Ashburnham’s new playground is a revitalizing addition to the town.
Ashburnham, a small town in Worcester County, has long needed a new playground and has finally received one. Winchester Park was mainly used for gatherings, while River Street Park was primarily unused. According to Ashburnham-ma.gov, “The desire for improvement of these spaces had been long-voiced by community members.”
The Ashburnham Selectboard and Town Administrator approached the Conway School back in 2021, requesting a redesign of Winchester and River Street parks, located in the heart of town.
Due to the pandemic, the playground’s process was postponed. Progress starting back up and continuing in the year 2023, with completion in the summer of 2025.
The playground has introduced a new look to the town, making it more aesthetically pleasing and adding a sense of functionality. While most residents may be pleased with the project’s outcome, some oppose these changes.
A resident of Ashburnham, Maliyan Frances, has expressed their concern for this playground. In the article, “Reconsider Playground Location Near Our Home in Ashburnham”, on Change.org, Frances states, “Plans for a new playground in Ashburnham, MA, place it dangerously close to where my family finds solace and peace.”
Currently, Frances works in a customer service role from home and enjoys the quiet she has within her home. She faces a problem with this new playground; she’ll now have to consider how her workspace will be affected by the new distraction and noise. Her peace and silence, which are crucial for her career working from home, are to be violated.
Her family will also have to face the issue of having a playground so close to their home. Frances has a son who is autistic and has sensory issues. He can be easily thrown off by any sudden noise. This will prove to be hard for their child, having so much commotion within the playground.
Frances continues to say, “Importantly, there are alternative sites available that could accommodate this wonderful community enhancement without infringing on our well-being.”
Ashburnham has other options when it comes to building its playground. However, with their current choice of location, some residents in the area are left affected.
The Frances family is holding a petition, hoping the project will be discontinued and moved to a different location. Unfortunately, they were unable to get enough signatures to revoke this project. The playground was built near their home, and they’ll have to deal with the consequences.
Like Michel de Montaigne once said, “One man’s loss is another man’s gain.” With these new changes, Ashburnham hoped both parks would become more inviting, boost the local economy, and enhance the lives of residents and visitors. Unfortunately, this is at the cost of the Frances family’s “solace and peace,” which they find in their home.
