In the Fall of 2021, Walpole Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) started their discussions on the town’s next big projects. Previous Master Plans in Walpole have led to the creation of the town’s new police and fire stations, as well as the new senior center. The 2021-22 MPSC planning will extend into the Fall of 2022. The plans are created in an attempt to establish a better Walpole for the future, focusing on preserving what townspeople already like about the town, as well as improving things that could make the town even better.

“The Master Plan is the future vision for how a community will physically evolve. It is mandated by Massachusetts state law and has to cover specific areas including land use and zoning, housing, economic development, natural and cultural resources, services and facilities and transportation. Walpole has added community health, cultural and historic resources and climate change and resiliency,” said Master Plan Chairperson Philip Czachorowski.

The last Master Plan outline was created back in 2004 and meant to extend in 2024.  These plans are made every two decades or so in an attempt to keep the town up to date as the world around progresses.

“With the rapid change in society and our world, plans can quickly become outdated. The 2022 plan will be important particularly in the next few years as it will present many short term and mid-term opportunities for changes,” said Czachorowski.

One of the most important aspects of Master Plan is community input. The Master Plan committee looks to receive the opinions from all different communities inside of the town itself. Master Plan is meant to benefit the town as a whole, which makes it necessary to have input as well as representation of all citizens. The committee is made up of representatives from other town committees, as well as one member who represents town businesses and one member who represents the community as whole. Walpole Public Schools are represented on the Master Plan Committee by School Committee member Kari Denitzio.

As teenagers are a large part of the town community their input is also appreciated by the committee. Teenagers represent the future generation of the town, and the whole purpose of Master Plan is to prepare for the future.

“Their perspective will be very different than other age groups and is equally important,” said Czachorowski.

The next big events will be the Inventory Findings Public Forum on Mar. 15 and the final Public Plan Presentation on Sept. 15. The opinion of community members is required for the committee to come up with projects that will benefit everybody in the town, and the MPSC has been using public forums and surveys to gather this information. The MPSC has met with highschool students as well as heard from parents of students to try and get a better idea of how the committee can benefit the younger populations. Students are still encouraged to give input to the committee so their opinions can be heard and acted on. The Public Plan Presentation will result as the end of MPSC, but from it a separate implementation committee will begin to enact the plans laid about by the previous.