Members of Harvard’s St. Theresa and Bolton’s St. Francis Xavier parishes’ Buildings and Grounds Committee approached the Board of Selectmen at its November 21 meeting to present what they called a “mutually beneficial” solution to the churches’ and the town center’s need for additional parking. St. Theresa and St. Francis have been merged into one parish due to a shortage of priests, committee Co-Chairman Joe Theriault said, and they must consolidate their buildings. St. Francis does not have enough land for the needed expansion. St. Theresa’s expansion plans call for accommodating 600 people and 240 cars, so access to adequate parking would be essential. Inability to secure it would be a “show stopper,” Theriault said, and added that the parish is “pushing to stay in Harvard.”
The churches’ committee proposed developing the existing parking area on the 2.55-acre town-owned lot behind St. Theresa’s that abuts the high school driveway. The church would build the parking area to the town’s specifications, Theriault said, which would require an easement or 99-year lease from the town. If such an arrangement were possible, he said, the church would have exclusive use of the parking area Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings; other weekend times and weekdays the parking area would available to the public. In the plan, the town would insure and maintain the parking area.
Theriault said that his committee wants to team up with other town center organizations and interested parties to make it happen. Members of his committee will talk with the Congregational Church representatives and St. Theresa’s neighbors, as well as other townspeople to see if there will be support for their parking lot concept.
Selectman Bill Marinelli told Theriault and committee member Jim DeZutter that he thought the cost could be as high as $250,000, based on an engineering study and cost estimate to develop the parking lot that was done as part of the school improvements project several years ago. The cost was driven by the need for adequate drainage down the school driveway, which is all ledge, he said. He advised Theriault to contact the school superintendent to review the study and estimates.
Chairman Randy Dean told Theriault and DeZutter that their committee was on the right path—that a single solution is needed for the town center parking shortage. He asked about funding for the project and Theriault told him the funding would come from the Worcester diocese, which owns the church property and which would be a party to any contractual agreement with the town regarding St. Theresa. Expansion funding would be supplemented by capital campaigns at both churches, he said.
Meeting attendee and Town Center Planning Committee member Tim Clark told the board that the committee wants to “preserve St. Theresa as an anchor in the town center.” He said that the town’s wastewater treatment proposal included all three churches in the town center. This week Theriault told The Press that the committee hopes to pursue this with the Town Center Planning Committee at its next meeting.
The “uppermost issue” regarding the proposed parking area is the historic stone fence, Theriault said. It has two breaks in it, he said, which could be incorporated into the parking lot design. He views this as an opportunity to show off another of the town’s historical places; the stone fence is presently overgrown and hidden. He said that the committee wants to work with the Historical Commission to explore possibilities to take advantage of the breaks.
Other challenges facing the Buildings and Grounds Committee include relocating the septic system, relocating a town runoff pipe, and surveying a wetland created by the town runoff pipe. David E. Ross Associates will begin site testing in the next few weeks, Theriault said.
