SOUTHWICK – On June 27, 2016, The Westfield News reported that a very important parcel of land was in jeopardy of being developed. The property is 144 acres of undeveloped land owned by Denise LeClair-Robbins that is adjacent to North Pond, one of three bodies of water on Congamond Lake, and part of the nearby wildlife management area.
The initial, and now existing, appraisal has been set at $5 million for the parcel which has been dubbed, the North Pond land. After LeClair-Robbins put a one-year option on the land, a number of Southwick officials decided to begin raising the $5 million it would take to preserve the property and avoid any development from occurring at that spot.
Conserve North Pond supporter John Whalley discusses the importance of preserving the land. (WNG File Photo)
Moving quickly, town officials decided to start having fundraisers and encouraging people and businesses throughout the community to donate to the cause.
The Franklin Land Trust, which is a non-profit organization that assists in getting farms and other properties preserved in New England, decided to help with preserving the land. The Franklin Land Trust created a page on their website called “Save North Pond,” allowing people the opportunity to donate online.
The North Pond supporters continued their efforts to fundraise by having a “Save North Pond” booth at Southwick Days in July 2016. Dennis Clark, the coordinator for the Conservation Commission, has been a constant supporter of North Pond and was present at that event.
“As long as I’ve been on the Conservation Commission, this has been the number one priority,” said Clark. “Everybody on the commission is 100% in favor and realizes the value of preserving this crown jewel of Southwick.”
On September 2, 2016, The Westfield News reported that the North Pond supporters had created a headquarters located at 491 College Hwy and held a grand opening on August 6.
A month later, Mary Lynn Sabourin, Development Director at the Franklin Land Trust, said that they had received $13,353 in private donations and had received a total of $80,000 from businesses in order to become matching sponsors.
State officials are seen near the North Pond property in November of 2016 to announce their land grants going towards preserving North Pond. (WNG File Photo)
The North Pond supporters continue to create fundraising events, such as the October 2016 golf tournament, and were able to secure their first big donation in late November 2016 when state officials arrived in Southwick to look at the land and make a major announcement.
Matt Beaton, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, along with Secretary George Peterson, for Fish and Wildlife, were both able to announce separate land grants of $1 million and $400,000 that would go towards preserving North Pond.
“Those were targets for us right from the very beginning,” said Dave Gunn, who is a constant North Pond supporter. “It’s nice to have it totally official.”
“I’m thrilled,” said John Whalley, who was at the forefront of preserving the land. “Those are big chunks.”
As the fundraising went into the winter months this time last year, the Save North Pond members hosted an ice fishing derby on Congamond Lake and also sold Save North Pond calendars.
The Community Preservation Committee held an informational meeting on May 3 about the project and the looming deadline of June 30th to raise the $5 million needed for the preservation of the land.
At the annual town meeting on May 16, town residents voted in favor of accepting $1 million from the CPC to use towards preserving the North Pond property. During the town meeting Sabourin announced that there had been around $3.1 million raised to that point. She also informed those gathered that the request to extend the deadline was approved by LeClair-Robbins and they would now have until December 31 to raise the remaining $1.9 million.
Members of the Franklin Land Trust, Select Board, and Community Preservation Committee discussed the state of preserving North Pond this past July. (WNG File Photo)
The Franklin Land Trust and North Pond supporters were able to once again extend the deadline further to June 30, 2018 to allow for the remaining $1.4 million to be raised.
In late November, Sabourin announced a challenge grant from the Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund, which is a fund that was dedicated to her in 1974. Peabody directed more than $8 million from the fund in 20 years until she died in 1984. Since Peabody’s death, the trustees of the fund have looked at more than 6,400 grant applications and have given away nearly$200 million to non-profit organizations in Massachusetts who focus on the areas of medicine, social welfare, visual arts, historic preservation, and land conservation. Franklin Land Trust is looking to raise $200,000 for the challenge grant.
Last spring, Sabourin applied to the grant and heard back from the organization that they’ve accepted the application. The Amelia Peabody Foundation then informed Sabourin that it would be a challenge grant. If the Franklin Land Trust were able to raise $200,000, the foundation would then match that money and then there would be $400,000 raised towards the Save North Pond project.
