Town Day could include traffic box restoration
Published on September 3rd, 2008
STONEHAM, MA - Town Day's upcoming silver anniversary could do much to restore an eye-pleasing amenity that was lost to Stoneham Square decades ago.
According to Christine Oneschuk, the President for the SHS Class of 1982 Beautification Committee, her charitable organization will jump-start fundraising for a new traffic box at the annual Stoneham celebration.
Marking its 25th anniversary, the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce's Town Day festivity will kick-off at 11 a.m. in front of Town Hall on Saturday, Sept. 13.
During a recent Selectmen's meeting, Oneschuk received the unanimous approval of the board to erect the traffic box replica along Central Street. The SHS alumnus had approached town officials in 2006 to undertake the same project, but at that time, concerns over who would maintain the structure undercut the work.
Designed by local resident and architect Stephen Born, the box will be situated in front of Evergreen Florist, over the faded green equipment box on the sidewalk at the intersection of Central and Franklin Streets.
"We'd like to place this box over the not so attractive green electrical box," explained Oneschuk, who has received preliminary okays from public works, police, and other town officials.
"We did some research and discovered that the current traffic box by Stevens Street [isn't the original]," explained the Class of 1982 graduate, adding that the current structure is in poor shape. "The original box was destroyed by a car and the current one was built when The Brinks Job movie was filmed back in 1978."
Ironically, the Class of 1982 Beautification Committee will depend upon the fruits of a local celebration thrown by the same organization that features the traffic box as its logo.
According to Oneschuk, the quickly approaching Town Day on Sept. 13 will serve as her group's biggest fundraiser for their annual donation, which in the past has included the holiday tree at the Town Common, the cleaning-up of the middle school, and the installation of whiskey barrel planters in Stoneham Square.
The Stoneham Chamber of Commerce, which hosts Town Day, has reportedly approached Oneschuk about using the replica traffic box as its new logo - it already uses a similar rendering.
According to Sharon Iovanni, the Chamber's Dxecutive Director, over 100 participants will be involved in this year's event, which will feature entertainment from the Axiom Drummers, the School of Mind and Body Harmony, Let's Dance Inc., the Stoneham Theatre Young Company, and the Susan Woods Dance Studio.
As is the case every year, there will also be various children-friendly games, rides, and activities, including a road race, ice-cream eating contest, and face painting.
"This is the 25th annual Town Day, so we're doing a little more of an opening ceremony," Iovanni explained. "We have over 100 participants, some rides, and some new entertainment. We also have some vehicles coming from the Middlesex Sheriff's office."
"There's no rain date," the chamber representative added. "If the weather is a safety issue, we'll just cancel. We don't have a lot of other options."
As happens every year, several roadways will be closed for Town Day and parking will be restricted along Central Street and in the municipal lots at and adjacent to Town Hall.
Residents are being asked to remove their vehicles from Central Street by 6 p.m. on Sept. 12. The chamber is also asking that all cars be emptied from the municipal lots behind Town Hall and on either side of the common by 12 p.m. on that Friday.
The following road closures will also occur during the celebration on Saturday:
•Central Street from Main to Pleasant;
•Church from Main to Central;
•Emerson from Pine to Central;
•and Common Street from Main to Pine.
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