Dale at Dale Advocates Hold Forums to Raise Awareness

Medfield MA

07 May, 2021

9:34 AM

Description

The Dale at Dale Coalition is organizing two different public forums – one on Monday, May 10, and another on Thursday, May 13 – that feature guest speakers who will focus on timely topics that overlap with the 4th- and 5th-grade school building project and the proposed Wheelock site; both forums begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held virtually via Zoom. On May 10, the forum will have an environmental focus providing fundamental information about Medfield's sensitive water resources and supply. Featured speakers will include at least one environmental engineer, as well as an environmental director, who will help attendees understand fundamental issues about Medfield water resources, supply and risks. The water 101 information is designed to help educate community members beyond just the school project since Annual Town Meeting also includes Articles related to the $12-million water treatment plant, new stormwater bylaws and climate change goals. (Town Administration pressured the original speaker to step down; featured guest information will be released closer to the program.) On May 13, the forum will feature Peter Gray, a research professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Boston College, and author of Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life. Gray will touch on the value of independent, self-directed experiences in children's development, the value of age-mixing, and lessons learned about how children and families responded to the pandemic lockdown. (Speaker presence does not constitute an endorsement of Dale at Dale Coalition position. Opening talks are specifically designed to provide educational perspectives on underlying or interrelated topics to better evaluate various arguments. The opening talks will be separate and distinct from information presented about the school-related Warrant Articles.) Following the guest speaker portion, members of the Dale at Dale Coalition, a grassroots citizens group, will provide an overview of its May 17 Town Meeting Warrant Article (#29; subject to change) that advocates for developing a school building plan that keeps Dale Street School in its current downtown location, while protecting environmentally sensitive open space at Wheelock, and the character of historic and scenic Elm Street. Information obtained from Massachusetts School Building Authority and other towns will also be shared at each forum. Based on a community survey conducted last year by the Dale Street School Building Committee, the highest percentage of respondents (out of more than 800 total) preferred the Dale Street site over Wheelock. The Warrant Article resulted from a Citizen's Petition signed by 25 registered voters that was filed with the Town in February. Community members can register here for one or both of the free forums. To learn more or join the e-mail list, send a message to [email protected] or fill out the contact form on DaleatDale.com.