Mission:
The mission of the OSRC is to advance the goals, objectives, and actions of the Town's Open Space and Recreation Plan and to serve as a centralizing forum of this effort.
Open Space and Recreation Plan:
Our mission is to: “To advance the goals, objectives, and implementing actions of the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan. To serve as a centralizing forum for coordination of this effort.” We have completed the draft Open Space and Recreation Planning document, which makes us both eligible for State funding and to be a key presentation document when conducting other fundraising. We are submitting the final draft to the State for approval.
The next key step in the process is to implement the goals of the Open Space and Recreation Plan, which are as follows:
- Protect the Town’s water supply; ensure the health of its ponds, streams, wetlands and waterways.
- Conserve and protect our agricultural lands and farming viability.
- Protect our contiguous blocks of forestland.
- Enrich our recreational resources.
- Improve the connectivity of people and places in order to foster a sense of community.
- Improve Town-wide communications.
- Protect and enrich our open space and animal and plant life.
- Develop sustainable human and financial resources to support the goals of the Open Space and Recreation Plan.
- Integrate growth and development to preserve Lancaster’s rural feel, scenic vista, historic character, and natural landscape.
We will do this by creating sub-committees and recruiting volunteers for each of the above 9 goals. Please consider attending this meeting if you are interested in getting involved in the implementation phase, which is the fun part!
News and Announcements:
In the Town of Lancaster, an effort has been underway for some time to develop a "Recreation Campus" at Thayer Field, which is located in the center of Town, behind the Library and the soon to be completed Lancaster Community Center. There have been numerous public meetings about the proposed plans and enhancements which range~from walking trails, additional youth sport fields, a community dog park, to an open outdoor amphitheater and possibly a new playground.~ The focus of the Recreation Campus is to bring multi-generations together~in a multi-recreation facility, where all our citizens can meet and enjoy various community activities.
Now that the projects are coming to fruition, the Committee responsible for this project~could really use some additional support from interested residents. If you have an interest or expertise in~such areas~as fundraising, marketing, accounting, or website development, we could use your immediate help. ~~Perhaps you can offer a small portion of your expertise and/or time to this town project.~~ Any~amount~of volunteerism would be welcome.
Please contact either Don LaBelle at 978-466-8711, or Susan Smiley at 978-365-1829, if you are able to help.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference for your community.
Open Space and Recreation Library:
We have started a lending library of an assortment of books and reading materials pertaining to open space and recreation planning and design. The first featured book in the library is entitled Conservation Design for Subdivisions by Randall G. Arendt. Please feel free to stop by the Community Development and Planning office at the Town Hall to borrow a copy.
We will be building the materials in the library over the coming year. If you have any suggestions, or would like to donate any books, please send an e-mail to the OSRC at openspaceandrec@gmail.com.
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