The Legacy Trail Opened

With the installation of the last few granite benches, the Legacy Trail is officially done. The newest recreational and nature-embracing asset in Weston crosses a portion of the Case Estates from the Community Center and up a hill where views of the sunset can be absorbed. The trail connects with a connector pathway that will take you across the Hillcrest Corridor to Ash Street. The path is dotted with dedication pavers and benches, and all five trail-head markers and the two pillars at main entrance are made from historical granite
repurposed from the old Sears Estate and the Field School.

The Legacy Trail is the result of many generous contributors during Weston's Tercentennial Anniversary in 2013. The Weston 300 (the Tercentennial Steering Committee) hosted a year-long celebration with events honoring Weston's history and community as it also raised the funds for this lasting gift. The trail was originally supposed to be located on the Case Campus but after the 10-year acquisition battle for the Case Estates concluded in 2016, the Legacy Trail was relocated so everyone could enjoy the spectacular views of this historic property. Town Meeting in 2019 approved additional funding through the CPA fund to help the construction of the trail and connectors, which are ADA-friendly and has many resting spots for a leisurely stroll to embrace the natural surroundings. Dogs must be leashed at all times on the trail and fields, not only preserving the sensitive surrounding meadowland ecosystem but also making it friendly to those who are not so comfortable with a canine companion.

The Legacy Trail would not be possible without the volunteer power - and patience - of the Weston 300 team (pg 27), led by Dusty Rhodes, Dee Freiberg, and Marion Packs, and the Host Committee led by James Beams, Kelly Renner, Frank Kettle and Michelle King; the many contributors, whose names can be spotted along the trail; former Select Board Member Michael Harrity, and his tireless efforts to help Weston obtain this land and see through the vision and support of Town Meeting voters from 2006; and Town staff working with the Conservation Commission and the Public Works Department to get it installed.

Merriam Street Reconstructed and the Sidewalk Finished

The scenic, narrow road had a sidewalk on only half of its length. It had an undersized culvert at Cherry Brook. It had old cast iron gas mains and old water mains and gates. It was a logistical nightmare to take on but under Public Works Director Tom Cullen's lead and orchestration and Town Engineer Steve Fogg's planning and design, the gas mains were replaced, the culvert was resized, and the water mains and the stormwater drainage updated.

The Traffic & Sidewalk Committee worked hard with abutters, the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, and the Tree Advisory Group to design a sidewalk that connected end to end, and is sensitive to the tree canopy and Cherry Brook - including the boardwalk with lookout. Neighbors gave easements and a lot of patience, as this was a long-haul project with a lot of unavoidable disruption. It was truly a team effort with a positive outcome.

renovation construction of an old building

Construction at the Josiah Smith Tavern Started

Picture this: catching up with friends in the new Town Square after visiting some local shops before walking over to the AIC to learn how to custom-print a special gift, then meeting up with your neighbor for a brisk walk around the Town Green, and then getting a bit peck-ish and thirsty so you cross over to the Tavern for some locally-sourced nibbles and libation. Something to look forward to in 2021! Weston's town center is going to be a *Town Center* filled with opportunities for community and communing.

More than 14 years in the making, this project demonstrates the will and support of Weston's residents to preserve and protect local assets - especially in the historic district of the Town Center. The Friends of the Josiah Smith Tavern will be the custodians of the building, which will house the treasured non-profits Weston Forest & Trail Association, the Women's Community League, and Weston Historical Society. The gorgeous old ballroom will be publicly available for special events, and the barn and connector will be a new spot to grab some food and drink with friends or to throw edamame at a certain Select Board member.

In addition to finally getting this project off the ground, we also gained some useless knowledge that will help some of us achieve trivia master status. Good ol' Yankee ingenuity utilized cow manure (15-feet of it) as the foundation support for the connector structure between the barn and tavern. If you are more of a warm-fuzzy individual, a mama cat found the Tavern to be the best place to have her kittens. All were found and mama and her litter were taken into their fur-ever homes.

lemon background with makin' lemonade out of lemons words

It's been rough year, but the lemonade is pretty good

Weston pulled together and celebrated the Class of 2020 in a cross-town car parade

Weston read and researched a lot. This year, the Weston Public Library reported a 14% increase in website visits, a 344% increase in genealogical research, and a 32% increase of additional ebooks and audiobooks to the collection to support demand.

No in-person Town Government meetings gave us more virtual attendance. Some of those meetings may have been painful to sit through but more resident participation makes for a more engaged citizenry and a more engaged citizenry makes for a stronger community. And, as always, Weston Media Center was there to cover it.

Speaking of a more engaged citizenry, the Town Clerk reported a higher than average turn-out for the Annual Town Election.

WHS Class of 2023 got creative and held a drive-through Halloween Parade for the kiddos instead of the annual haunted house.

More Weston residents got outside to explore their world! Our nearly 100 miles of trails saw a dramatic increase in visits. It's really pretty out there, isn't it? Cheers to those before us who envisioned this preservation and cheers to those who continue to protect it.

Weston held its very first outdoor Town Meeting. This was a welcomed event, not only because the budget discussions finally came to a stop (for a short time, anyway) but it was a much-needed community event after our spring shut-down, and it introduced a few new residents to quirky New England Town Government.

Although he will not be making any of his traditional stops, Santa will be boarding a Weston Fire Department truck to deliver Christmas cheer, north side to south side, to all the believers of any age.

icons of projects that were accomplished

Phew! Talk about a stress deflector!

The solar arrays were installed on the roof of the Field School at the start of 2020 and will be powered up by the close of the year.

The Case Estates Ecological Management Plan was completed. It is a difficult 62.5 acres of open space that had been abandoned for too long but this plan will provide seven years of sound environmental protection and stewardship.

The Recreation Master Plan was updated. The 2005 plan was revisited to help shape current and future needs of all outdoor fields and courts, indoor facility needs, and various demographic needs.

Major work was completed in the Town Center Improvement Project. Fingers-crossed by the end of the year, those fantastic new light poles will be shining at an appropriate level of brightness so as not to disturb migrating Aves. Bonus good vibes with something to look forward to in 2021 - all of the new trees will be planted, the unnervingly bending utility poles will be removed, and the final layer of pavement will be installed so curb-gate can be left left behind with the other bad energy of 2020.

The Sustainability Committee helped Weston become an MVP Community and received grants to update and submit Weston's Hazard Mitigation Plan and kick off the Climate Action and Resilience Plan. Weston Power Choice was submitted to the Department of Public Utilities, too. While we're keeping it green (environmentally and fiscally), another hefty grant from the state was awarded to helped us switch over to LED lightbulbs in municipal buildings.

Despite a budget cut, another 6 miles of roadway was reconstructed! And, 3.4 miles of gas main was replaced by National Grid.

Weston Public Library, the Council on Aging, Weston Recreation, Weston Police Department and the Town of Weston all got a fresh new look to their websites.

We have composting at the Transfer Station! It supplements home composting and is gaining in popularity - meaning, less tonnage to the solid waste stream.

We may have been apart but we did come together when it mattered.

So far, over 600 residents voluntarily quarantined/isolated to keep the community safe.

Very generous gifts and care were given to the Council on Aging, Weston Police, Weston Fire, Weston Public Schools, Election staff, Town Hall, and the Weston Public Library.

We participated in student-led activism as we marched in support of the nation-wide Black Lives Matter movement

The Women's Community League gifted the Town additional funds to purchase a larger tree that will sit in Knox Park and will brighten our winter festivities next year.

The Wes-TEN and Weston Media Center - we were introduced to two residents who masterfully balance snark and sincerity as they celebrate this community with the help of Weston Media Center. At the conclusion of each episode, they remind us all to be kind to one another....after this year and as we head into 2021, boy howdy, we all should continue to be kind to one another.

Happy New Year, Weston! Here's to your health and happiness as we stare down 2021.