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Your community. Your news. Your paper. Vol. 50 | No. 11 | March 15, 2024
1974 - 20
Shrewsbury · Westborough · Northborough · Southborough · Marlborough · Hudson · Grafton
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Northborough’s Maxim fire engine celebrates 100th birthday Citizens’ petitions stay on Town Meeting warrant
Westborough | 6
Northborough Firefighters Association members Paul Fiske, Shay Bailey, Peter Stone and David Hunt stand in front of the town’s 1923 Maxim fire engine. (Photo/Laura Hayes)
By Laura Hayes, Managing Editor
Coolidge Elementary School holds ‘Celebration of Us’ shrewsbury |24
NORTHBOROUGH – The red paint of the 1923 Maxim fire engine glistened in the afternoon sunlight as it stood in front of the Northborough fire station. “It’s more than just a truck. It’s more than just steel on wheels,” said Shay Bailey. Members of the Northborough Firefighters Association are celebrating the engine’s 100th birthday. “There’s a lot of pride in this truck,” said Paul Fiske. Inside the hood ornament bears the name Maxim Motor Companies, which was headquartered in Middleborough, and from
which the town purchased the engine in 1922. According to David Hunt, at that time, the Northborough Fire Department was all-volunteer. The engine, which cost $8,000, was custom made by Maxim. “We were a very big Maxim fire department, but this is the first and the best pump that they had at the time when they went to gasoline-powered equipment,” said Hunt. The engine was one of the first motorized trucks in Northborough. One of the first major fires that the truck responded to was at Northborough Hotel. It also responded to the fire at the First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist, which made the cover of Fire engine | 16
New details emerge in Shrewsbury’s proposal for MBTA zoning Algonquin girls hockey falls short in semifinals Sports | 31
Summer Camp & Activity Guide page 15
By Evan Walsh, Reporter SHREWSBURY – Shrewsbury is targeting a single plot of 173 acres along Route 20 for MBTA zoning. During the Planning Board meeting on March 7, Director of Planning and Economic Development Christopher McGoldrick outlined the town’s plan to comply with MBTA zoning. He also took questions from audience members about the proposed zoning efforts. The proposed zone is located in the far southeast corner of Shrewsbury, near the intersection of Route 20 and Route 9. The zone includes Olde Shrewsbury Village – the site of the former Christmas Tree Shops location – and several other properties, including Shrewsbury Commons and the Sajda Drive development off Walnut Street south of Route 20. The site of the former Rainbow Motel is also included in the draft plans.
MBTA zoning explained In an attempt to address the state’s housing crisis, Governor Charlie Baker signed the MBTA Communities Act in 2021. The law requires 177 towns with — or adjacent to — MBTA service to pass multifamily zoning. As an MBTA “adjacent community,” Shrewsbury must rezone to permit roughly 1,500 housing units, which is equal to 10% of the town’s current housing stock. Shrewsbury does not need to build the units, but must zone an area to reasonably accommodate them. Communities that do not comply with MBTA zoning break the law and lose eligibility for certain grants, which would amount to roughly $5 million for Shrewsbury. The deadline to comply with the law is the end of 2024. Shrewsbury hopes to approve the MBTA zoning during the annual Town Meeting in May. MBTA zoning | 5