There is a petition before the City Council in Gardner, MA to  re-zone, sell or lease, and develop for commercial purposes two parcels of city land that, until now, had always been considered and mapped as Watershed Supply Land off of Rte 140 in Gardner. North County Land Trust is a direct abutter to M47-22-4 with our Rome Conservation Area as well as Gardner City Forest and the Perley Brook Reservoir trails.   Old Eaton Street is partially contained within these parcels and is, and has been, used for recreation by many for generations. The memorial bridge over Wilder Brook is on M47-22-4 rebuilt in 2019 by Eagle Scout, Jack McDermott is on this land.

M47-24-1 is almost entirely wetland and abuts the Winchendon-Gardner rail trail.  When you’re on that section of rail trail, this parcel is the big wetland that you cross that is just unbelievable for bird and wildlife watching.

These lands were acquired as part of the Heywood Farm property for the purpose of water supply protection using excess funds from the water department in 1937. This protects them under Article 97 of the State's Constitution. The highest and best use of these lands is for conservation, water resource protection, and passive recreation, as has been the case for many years.  Developing these lands would destroy public values that cannot be replicated.  The potential increase in tax revenue is small compared to the costs to the community.

Please join us in OPPOSING this Zoning change and any development-- Commercial or residential-- of these important open space parcels by signing below.  NOTE: Any donation you make through this page goes to Change.org NOT towards this effort.