Public Park Dedication - While We Were Voting

by Glenn C. Koenig, webmaster at Town Wide Mall

Maynard, MA - A local volunteer group, Trail of Flowers, met outdoors in the rain, yesterday at 4:30 PM to dedicate a new public park on the property of the former Marble Farm.  The park is located in Northeast Maynard, adjacent to the Assabet River Rail Trail, just short of the border with Acton (right next to the intersection of Acton Street and route 27).
A full report of the event, posted by David Mark, a principal member of the group, is posted here:
http://www.maynardlifeoutdoors.com/
The story on that web page starts out with the history of the farm at the site, but details and photographs of the event yesterday can be found by scrolling down to the break entitled "New Content."

=== Editorial ===

Two things come to mind related to this story:
First, the culmination of the work done to create this park is testament to the power and effectiveness of this group.  This serves as just one example of the many community groups that work for the betterment of the Town, and of everyone who lives in the area, with either minimal or no public financial support.  If you look carefully at the group photograph (shown on the linked website, above), you may notice that certain key public officials attended to help celebrate the event, lending further support to projects such as this.
Second, a park such as this one stands in contrast to our "mentally busy" world of information overload, increased "screen time" (for people of all ages, not just children and youth), and addictive social media platforms.  True, this very site, Town Wide Mall, is yet another screen to view (we don't have the means to publish this as a conventional newspaper), but research shows that both mental and physical health and well being are enhanced by spending time outdoors, close to nature, and without hurry.  After all, there is nothing pressing to do in the park itself besides strolling around, reading the few bits of information posted there, or just sitting to enjoy the surroundings.
In this time of increasing stress, despondency, or worse, we encourage you, dear reader, to find some time, make your way up the Assabet Rail Trail to this location, and just stop there for a few minutes or more. Perhaps let your mind just drink in the surroundings.  Yes, the traffic on route 27 can be a bit busy during some hours of the day, but it's possible to find times where the area is more peaceful.

In our view, resources such as this represent true access to "health care" - perhaps lessening the need for medical care, later on.