A few gripes about an otherwise good town

Dear Editor:

I don’t think we actually realize how great it is to live near a city that has world-renowned hospitals and medical care; to live in a town where deer are in your backyard; where you have traffic “engineers” who must own auto body shops.

About 10 years ago, I read a study that indicated how dangerous roundabouts were. One of my first encounters with a Boston policeman was when I innocently entered a roundabout on Highway 20. He told me, “Everyone in the roundabout has the right of way. You have to stop until the roundabout is empty in order to enter it.” How many in Canton know that? Like many traffic traps in Boston, this says, “If you don’t already know how to drive here, you don’t belong here.”

And thanks guys for the new Senior Center. We the people just misunderstood. Check the tape of the 2013 town meeting and you’ll see the project leader promise, “We’ll have the new Senior Center ready by August, on time and under budget.” He meant this past August. Several Senior Center employees have had to change plans after being promised October 1, December 1, January 1 — and still we’re not in there.

And that dear gazebo: what in the world is that for? So we can go outside and fuss about not having enough room to exercise inside?

I now know why these projects are done in a half-assed, incompetent way: They know that once something is up there, we’ll pitch in to make sure it finally gets done properly. That’s why the library improvement flooded the night before it was to open (no supervision); that’s why the police station’s flooring curled up and warped (no supervision); and that’s why we’re being shoehorned into a place that was never large enough to handle all of our functions. You may not know about the classes that are taught at others places, such as the library, Blue Hills Technical School, and Pequitside Farm. But they are being used for senior activities.

How about just extending the time the new Senior Center is open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.? Then come up with the money to pay the added employees needed. Then we’ll be able to still have our aerobics, our yoga, our various meetings, our Scrabble and other board games, our Tai Chi, and even that nice little thrift shop.

We helped out the Knights of Columbus with their mortgage by buying this place, despite the traffic problems and the small size. Now let’s make it viable for our senior citizens.

I do love this town, and for the most part, it’s a pretty good one. My children and grandchildren were well educated here, and the senior programs are excellent. The special education program is fantastic and the police chief is A number one. Just one of many great things about Canton. And I have a right to gripe, as well.

Sincerely,

Alice Copeland Brown

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