Media Coverage

Habitat owns land, ready to start

By Nicole Boucher The Community Journal

January 25, 2008

The title to the parcel on Sherbert Road in Ashburnham, which town meeting voters approved donating three times to approve, transferred to the non-profit organization last Thursday.

Habitiat for Humanity has been working on a building project in Ashburnham for several years as the local group works to raise funds and volunteers, the staff has worked with the town to accomplish the legal transfer of land.

"We excited about getting started. We know that the family has been waiting and looking forward to building their home aside Ashburnham volunteers in the Spring," said Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Megan Foley.

The McSparren family, originally from Ashburnham, have been chosen to receive this new home on 1.1 acre of land on Sherbert Road. They are, as required by the program, also participate in the fundraising activities and construction of their new home.

All of participants of this project are volunteers aside from the Construction Manager Mike Nobrega and Foley.

A Local Project Committee was the first group to approach the Selectmen asking if there was any land available for a Habitat project. The committee then created an open request proposal to submit to the Selectman.

When the proposal was approved, the plan went to town meeting, where it was approved in 2004 after the back taxes were paid on the land that was taken through the tax title process. The voters approved the donation of land but because of issues with the legal wording of different articles the donation process was revisited at three town meetings.

This building project is dependent upon in kind service donations from licensed tradesmen, material donations and fundraisers organized by the volunteers.

As of this month, the project is ready for the first stage of building. The permit for the installation of the septic tank is in place along with an in-kind service of the installation from Ashburnham resident Will Houghton, according to Nobrega. The next step is to obtain a foundation permit through the town's building department, according to Nobrega. Hallmark Foundations has offered an in-kind service donation for that part of the project.

Richard Wright has also offered an excavation donation for the digging of the foundation, but there is still a need for a donation of concrete and piping for drainage around the septic, said Nobrega.

The permits for the house's frame will be applied for in a couple of weeks and construction will begin in the spring, said Nobrega.