Trust a letter saying we demanded the entire property be secured – starting with the windows along Hopedale and Freedom Street. There had been a lot of rock throwing and broken windows. Walter and I went down and started taking out the broken pieces of glass and told HRT we would begin the boarding process. We made it quite clear that we had no hesitation to declare the property a public nuisance and take the property. Everybody took notice (HRT & Selectmen). HRT had somebody get out there and board up the windows on the first floor. So neither Walter nor Lucky Bishop or I put up any of the particle board. We had actually used the broken window project as a way to let HRT know we were serious… We got the Milford Daily News out there and they got pictures, and I think John Hourihan did the write up…. It really helped having my Mother and Cousin writing for the paper. One of the funny things that happened was I went down to the back rail yard near Freedom & Bancroft Park and that place was an absolute nightmare. I found a few 40’ trailers full of spools of AT&T wire. I took pictures and sent AT&T’s environmental compliance department a letter telling them that since there was so much of their hazardous waste there, that if they didn’t come and clean it up, it would be on the front page of the Boston Globe Along with a filing of complaint to EPA to declare it a Hazardous Waste Site. Came back a couple of weeks later and everything was gone. Funny isn’t it how a few well placed threats can get things done? Also sad that 25 Years later the only claim to fame for that building is being the movie set for some post apocalyptic world. Mike Cyr, March 2014 |
Drapers along Hopedale Street in the booming war years. |