Civil Municipal Magazine Aug 2023

221 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 8 SWANSEA , MASSACHUSET TS is further enriched by community events like “Holiday in the Village” held in the historic district, and the annual Purple Heart Softball Game which pays tribute to Purple Heart Veterans. Community happenings such as these contribute to the quaintness of the centuries-old town and strengthen the bond among its residents. Maintaining a delicate balance between growth and preservation, Swansea continues to acquire available farmland to protect open spaces. These lands are then repurposed into community amenities, ensuring that the community retains its charm while offering top-notch amenities for residents. “We have agrarian roots,” says Aronstein. “Oddly enough celery was grown here before the Industrial Revolution. We still have working, active farms to this day.” Swansea has several well-known farms including Johnson’s Roadside Market, established in 1982 on a 20-acre property, and Almeida’s Vegetable Patch, in operation since 1928 as a working farm and farm stand. Highlighting two other Swansea landmarks, Stoney Creek Farm and Baker Farm and the Ice Cream Barn, she says, “We have all of these tributes and hallmarks back to our agrarian roots. That is what helps maintain that small-town feel.” Looking ahead, Aronstein emphasizes the importance of the consolidation of several town facilities, including the town hall, town hall annex, council on aging building, and a highway garage, into a two-building municipal complex. These buildings require repair, and the plan is to create a more efficient and centralized space for municipal operations. “We cannot continue to do what we’re doing without these new buildings. So, I’m very focused on that,” she asserts. “As far as the coming year, I am hoping to get the sewer up and running, while working with some federal partners, the congressman specifically, to help us finance that critical infrastructure. That will be the real focus of 2024, the town buildings, sewer infrastructure, and how we can keep making this the best place to live, work and raise a family.”