Memorials are important historical touchstones, linking the past to the present, thereby fostering remembrance and respect for the sacrifice of those who fought, died, participated in or were affected by a war or conflict. Whitinsville’s Civil War monument in Memorial Park is an important part of Northbridge’s heritage and historical landscape. It also serves to remind us of the town’s only Medal of Honor recipient, David P. Casey.
It’s disgraceful, therefore, that the town has allowed this memorial to be desecrated and overshadowed by its very own obtrusive electronic road sign.
This distasteful structure first appeared on the grass in front of the monument for over one week to inform us about an upcoming open house, and remained for two days after the open house. Now it has reappeared, on the heals of expressed complaints over its introduction, to advise residents to view the town’s website and learn how to prepare for an upcoming weather event, as if we’ve never experienced such in New England and lack t.v., radio, print and on-line news sources.
While our sidewalks, buildings and fences are weed laden and our roads crumbling, those charged with caring for those things, as well as Memorial Park, have shown great insensitivity and disrespect to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
I strongly support informing the public early and often with as much data as reasonably possible. One such approach is the reverse 911 phone system that has been used many times to inform about bridge work, bank scams, and missing persons. I’m sure it can be used to advise about high winds and rain as well. Additionally, the town manager grants permission to citizens to utilize an outdoor bulletin board in front of town hall and meeting after meeting the Selectmen vote to allow persons to hang banners over Church St. Perhaps a gaudy sign can serve a meaningful purpose on town owned land, but Memorial Park is clearly not the place.
Sure, there will always be conjured up and rationalized reasons to place an industrial “in your face” flashing electronic highway billboard in front of the Civil War monument. They will all start with “what a premier location to” and end with a myriad of seemingly important events, reminders, action items, or warnings, resulting in permanency on the Park. None of which, of course, can ever justify such irreverence and violation of the sanctity and significance of the monument and Memorial Park in total.
While many place wreaths and flags at the foot of war memorials, Northbridge has chosen to place in front of their most grand memorial a large, orange, paint chipped, metal, programmable message board informing residents to “prepare for torm". Yes, Northbridge, your “s” is out of line.
Shelley J. Buma
Whitinsville
62°
×
Today's Weather
62°
High: 76°
Low: 60°
Fog
Fri 5/24
H: 68°
L: 50°
Sat 5/25
H: 55°
L: 43°
Sun 5/26
H: 61°
L: 43°
Mon 5/27
H: 69°
L: 47°
Tue 5/28
H: 73°
L: 49°
Wed 5/29
H: 75°
Sponsored By
Letter: Disrespectful Location For Northbridge Sign
Recommend
A sign at Memorial Square advices residents to prepare for the storm.
Photo Credit: Deborah Gauthier
A sign at Memorial Square advices residents to prepare for the storm.
Photo Credit: Deborah Gauthier
Comments (24)
Speaking of "poor taste", Why the Christmas wreath hanging from the folding American flag at the 9/11 Memorial ?
"De gustibus non desputantum est."
The sign was moved about a week ago. It was placed in the corner adjacent to the church. In its current location it does obscure or detract from the publics appreciation of the monuments.
Familyman: The sign adjacent to the church is not the one we were discussing. That sign has been there since the other construction ones were put in place. My mistake was that I did not see the other sign until those others were installed and did not see it removed in between uses as mentioned in other comments and assumed it was primarily there for the construction.
Hmm. Why don't we try focusing on something more important in the town? Honestly, people these days just need things to complain about. Unnecessary and annoying.
When you call the Town Hall with anything important, the standard answer is the Town does not have the money.
So why bother, plus this is important to some people!
Nbridge 101, just wondering if you were absent from School when America's involvement in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the new Wars were discussed?
I agree especially after she spoke with someone, looks like the Town has some extra money to pay for electricity for this sign.
Things must be looking up in the Towns Financial Budget General Ledger?
Second thought looks like a battery or solar operated sign?
Shelly, good for you. How soon people forget about the sacrifices our Veterans have made. Have you also noticed how Memorial Common, World War II, and Vietnam Memorials are unkempt? Grass uncut, weeds growing out of control, etc. Probably a good place to put the sign would have been on the lawn at Colonial Drive. It's town property, and there is an awful lot of traffic coming up Church St., towards town.
Did you call Town Hall and make the suggestion? I bet if you called and said, "hey, can you find a more approprate location?" the response would have been, "sure, sorry for offending anyone, we will move it right away."
Much more fun to write a letter.
Ah yes, another bet lost...
You are the Kansas City Chiefs of this forum...
Whitinsville1 had a good point also.
Plus at first it was unknown if the author of the letter, had spoke with anyone.
I had a personal face to face conversation days before writing the letter. The response was not as you were so certain of, and as you know, the sign remains.
The referenced sign has nothing to do with Douglas Rd bridge work. The state has designated locations for that notice, and the Civil War monument location is not a designated location.
The larger electronic sign on Linwood Ave as you approach Memorial Square alerts citizens of the bridge work.
The Civil War memorial location sign was put in place, originally, for the purpose of notifying about an open house. It was then removed for about 4 days. Clearly if the purpose of the sign was to notify about bridge work, it would not have been removed for days.
The referenced sign then reappeared this past Friday.
Because it is moveable you could say it is "temporary."
However, given the possible endless reasons for its
existence in front of the monument (open houses, check town website), my concert remains that in reality it may become a permanent unsightly fixture on Memorial Park.
While I don't advocate the use of an industrial orange flashing highway sign to notify residents, as I believe the reverse 911 system and other methods are more effective, my letter did in fact mention that the town owns lots of land that would serve as a better location. To now be specific: town hall, middle school or high school property.
Where can I find reference to your statement: The referenced sign has nothing to do with Douglas Rd bridge work. The state has designated locations for that notice, and the Civil War monument location is not a designated location.
All of my previous statements were based on my understanding that that location would be specified for viewing when coming down Main Street, where many people take the right onto Douglas Road. As stated, if this sign is not related to the construction, I repeat that the sign should not be there.
However, should the public safety require it, I have no problem with putting signage on the common at that location. When I go to the memorials downtown, I walk the grounds and read the inscriptions. I would barely notice the signs, in their current locations.
Mr. Underwood, you are missing the point Ms. Buma is stating! No one, including a DPW/State DOT should be allowed to desecrate a Memorial Park
which remembers those who have served in any conflict and to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in allowing us the freedom we so often take for granted. Not only is there one but there are two in Memorial Park with the other next to the Episcopal Church. Not exactly a good location when one goes to worship and has to see that ugly orange sign flashing away. Ms. Buma, you are so right with your thoughts on the placement of these signs. One sign placed next to the Town Hall at Douglas Road would suffice the need for signage.
I guess you missed my point. The sign on the common is there temporarily, during the construction. It is not going to be there permanently.
I feel off the road or sidewalk is a much better location, especially on the already tight streets in that area with parking on both sides.
If I thought the signs were going to be permanent, I would agree it is a bad location.
My point in bringing up the Douglas Road sign was what I perceived as a complaint by Ms. Buma that the sign was put there for the DPW open house or the storm. All the signs were moved into place before that point, and were dark. They simply started using the signs for other important information rather than being unused.
This sign is not meant for the construction. Aetna owns the other signs on Main St, Douglas Rd, Linwood and Church St, I think you might be confusing them with those signs. The sign that Ms Buma is referring to is the town owned programable sign on the common...
You are so right Why would the town put it in front of a memorial? Are they afraid to use a parking space. Guess no thought is put into these things.
Steven, I think you missed the point. The Douglas Rd. sign is not the issue. The sign in Monument Park at where Church St & Linwood Ave meet is the sign Ms. Buma is referencing.
If this billboard is meant to remain in the park, I agree with Ms. Buma. It's a pretty lousy location. Destroys any tranquility the park offered and upstages the Casey Memorial.
In case people have not noticed, there is a major reconstruction project going on near the town hall, the replacement of the narrow bridge on Douglas Road. There are TEMPORARY signs setup in all directions from this construction for the purpose of informing the public of this work which will interrupt people from many surrounding towns as they make their way through town. Placement of signs such as these are never optimal but I have no problem using the open space on the common rather than taking up valuable sidewalk or street space. I believe the fact that the DPW used the signs for other useful reasons rather than leaving them off is a good use of available resources. I was surprised by the message about the DPW open house. The signs were moved into place a couple of weeks ago and not all of them were used for the messages that were mentioned. I travel down Douglas Road through the area many times a week and the sign on Douglas Road was off until the current message was put in place.
"Excellent Point' S. Buma I agree!
These Memorial's to some mean so much more then just being a slab of granite or rocks with Military Designs on them.
It's a reflection of our past and present society to always remember what so many people have sacrificed for during our Nations past Wars. It appears some people have forgotten, or maybe they need to visit Arlington National Cemetery and view a Military Burial. Or ask some of the Greatest Generation how 10,000 of their generation. Some no more then twenty years old perished storming the shore's of Normandy, D-Day June 6, 1944 in the cause of freedom.
Most American's understand Freedom is not Free, but maybe some may not understand that and may take it for granted? Hopefully the Town Manager will act to correct this sign placement and maybe make sure something of this possible innocent folly may not happen again.
Juggy,
Where else In Memorial Square would you put it?
I am neither in favor of or offended by its current position but there is no other option for placement where it will reach as many people as it currently does. If you move it to the opposite side of the street you encroach on the new Vietnam Memorial and the WWII monument as well.
Too bad Ms. Buma isn’t as willing to offer up solutions as she is with sharing her criticisms.
J.A.G.,
We feel that a committee of concerned residents should be in the decision making process about issues such as this.
It is obvious it does not matter in this Town..