in the September 30-October 7 2021 edition of The Winchendon Courier.] There were a couple of practicality issues that we ran into and at that time I'd made a committment to work with my staff to go through a public review process. So that process has been ongoing." He then turned over the floor to Ms. Murphy.
"So in November of 2021, we consulted with Ted Brovitz [Brovitz Community Planning and Design]," Ms. Murphy began. "What we did for the first two months was we conducted an extensive audit of the Zoning Bylaws, which took a little bit longer than we thought it was going to. But the thought was that, if we want to do this, we want to do it right." She told the Board that all documents are available to the public on the town website [see links below].
"The Town Manager as he said asked that we at least look at [Zoning Bylaw] Article 9, which is our signs," Ms. Murphy continued. "Signs have been very controversial, there's been some ambiguity in our language. There's also things we didn't allow, that you know, with our new downtown coming and our revitalization, we really want to offer things that are a little bit more in keeping with the times. Electronic signs, our bylaws were written in 2008. Electronic signs were relatively new, I mean they were out there but we didn't really know a lot about them...We have a lot of people that have come in that want to do like, I don't know if you've seen like high schools are doing these monument signs that have the name of the high school, and underneath they have an electronic, where they can change, and kind of advertise what's going on. Our bylaws don't allow that.
"So we've really looked, the Planning Board's gone out, they've looked at signs they've seen that they liked, things they didn't like, they brought all that back, and we've come up with something that we hope will kind of promote economic development, but while at the same time being sensitive, context-sensitive to where the different signs are allowed."
Ms. Murphy explained that the proposed bylaw doesn't make substantive changes in what kinds of signs are allowed in which zones, but does update and modernize the types and sizes of signage allowed. It also is far more explicit and detailed in its description of various categories of signs, including illustrations of each type of sign, to alleviate some of the ambiguity.
Several of the Board praised the new layout with its many clear illustrations of signs. Selectman Danielle LaPointe raised several questions. "One thing that really troubles me...when I was reading the Purpose in 9.1, it strikes me as only business," she said. "Our goal should be, one of our goals should be business-friendly, and help businesses succeed and thrive. But when I was reading the Purpose, it struck me as really only for the identification of goods and services. Which is, to me, only about what a business would do. This doesn't address any personal, like if people wanted to put up campaign signs, people wanted to, it just seems to me that it's very tunneled and not quite broad enough." Ms. LaPointe also questioned the formula for signs on corners.
Ms. LaPointe then raised the issue of who determines whether a temporary sign is allowed. "But there was another, on page 9.15, so number 7, 'Other Temporary Signs,' that one is to be determined by the building inspector. I just think it should just be, for continuity's sake, that should also be the Planning Board, unless there's a really good specific reason that it's different."
Ms. Murphy explained that according to the Mass General Laws, a "determination" is made by a single person. "All that means is he's determining what kind of sign it is. He's not giving out a permit here," she said. In some towns, Ms. Murphy expanded, the Planning Director makes the determination, because the Planning Board writes the zoning bylaws. But it's always a single person handling the determination.
The proposed new bylaw includes a list of "Prohibited Temporary Signs." Included in the blanket prohibition are the feather flags (or teardrop flags) which created some issues last fall when local businesses were told to remove them.
All Winchendon residents who might ever put up any kind of a sign for any reason are strongly advised to read the proposed new bylaw and offer any comments they have to the Planning Board at the public hearing on April 5. Residents who cannot attend the hearing can email comments to the Planning Director, Tracy Murphy, at tmurphy@townofwinchendon.com. All documents may be found and read online or downloaded at the following links:
Zoning audit page with links to the audit report and other documents:
https://www.townofwinchendon.com/planning-and-development/pages/zoning-audit-update
Text of draft of the proposed new sign bylaw:
https://www.townofwinchendon.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif4051/f/pages/proposed_article_9.pdf (PDF)
Text of the existing bylaw by itself for comparison:
https://www.townofwinchendon.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif4051/f/pages/existing_article_9.pdf (PDF)
Links to complete existing zoning bylaws and zoning maps:
https://www.townofwinchendon.com/planning-development/pages/zoning-maps-bylaws
Happy Customers Flocking to the New River Walk Cafe
New Riverwalk Cafe co-owner, Alan Wong poses with the American flag inside the restaurant. Wong wants people to know both former and new customers are welcome to enjoy his home-style cooking.
Photo by Keith Kent
After a mid-March "soft opening," the River Walk Cafe has taken off on the power of word of mouth, as many happy customers flock to enjoy the restaurant and the cooking of Alan Wong. Wong and his parents have breathed new life into the empty building in a prime location on Spring Street, and the community has been more than happy to show its early support.
Situated at 302 Spring Street, aka busy Route 12, River Walk Cafe not only is located along a heavily traveled thoroughfare, but is also the only restaurant in Winchendon or anywhere else which is directly adjacent to the local bike and walking path. Whether you drive there in your vehicle, walk along the scenic shores of the Millers River, or ride your bike, Alan Wong and his always cheerful mother Kimmy Wong will welcome you at River Walk Cafe with a smile and a delightful breakfast and lunch menu that will leave you happy and full.
Beginning his interaction with the restaurant business at the age of just five years, Alan Wong remembers working side by side with his parents at the former local restaurant which they founded, Kenny's Chinese Restaurant of Gardner, named after Alan's father, Kenny Wong. Young Alan learned from an early age that he liked to cook, and he knew that to be successful you must be willing to put in the hours for food prep, cleanliness, and all the other responsibilities of the business. The Wong family sold their Chinese restaurant in 2004, and relocated to the neighboring town of Westminster, where they owned and operated the Westminster Cafe, and Alan continued to develop "a taste of the food business." With a strong work ethic taught to him by his mother and father, Alan also rose to the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts, a rank which comes only with dedication, hard work, and honor. After graduating from Gardner High School, and then attending Mount Wachusett Community College, Wong realized the restaurant business was his professional calling and where his heart was destined to take him.
Seth Silver's River's Edge Restaurant, which had a faithful following and vibrant customer base until Silver lost an untimely and courageous battle with cancer in December of 2019, had been standing empty for the last two years. Wong said, "I knew the former establishment deserved to be opened again, and I felt it was a great way to honor its former owner, Seth Silver, by bringing the once popular eatery back to life. I thought it would be a good passing of the torch here to keep this place going for people who enjoyed coming here. To make sure that this place just didn't disappear away, and to always be something for people to look at, and look forward to being able to go to."
Open for breakfast and lunch, the River Walk Cafe offers a diverse menu. Ranging from five breakfast specials utilizing French Toast, Texas French Toast, multiple combinations of eggs and various meats, to corned beef hash, there are also Pancake breakfasts, waffles, omelets of many kinds, and even a varied selection of breakfast sandwiches. The menu continues with Eggs Benedict, Eggs Steak Benedict, Eggs Blackstone, Eggs Florentine, and homemade Biscuit & Sausage Gravy. You can choose among various forms of Stuffed French Toast, along with a list of potential sides. There is a Senior Menu for people age 62 and over.
For lunch there are burgers including Bacon, Texas Cheese, Swiss Mushroom, and Chef along with traditional. Salads, sandwiches and subs in several combinations including Turkey, Steak & Cheese, Tuna Salad, BLT, Steak Bomb and more are available. There are also hotdogs, franks & beans, chicken fingers, wings, or tenders, and fries and onion rings. You can choose from a Soup of the Day or Clam Chowder depending on your wish.
Asked if he went to school to learn the skills of the trade, Wong replied, "Nope, just many hours around my parents, watching them, it really taught me a lot. I knew I liked to learn to cook from a young age, and I just watched them a lot, and learned a lot." Personal touches make a place its own. Wong makes his own biscuits, and his own sausage gravy, and also makes his own corned beef hash, as well as fresh home fries.
Asked about customer comments, Wong said, "They have said they liked the food, and found both it and me quite surprising for my age. People presume I am younger than I am because they say I look it, I am 25, but get that a lot. I just want the people who come here to have a good place to gather and enjoy themselves and feel welcome. We are now getting a lot of customers who used to come here, and from our family following at the Westminster Cafe." Wong pointed out that he is not alone, as the River Walk Cafe has a business partner, Yang Fagan, whose family is close to the Wongs, and who attended the Boy Scouts with Wong, with Yang also achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.
Alan's mother Kimmy Wong said, "My husband and I did not expect our son to get into cooking, but he just likes cooking. At our restaurant, whenever we can't get people to work, our son was always right there trying to help us. My husband Kenny and I are very proud of Alan."
In closing Alan Wong said, "If you are new and have not been here yet, I would like to give you the opportunity to come here and try our homecooked food. We love to make homemade food and you will have a feeling of fun being here, and I want you to want to come back for future days to come. If you attended the business here before us, we want you back and want you to enjoy yourself. We want everybody to have a place where they can all expect to have a good time."
The Rivewalk Cafe is located at 302 Spring Street (Route 12), Winchendon. It is open for breakfast and lunch, dine-in and takeout. Breakfast and lunch are served Tuesday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and breakfast only, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The phone number is 978-297-7394. The River Walk Cafe is a "Cash Only" restaurant and does not accept debit or credit cards, but does provide an on-site ATM machine for any customer who may need it.
Photo by Keith Kent
Photo by Keith Kent
Previous customers will be pleased to know that aside from some new paint and a few additional touches, many of the previous features of the former restaurant were carried over under the new ownership, allowing a feeling of familiarity.
Youth Changemakers Granted Permit for 2nd Annual Taste of Winchendon Event
from left, Youth Changemakers Angelina Dellasanta, Danielle Scroczynski, Brooke Zabik, Camille Hart and Aniyyah Medina
Photo courtesy of Angelina Dellasanta
A team of Winchendon Murdock High School students appeared before the Board of Selectmen at their meeting on Monday, March 28 to explain the entertainment permit application for the Taste of Winchendon event planned for May 14 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. on the south lawn of the Beals Memorial Library on Pleasant Street.
After introducing themselves, the students took it in turns to describe parts of the event. Brooke Zabik, from the Murdock High Sociology and Civics class, explained, "Taste of Winchendon is an event by HEAL Winchendon, all organized by Youth Changemakers, Murdock students and Winchendon School students. It is an event focusing on the culture and diversity of Winchendon residents and where we all come from. At Taste of Winchendon, we plan to have free entertainment, food, games and activities for the whole family. Murdock Sociology and Civics class and the Winchendon Schools Learning Leaders class have already begun working on creating a successful event. We've drafted suggestion forms for food, sign up forms for entertainers, vendor forms for local businesses and organizations. We've started reaching out to businesses for collaborations and we're working on our graphics for our social media promotions."
Murdock High Sociology and Civics class student Aniyyah Medina told the Board, "The entertainment part of this event is hugely different from last year. We are hosting a cultural talent showcase for all residents to participate in by signing up. They can come and show something that's part of their culture entertainmentwise...Aside from the entertainment, we plan to hire inclusive salsa lessons for all attendees, music from a local band and music from a cultural playlist played by DJ Jeremy and one of the other Youth Changemakers."
Murdock High Sociology and Civics class student Danielle Scroczynski continued, "In addition to the entertainment, at the event we are also going to have activities, and we plan to have many cultural activities for the attendants, like henna tattoos, a football tournament, teaching people how to write their name in Mandarin, and facepainting. The Winchendon School students and Murdock students have already started to plan out these activities collaboratively. We also plan to have a bouncy house to keep the younger kids entertained, and we would like to have a volunteer monitoring the bouncy house and only allowing a small number of kids at a time. We want to make Taste of Winchendon a fun-filled day for all residents of all ages and all backgrounds."
Murdock student and Youth Changemakers leader Angelina Dellasanta went on, "And then the final aspect is surrounding our Taste of Winchendon passports. One of the greatest things that we got to do last year successfully was put out these passports to support our local businesses. So we went around town and we asked some of our local food, restaurants and things like that, you know, 'would you like to participate in Taste of Winchendon?' So we handed them out these booklets. And inside the passports there were a variety of logos for the businesses. Basically, you go around, you purchase something from the business, last year we had an allotted amount, but this year we're looking to change that because we're looking to expand it towards not just food and restaurants, but also Gracie's, the thrift stores, things like that, try and support more range of local businesses...So we're looking to have this passports out by April 14, so it can run for an entire month. We are in the process of getting our local businesses that want to participate in the passports ready, we plan on advertising it on social media, continuing our Facebook and Instagram promotions and things like that, so that's the final aspect, that isn't just on that day for Taste of Winchendon."
Murdock student and Youth Changemakers leader Camille Hart carefully outlined the protocols around food for the event. Food would be served only for the first two hours, and would be prepared and served in commercial kitchen spaces under the supervision of ServSafe® certified managers. "We want to have free food for all attendees like we did last year. In addition we hope to have them varied by cultural background and have a wide array of different cuisines for all," Ms. Hart promised.
BOH Chair Audrey LaBrie said, "I went to your event last year. I think it was the first event that I had attended since the year before March when we did the COVID shutdown. And it was just wonderful to get out and see people. And if I remember it was a gorgeous day, too."
"We're hoping for nice weather this year," Ms. Hart said. She went on, "It is on May 14, so kind of soon, it might be a little chilly, but no dunk tank this time, because of cold water, so you're all set, Mrs. LaBrie, you don't have to get in." Much laughter followed this remark, as Ms. LaBrie reminded Selectman Rick Ward that he was her first "customer" trying his best to land her in the tank last year.
Mr. Ward said, "I want to thank each of you for doing this. I found it, last year when I went to that, it was one of the most enjoyable afternoons that I've spent that I can remember. It was really a lot of fun, I'm sorry we're not gonna have the dunk tank so we can dunk the Chair this time. But I encourage everyone in town, if you missed it last year, don't miss this. Because it's really a fun event. The location is perfect at the library, that's a prime location for this, so everybody get out to see this."
The Board voted 4-0-1 to approve the entertainment permit, with Selectman Danielle LaPointe abstaining due to a personal connection with the event.
"What a Dump!" With Earth Day Around the Corner, BOH Asks for Your Help in Cleaning Up Our Town
On Friday, March 25, BOH Chair Keith Kent removed over a full pickup truck load of bulky waste, part of which is seen here, illegally deposited along the roadsides of the east end of Mill Glen Road and Town Farm Road. Many large bulky waste items illegally deposited along the road side and over roadside stone walls heavily littered the area.
Photo by Keith Kent
As the winter snows have melted, and the global COVID-19 pandemic, while local numbers are down, enters its third year, Winchendon continues to see increasing amounts of illegal dumping along its roads, visually exceeding the roadside litter in all adjacent municipalities.
From gas cans and radiator coolant jugs, from tires on steel rims to fifty-gallon plastic bags of non-returnable cans, and everything in between, if you can imagine it, it's littering many of our beautiful town roads, both new and historic. Adding insult to injury, people with little to no respect for either the environment or those around them are illegally throwing thousands of alcoholic beverage nip bottles such as Fireball or Grape Nips along roadsides in record numbers. Members of the Board of Health are finding them not just on roadsides, but along the bike and walking path, floating or resting along the shores of bodies of water, along sidewalks near our public schools, on the lawns of local churches, and many more places.
Winchendon has a problem. Like it or not, Toy Town is quickly becoming Rubbish Town, and both your town and your Board of Health are asking for your help. If you see something, say something! If you see illegal dumping going on, you can leave an anonymous tip with the Winchendon Police Department (978-297-1212). If you see a large pile of illegally dumped waste, or just witness even one bulky waste item being illegally tossed on the roadside, please call the WPD so it can be documented, and also call your local Board of Health (978-297-3537). If you know of people who are illegally dumping, and you say nothing, you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
Other municipalities in Massachusetts, including Chelsea, Newton, Mashpee, Falmouth and Wareham, have already made the sale of nip bottles illegal within their towns due to how widespread the littering problem is, which bans have been approved by the Massachusetts Attorney General. Rhode Island is considering a statewide ban on nips. When just one three-street area has over 1,500 discarded plastic nip bottles, THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
The 1.4-mile stretch of Glenallen Street from Elmwood Road to the New Hampshire state line has a very high amount of illegally dumped waste. In 2019, I contacted the Worcester County Sheriff's Department, and they provided a team of supervised inmates to help me clean up that road. In just three months, it was full of rubbish again. I have again contacted the WCSD, and for the second straight year they have informed me there is no help which can be provided, as the Worcester County House of Corrections was mandated by the courts to release all low-risk inmates due to the pandemic, and there is no help available from that source. I am heart-broken for our town.
At the Monday, April 4 meeting of the Board of Health, the board will be discussing a date to observe Earth Day in Winchendon. The option of choosing a later date with possible warmer weather, in the hopes of fostering a better public turnout, will be on the agenda. Last year, the Winchendon BOH hosted a town wide cleanup for Earth Day in early May. We had less than 40 people turn out, and we still packed a 40 cubic yard open top roll off dumpster to the brim. With a town population of some 10,785 residents, this means only 0.4 percent of Winchendon residents attended to help clean up our town. Imagine what we could accomplish in Winchendon if we doubled even that tiny turnout!
With the joining of many hands, we together can move mountains. Please remember that we only have one Winchendon, one Earth, and only one chance to get this right. Please remember "Every Day is Earth Day," not just a symbolic day on the calendar. If you see something on the side of the road, especially in front of your own property, pick it up. If it's illegal bulky waste, take a photo, and bring it to the transfer station, or call the Department of Public Works (978-297-0170) with a location. But in the end remember, as the problem continues to get worse, those who dump illegally will add to your taxes that pay for their waste. The money has to come from somewhere, so if you see something, say something. Please choose to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.
Keith Kent
Chair
Board of Health
Town of Winchendon
Photo by Keith Kent
Photo by Keith Kent
On Saturday, March 26, Candidate for Board of Health Glenn LaRochelle and wife Sharon LaRochelle, along with BOH member Tina Santos, in just the three-street area of Jackson Ave, Lincoln Ave, and Franklin Streets picked up well over 1,500 discarded plastic alcoholic nips bottles, along with many other items, as part of what has become a near constant town wide illegal waste dumping issue.
COVID Numbers Continue Falling In and Around Winchendon as New Variant Gains Ground
With four of the ten communities around Winchendon seeing COVID increases as a new COVID variant establishes itself, the region continues to report a lower overall positivity rate as two towns tested at zero percent positivity, and the 14-day COVID positivity average for the ten-town area decreased to 2.55 percent.
In the last seven days, Winchendon has dropped from 2.60 to 1.70 percent positivity based on 588 molecular tests. Ashburnham increased from 1.85 to 3.40 percent;
Westminster increased from 3.72 to 4.45 percent; Ashby dropped dramatically from 5.17 to 0.00 percent of all persons tested; Templeton went down slightly from 4.78 to 4.75 percent; Phillipston reported an increase from 2.82 to 3.95 percent. Gardner dropped from 2.56 to 2.41 percent, and Hubbardston dropped from 3.06 to 2.68 percent. Athol increased slightly from 1.73 to 2.15 percent, and Royalston for the third consecutive week tested at 0.00 percent. Orange, west of Athol, registered 2.68 percent.
Leominster tested at 2.16 percent and Fitchburg at 1.91 percent. Boston tested at just 1.61 percent based on 103,000 tests, Worcester tested at just 0.73 percent on 38,000 tests, and Springfield registered at 1.37 percent based on 11,000 tests. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health lists the Commonwealth's 14-day COVID testing average as slightly up from the previous week, increasing from 1.7 to 1.98 percent. As of March 31, 2022, the Mass DPH also lists 5,321,722 of its 6.9 million residents fully vaccinated.
In Winchendon, virtually all vaccination categories remained unchanged from the previous month. Children ages 5 to 11 register as 22 percent fully vaccinated, and 25 percent partially vaccinated. Children ages 12 to 15 show as 41 percent fully vaccinated and 45 percent partially vaccinated. Teens ages 16 to 19 are 47 percent fully vaccinated and 54 percent partially vaccinated. Overall, Winchendon continues to report 6,041, or 56 percent, of its residents fully vaccinated, and 6,783, or 63 percent, of its residents partially vaccinated, out of 10,785 persons, an increase of 2 and 8 persons respectively from the last report.
In Worcester County as a whole, currently 79 percent of people age 12 and up are fully vaccinated, 75 percent of people ages 5 and up are fully vaccinated. Ages 12 and up with at least one dose register at 89 percent, and ages 5 and up at 85 percent. 54 percent of Worcester County residents are fully vaccinated with at least one booster shot, with the fully vaccinated and boosted average for Massachusetts currently registering at 55 percent.
In closing, you may have heard that there is, as expected, a new COVID variant which has developed. As with all viruses, continued mutation is a near constant process. Omicron BA.1 is now quickly being replaced by the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant, and now accounts for 55 percent of variants circulating around the nation as of Saturday, March 26. It is particularly dominant in the Northeast. COVID-19 cases have been on a slow rise in both Asia and Europe with the new variant as well. Please also remember it's pollen season and it will not be uncommon to see people sneezing and coughing due to seasonal allergies, which could easily be misinterpreted as a case of COVID. Please exercise caution, and do not jump to conclusions. The Town of Winchendon Board of Health recommends becoming vaccinated if healthy enough to do so. Please have that conversation with your Doctor, or Primary Health Care Physician, and not people on social media with no medical training.
Keith Kent
Chair
Board of Health
Town of Winchendon
Seeds of Hope Pole Banners Ready to be Displayed Around Winchendon
Twenty-seven banners are hot off the presses and ready to be displayed around town in a showcase of Toy Town spirit, talent and creativity. Funded through a generous grant from the Winchendon Cultural Council, the Seeds of Hope pole banner project is a complete success.
Last year, artists of all ages from elementary school to adult professionals were invited to create a piece of art representing their answer to the questions "What do you love most about Winchendon?" and "What are your greatest hopes for Winchendon?" More than fifty pieces of art, some of them exhibited at last June's Taste of Winchendon festival, were submitted. Twenty-seven of them were selected for the 24 by 48 inch two-sided banners which will be attached to utility poles around town by Department of Public Works Director Brian Croteau and his team.
Originally envisioned as colorfully marching down Central Street, the banners will now appear on other well-traveled byways due to the Central Street Reconstruction Project. Mr. Croteau's team will be moving the pole supports to other utility poles as well as installing the banners themselves.
The banners were designed by Inanna Arthen, with much helpful feedback from HEAL Resident Leaders, team members, art teachers at the schools, and other interested people. Inanna also served as printer liaison, making sure the artwork was press-ready and getting it to the printers' art department in the proper format.
HEAL Winchendon hopes that all Winchendon residents will feel a sense of pride in these banners, which will show the world what Toy Town can achieve, in three dimensions and full color!
Some young artists pose with their art converted into brilliant banners as tall as they are themselves!
Photo courtesy of HEAL Winchendon
from left, Town Manager Justin Sultzbach, HEAL Project Manager Miranda Jennings and DPW Director Brian Croteau pose with a banner
Photo courtesy of HEAL Winchendon
