As the parent of two teenagers who have just finished another beautiful summer working, learning and spending time with friends at the town beach, I’m thoroughly grateful that I live in a town with this tremendous resource. I’m also very grateful to the members of the Parks and Recreation Commission who oversee the pond for their work to strengthen this program and others like it here in Harvard; their dedication and hard work is to be commended, and I truly value the impact it has on our community.
For this reason, I was distressed to learn about a matter that will be discussed and perhaps voted on at the next Parks and Recreation meeting. The crew team would like to open their doors to an increased ratio of Acton-Boxborough residents. The impact of this will surely affect our Harvard rowers who must compete all the more vigorously for spots on the team, and this is concerning enough. However, the discussion also threatens to allow organizations and communities in the surrounding area to have unrestricted access to our pond.
If members of the Parks and Recreation Commission decline to take responsibility and allow board members of Bare Hill Rowing to define their own ratios, then there is really nothing stopping them from becoming a team composed of 100 percent Acton-Boxborough residents, if that’s what happens to suit this private organization’s board in any given year. If, as Harvard residents, we relinquish our stewardship of this precious resource, then we are giving more than just our tax dollars away.
Audrey Alenson
West Bare Hill Road
