Blame the state if Topgolf pulls out

Dear Editor:

The takeaway for me from last week’s article about the protracted Dedham Street delays and the impact on the Topgolf proposal is that we’ve lost the chance to get Topgolf in Canton. That’s barring the success of what looks like a Hail Mary effort by the Select Board to get senior executives from the state and possibly the governor to reinstate something closer to the original timeline for completing Dedham Street next year instead of in 2024.

In defense of the Select Board, I was at their meeting about two years ago when John Connolly asked the state to work expeditiously on Dedham Street. The state representatives in attendance agreed, and promised that in exchange for road closures for overnight work, they would keep the site properly staffed during daylight.

It soon became evident, though, that that promise wasn’t being kept. I remember driving through the area almost daily for what seemed like a year or more with no one on site, as if the project had been abandoned.

And while on the surface it looks like we waited too long to take “drastic” steps, it’s important for people to remember that the Select Board are essentially volunteers who are already overworked. They should not be expected to be responsible for ensuring the state fulfills its obligations.

Glenn Shane

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=76637

Posted by Canton Citizen on Sep 10 2021. Filed under From One Citizen to Another, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.