THE NOT-SO-GREAT HALL OF THE TOWN HALL OF NORTHBRIDGE

     A great building with handicapped access for all, as well as a store-house of Town Records, this edifice built by the Whitins before of the turn of the 19th Century has massive beams of solid chestnut wood holding up its roof and an excellent view of Church Street looking toward the North. Did you know that when the armored truck pulled up to the front door of the Whitinsville Savings Bank, at one time, armed guards, on its 3rd floor, had their weapons sighted to safeguard the cash pay delivery for all of the workers of the Whitin Machine Works? This has been substantiated by many mill employees, especially those who once worked in the Shop Guard Force.
     Also, did you know that the main entrance was on the Douglas Road side, rather than on the Main Street side where it is currently? One cannot help but wonder why it was built on such a site as one enters the back of the building to pay taxes or conduct other Town Business. One thing is surely lacking now and that is the lack of parking space.
     This author had scheduled a GREAT SIGN-IN for the MILLENIUM (2000) that would have involved over 100 ex-employees of the former Whitin Machine Works. Everything was all set to go. We had the help of the John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission of Woosocket RI with Suzanne Buchanan, a Park Ranger on Staff at the time, so willing and able to help us, but we could not “pull it off”. Even the Board of Selectmen were notified also by this Author. Why, you may ask ? Well, if you ever walked up to the Not-So- Great Hall of the Town Hall of Northbridge and looked around up there, you would be appalled and disgusted too. It is in disarray. The Whitins are not smiling from above on this one ! I was ashamed and I still am unwilling to bring anyone up there, much less my Grandchildren today! What is is going to take to restore this Town “gem” and to polish it ! What has happened to our planning, determination, grit, will and spirit ? Is this the way that our Town’s Heritage be preserved and the former Whitin property be displayed ? We cannot blame just our “Town Fathers”, rather we must look at ourselves…what has each of us done to help cherish and preserve the Whitin Spirit ? Will it take a “door-to-door canvassing” of the Town’s Residents to bring it to our attention ? Don’t we realize that the Whitins took care of their properties without “appointing counsel, setting up committees, writing Grants, etc…” ---whatever excuse you may come up with does not matter at this point ! The damage has been done, but “the Bill is now due” !
     To those of us who wish to use the Town Hall, the following is an alphabetized list of each Town Office or Place located within the building, with the corresponding Telephone Number (where applicable) and the Location :

ACCOUNTANT, TOWN 508-234-2263 ROOM 1-7
ASSESSORS, BOARD OF 508-234-2740 ROOM G-2
CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 508-234-2859 ROOM 1-3
CLERK, TOWN 508-234-2001 ROOM 1-6
COLLECTOR, TAX 508-234-5432 ROOM G-2
CULTURAL COUNCIL GREAT HALL-2
DISABILITY COMMISSION
FINANCE COMMITTEE ROOM 1-3
HEALTH, BOARD OF 508-234-3272 ROOM 1-1
IND.DEV.FINANCE AUTH.& COMM.
INFORMATION SERVICES ROOM G-4
INSPECTOR, BUILDING 508-234-6577
MANAGER, TOWN 508-234-2095 ROOM 1-2
(MEETING ROOM) ROOM G-7
OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE
PERSONNEL BOARD
PLAYGROUND & REC. COMMISSION 508-234-9454
RECYCLING COMMISSION 508-234-8072
REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
REGISTRARS, BOARD OF 508-234-2001 ROOM 1-6
RETIREMENT, BOARD OF 508-234-0820 ROOM G-3
SELECTMEN, BOARD OF 508-234-2095 ROOM 1-2
(SELECTMEN MEETING ROOM) ROOM 1-3
TREASURER, TOWN 508-234-5432 ROOM G-2 508-234-3212
TRUSTEES SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL soldiers memorial@northbridgemass.org American Legion or Great Hall
YOUTH COMMISSION GREAT HALL

 The following are OUT-OF-TOWN HALL OFFICES :

AGING, COUNCIL ON 508-234-2002  SENIOR CENTER
ANIMAL CONTROL/DOG OFFICE 508-234-7416 DAN CHAUVIN
BOARD, PLANNING 508-234-2447 21PIEDMONT ST.
BUILDING, PLANNING & CONST.COMM.TOWN HALL OR HIGH SCHOOL
CIVIL DEFENSE/EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 508-234-2447 21PIEDMONT ST.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION 508-234-0817 21PIEDMONT ST.
FIRE DEPARTMENT 508-234-8448 93 MAIN STREET
HISTORICAL COMMISSION JAMES FLETCHER HOUSE
HIGHWAY DIVISION 508-234-3581
POLICE DEPARTMENT 508-234-6211 1 HOPE STREET
SAFETY COMMITTEE 1 HOPE STREET
SCHOOL COMMITTEE 508-234-8156 MEDIA CTR. HIGH SCHOOL
SEWER DIVISION 508-234-2154
VETERAN’S SERVICES 508-234-9808 875 HILL ST.
WHITINSVILLE WATER COMPANY 508-234-7358
WORKS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC 508-234-3581
ZONING BOARD 508-234-0819
LINK to Town of Northbridge Web Site: www.northbridgemass.org

November 9, 2007