Historical Commission rallies behind Stone's Bridge restoration ahead of town meeting

WAYLAND — January 8, 2024 — Wayland Historical Commission opens advocacy campaign for Stone's Bridge restoration warrant. Commissioner Tonya Largy told members the Community Preservation Committee has agreed to write a town meeting warrant article continuing restoration of the masonry-arch span, despite roughly $800,000 already committed since 2015. Largy warned that letting the bridge fall would force the town to remove stones from the Sudbury River with heavy equipment, likely destroying Old Stone Bridge Road in the process — costing "as much to allow it to fall down" as to rebuild. The commission also agreed only Largy and member Amanda Ciaccio will walk the Veritas Christian Academy site at 160 and 172 Cochituate Road, avoiding open meeting law triggers, and confirmed a Jan. 22 kickoff with Epic Preservation on a two-year cemetery stone project. Members faulted town staff after archaeologist Duncan Ritchie was not notified before excavation began at Loper Field.