The ongoing efforts to come up with a plan to build a gazebo on the Town Common have been temporarily shelved.
The gazebo, first proposed by the Board of Selectmen in 2013, is part of an $200,000 improvement project to the Town Common that was approved at the Town Meeting this past June. Expenses for the gazebo component of those improvements were to be shared by the town and the Lynnfield Historical Society, with the town responsible for the costs of installation of a concrete pad for the gazebo and the society responsible for the costs of the actual structure.
But during the most recent Selectmen’s meeting, confusion as to the society’s readiness to finalize a complete design plan for the gazebo, led to the decision to put it on hold until 2021.
“The issue we have right now is all the other pieces have been put together to make it happen, with the goal of going out to bid so this can be done during this next construction season,” said Town Administrator Rob Dolan. “The last piece that hasn’t been put together is the gazebo, and I cannot tell the board that there is a surefire plan to complete the gazebo.”
He added he thought it was clear at the last meeting that the town needed a definite plan and design from the society for the gazebo in order to complete the improvement project and determine the location of where (they are) going to put the electricity, fans, sound systems, and other systems.
“The Common is our most prized possession and with the Meeting House there, there is just tremendous history there,” he said. “But, to be honest, we are not in a place where we should be, and that’s a shame.”
Society President Linda Gillon said she thought the society was going to pay for the pad and claimed she had a contractor ready to install the concrete pad.
“This is contrary to what we wish, we are ready to go,” she said.
After a long discussion with conflicting statements about the responsibilities of the town and the Historical Society on construction of the gazebo, Dolan said,” it was very clear that we had 30 days to put this together and we are not any further along than we were a month ago.”
Gillon claimed she was never told the society had 30 days to get its act together and finalize its plans.
Dolan disputed the claim.
“There is still some debate about the design,” Dolan said. “We had 30 days to put this together but have not. We are somewhat together but not any farther along than we were a month ago. We were very clear at the last meeting that we were going out to bid the first week of September and everyone understood that.”
Board Chairman Chris Barrett said, “(W)e have a timeline we have to meet on the improvements, that’s our challenge. We have to make a decision as a board on the improvements the community expects.”
Selectman Dick Dalton said it’s not in the best interests of the town to go forward with the gazebo project with so many loose ends.
“I’m not comfortable at all with where we are at right now,” he said. “I’d like to see the improvements done and we can address the gazebo at a later point. I support a gazebo but I do not support our going forward without clarity.”
Selectman Phil Crawford agreed.
“This was approved seven years ago,” Crawford said. “I have no confidence in my mind that this can be done reasonably and there is no evidence that anything is in place for the town to get this done at this time.”
