LONDONDERRY — On May 15, the Londonderry Selectboard endorsed a plan to enhance the vacant lot on the north-east corner of the intersection of state Routes 11 and 100. However, there is still necessary work to be done before it is fully approved.
Proposed by a subcommittee of the One Londonderry Village Main Street Group, the simple but dynamic plan would allow people to come, sit and relax. Trees, shrubs, and perennials with benches and pea stone walkways will be installed once financing is obtained. A great deal of attention was paid to the required zoning setbacks and rights-of-ways, in addition to the deed restrictions for this site.
The focal point of this green space is a 30-foot diameter circular design, the center of which is a grouping of three vertical native stone monoliths. The next circular ring is a pea stone path, surrounded by eight native stone benches in a circular format. The outside border is a band of perennial ground cover, with allium bulbs popping up throughout.
A low hedge of evergreen yew was selected to be planted along the wall bordering the mill pond, which the Vermont Agency of Transportation has to approve. A grouping of three evergreen trees will be planted for “seasonal holiday decoration” in one corner and a crabapple in the south east corner, with three-season appeal.
Along Routes 100 and 11, on the setback lines, there will be a 4-foot Hydrangea hedge, giving the site a bit of privacy and protection. Three elm trees, couched in a row behind the hedge, mimic those planted previously on the other side of the street to provide continuity throughout town. Care was taken in the design to not obscure views of oncoming traffic at the intersection. The “environmentally compatible Vermont bird- and pollinator-friendly plants” were selected for their sequential bloom times and “minimal upkeep” according to the written proposal.
One goal of the initiative is to offer residents and visitors a landmark gateway “coming into Londonderry from the east along Route 11 and from the north on Route 100.” As an articulated objective in the town's Master Plan, this destination at the south end of Main Street is a spark that begins the designated process of walkability and connectivity in the village. The green space would also compliment the Coffee Bar(n) being built on the corner across Route 100 and be a place Farmers' Market customers could eat and enjoy the view of the Mill Pond and the village.
The total cost is estimated to be $30,000, including $5,000 for five years of maintenance. Donations will be welcomed by One Londonderry once they have the matching grants program set up. More information on this project and its funding opportunities will be forthcoming.
One Londonderry is a citizen-led organization whose stated mission is “to serve Londonderry and the surrounding communities by maximizing our strengths as a regional hub, a four-season recreation destination, and a beautiful place to live.”
Wholly independent of town government, One Londonderry volunteers work in concert with the town and other organizations and agencies on projects they say are “geared toward community betterment with the aim to create and sustain a thriving, healthy, and vibrant community for our residents, neighbors, and visitors.”