William Vigneux
Palmer dentist Dr. William Vigneux at the Dec. 6, 2016 Palmer Redevelopment Authority community meeting and holiday party held at the public library
(Jim Russell photo)
PALMER — A public forum organized by the town's redevelopment authority elicited comment from a dentist who said the solid identity springing from each of the four villages here may sometimes work against what's good for the entire town.
William Vigneux, who practices dentistry from an office in town, to make his point alluded to the mixed emotions in the community related to the parade route used to celebrate Palmer's 300th anniversary.
There were some grumblings when the town's 300th anniversary committee chose against holding October's celebratory parade in the heart of downtown along Route 20 and instead chose, due to traffic and public safety considerations, to march in the Three Rivers village.
Town villages here also include Bondsville, Thorndike and Depot Village (also referred to as Palmer).
"What I'm feeling sad about is the village separation," Vigneux said during the forum that was part discussion about economic development, part holiday celebration. "If we could work more as a community ... for the good of all, (more progress could happen)."
Palmer Redevelopment Authority members Alphonse Lacosta and Joe Turek, who helped organize the event held last week at the pubic library, said they are trying to figure out how best to use the vacant one-acre Holbrook site along Main Street to spur the local economy.
The two-story wooden Holbrook building was destroyed by fire in 1995.
"We'd like to get feedback from people on what kind of business (would work best)," Lacosta said. He and Turek said the redevelopment authority purchased the property for $160,000.
Heidi Bara and Rob Gromosky at the Palmer RDA meeting and holiday party on Dec. 6, 2016
Rob Gromosky, who attended the forum with Heidi Bara, said, "We want to see Palmer developed positively."
Bara said she hopes the town can someday house a large assortment of "shops, restaurants and bars" that people can walk to, instead of having to travel out of town.
Several attending the event said a lot could change, for the better, should Palmer someday be home to a passenger rail station in the downtown area.