Solar array proposed for Winchendon's Old Center district

Solar array proposed for Winchendon's Old Center district

+ click to enlarge News staff photo by DAMIEN FISHER The iconic First Congregational Church in Winchendon’s Old Center historic district would not be outshone by a proposed solar array, as that project would not be visible in that area. Damien Fisher News Staff Writer WINCHENDON  — Modern technology is trying to make its way to Winchendon’s Old Center district with a proposed solar array now under consideration. A developer is looking to get a three-and-a-half acre array built on land off Old Center Road, according to Corey Bohan, chairman of Winchendon’s Historical Commission. Half of the array would be on land inside the district, while the other half would be outside the district — and outside of any requirements the commission could set for the project, Mr. Bohan said. “I’d like to work with them,” he said. “They’re going to build it either way.” The property for the proposed array slopes down and away from the heart of the Old Center district, so it is not as though the solar panels would be part of the normal visuals, Mr. Bohan said. However, if the Historical Commission works with the developer, Mr. Bohan said they could require that trees be planted to shade the array from public view, as well as require the use of anti-reflective materials to further protect the district. If the commission outright opposes the project, the developer would still be free to build on the land outside the district, but without any input from the commission, Mr. Bohan said. “Some people may feel differently,” he said. Winchendon has a record of being at the forefront of solar projects. The town’s solar array deal with Muni-Sun was one of the first in Massachusetts. Though that project has been delayed due to outside factors, it is set to be completed sometime in the coming year. The Historical Commission has not made any decisions on the proposal for the Old Center district, Mr. Bohan said. The commission is set to discuss the project again at its first January meeting. The Old Center district is home to Winchendon’s earliest settlements, as well as its first cemetery and the First Con­gregational Church, a local landmark.