ERVING — A blighted paper mill property near the center of town is about to be transformed into a park, which planners hope will be an outdoor focal point in the community, drawing people from across Franklin County to listen to music by the banks of the Millers River.
Organizers aim to break ground in July at the abandoned Usher Mill property off Arch Street, said Jeanie Schermesser, chairwoman of the project committee.
A playground, picnic pavilion and possibly a community garden will be built on the property, which has been vacant for at least two decades. A band shell for outdoor concerts will also be constructed on the roughly seven acres of riverfront land.
“The townspeople are very much behind a park and a conservation area,” Schermesser said. “It’s a no-brainer for the economic development of our town.”
If all goes as planned, most of the project will be complete in about a year. It’s too early to say what the cost will be because the project is still in the design phase, but half of the price will be reimbursed by a Parkland Acquisition and Renovations for Communities grant. The total cost of the project would not exceed $800,000, Schermesser said
After the park is complete, town officials will start thinking about what to do with the last remaining building from the mill complex.
Most of the complex burned down in a fire almost 10 years ago. In 2012, the town allocated $500,000 to tear down and clean up the former paper factory, leaving one remaining building. The property was taken by the town for back taxes a few years ago.
Town officials hope to attract developers who are interested in repurposing the building and preserving the historical integrity of the more than 100-year-old structure
“We are doing the park first and we feel that as the park develops it will become more clear of what to do with the building,” said Schermesser. “In it’s heyday it was quite a complex network of buildings.”
The red brick building that remains is a single story, but it might be possible to convert it into a two-story. “It’s definitely a little jewel. The building is just so beautiful to look at,” Schermesser said.
An engineering firm is now working on finishing the project design.
“They are literally working day and night to get this project moving by July,” said Board of Selectmen Chairman William Bembury.
You can reach Lisa Spear at lspear@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280