BELGRADE — One of the entrances to Belgrade Lakes Village could have a new look next year thanks to the generosity of Lynn and Phyllis Matson of Rome, who donated property and land for a public park on a triangle of land between Route 27 and West Road.
The project is on the agenda for consideration by the Belgrade Board of Selectpersons at their regular meeting, which begins 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Belgrade Town Office.
Lynn and Phyllis Matson, who retired to the Belgrade area full time in 2010, and who have volunteered with a number of civic and water quality groups, bought the land at 1203 West Road several years ago and recently donated it to the Friends of Belgrade Lakes Village.
The couple also promised to provide the funding to create a welcoming park, including a gazebo, through donations to the Friends group.
According to a description of the project submitted to selectmen, it will be known as Belgrade Village Green. The park plan was created by architect Steve Blatt and landscape architect Pat Carroll, and architect Brian Kent donated his gazebo plans which were created for the gazebo at the Gardiner Common. A rendering of the plans shows five parking spaces on the property.
The 1-acre property was part of Tobey’s Belgrade Development. It also contains a right of way to a beach lot on Lakeshore Drive “with the right to the use of Lot 3, a beach lot, for beach purposes,” according to one deed.
The Matsons indicated via email that they were traveling Monday and would be unavailable for an interview.
In late March, the structure on the property was burned down as part of a training exercise for the Belgrade Fire Department and surrounding departments.
The proposal is to build the 20-foot diameter gazebo and a stone wall seat this summer and complete other landscaping in the fall. Then it would be ready for dedication next year when the state road reconstruction project and related improvements are scheduled for completion.
The $3.2 million project reconstructing a half-mile of Main Street through the village began this spring, goes on hiatus for the summer of 2018, and resumes in the fall and next year.
The road project has been envisioned for some time, and the town’s voters agreed to accept about $500,000 from the Friends of Belgrade Lakes Village to be used to upgrade the sidewalks — they will be brick — and to install ornamental sidewalk lights.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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