The possible uses for this property are many, including micro-farming, workforce housing, community center, classrooms, etc. At $495,000 this represents a great deal for the community if the project can be brought to fruition.
The recommendation by the Warren Conservation Commission that the town allocate up to $125,000 for this project must still be approved by the town select board, and the whole project must be made to jump through a circus's worth of bureaucratic hoops before it can be finalized.
It is a giant organizational morass, but one worth undertaking. This historic farm, rather than being developed, may be kept as a farm, a working work farm where incubator agri-businesses can be launched, or where more local fare for localvores can be grown.
Over the last two decades local towns have been working to secure public access to the Mad River for recreation and this property includes a large swath of it. This property is in close proximity to existing sections of the Mad River Path.
This is not the first time that citizens and local groups and businesses have worked with Warren on finding ways to conserve important pieces of property and bring them into public ownership and public access. Warren Falls and Blueberry Lake come to mind.
And while it is local organizations that took the lead on this project, Warren is walking the walk and talking the talk on this one, by pledging a significant sum up front.
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