Published in the March 3, 2017 edition.
By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD — Are metal fabrications of rattan furniture in various bright colors coming to the downtown area in Wakefield?
They very well could be as the town continues its quest to make Wakefield “a social place where shopping can be an experience,” said Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio at the joint Wakefield Lynnfield Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting held Wednesday, March 1 at 4 Points Sheraton Hotel on Audubon Road.
The furniture would be placed in conversational groupings as a way to honor Cyrus Wakefield for whom the town was named. Wakefield was a rattan furniture maker in the mid-1800s and owned a factory in what was then called South Reading. Maio also mentioned the possibility of creating fabrications of Guillow’s gliders, another Wakefield icon, and placing them in the Square.
“At one time, every kid in Wakefield got a Guillow glider for his or her birthday,” said an upbeat Maio.
Parking, zoning and downtown development were the points of interest at the breakfast when Maio gave a progress report along with a Power Point presentation. He said that the town’s downtown area has “the bones of MarketStreet” (in Lynnfield).
“We’re working on parking and zoning for the walkability of downtown,” he said.
Maio also commented on the Albion Street arts corridor and said that the goal is to “cross sell” stores and restaurants. The Albion Cultural Center was used for a wreath-making class n November and since then the space has featured a “First Thursday of the Month” event.
Wakefield’s Town Administrator mentioned the new development of housing and business, pointing specifically to the 24 units at 602 North Ave. and nine residential and retail spaces at 648 Main St.
At the close of his presentation, Maio publicly thanked state Reps. Paul Brodeur (D-Melrose) and Donald Wong (R-Saugus/Wakefield), Selectman Paul DiNocco, Director of Wakefield Co-operative Bank Albert J. Turco, Chairman of Wakefield Co-operative Bank Alfred Palmerino, Town Counsel Thomas Mullen, Police Chief Rick Smith, Wakefield Co-operative Bank President Michael Wolnik, Chairman of The Savings Bank John Spinello, owner of Christopher Barrett Realtors Chris Barrett and Realtor for North Star Realtors Laurie Hunt for their hard work and dedication to the town.
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On other matters:
Executive Director of the Wakefield Lynnfield Chamber of Commerce Marianne Cohen said that a multi-chamber networking event is set for Tuesday, March 7 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Woburn, Strikes for Scholarships event at King’s Bowl in Lynnfield on Wednesday, March 22 and Blossoms at the Beebe annual fundraiser in Wakefield on Saturday, April 29.
