Building Equitable Neighborhoods for Franklin (BEN 4 Franklin) schedules launch events - May 10 & 11

BEN 4 Franklin is pleased to invite anyone who lives or works in Franklin to our two public launch events: 

launch party - May 10

On Friday, May 10, 2024, Ben 4 Franklin will host a launch party at 7:00 PM at the Franklin TV Studio, 23 Hutchinson Street. In addition to a short speaking program with featured speaker Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Executive Director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts, this interactive event will be a place where attendees can share memories of Franklin from the past and envision Franklin in the future through discussion, storytelling and artistic expression. Light refreshments will be provided.  

Jane Jacobs Walk - May 11

On Saturday, May 11, 2024, there will be a second BEN 4 Franklin launch event: Cobi Frongillo and Franklin Matters’ Steve Sherlock will be leading a 90-minute Jane Jacobs Walk (rain or shine!) at 10:30 AM starting from the Franklin TV Studio, to explore the history, physical structure and architecture of Franklin’s built downtown environment. The community walk-and-talk will be one of thousands of Jane Jacobs Walks that take place every May in honor of the late social activist and placemaker. The walk will be accessible to wheels and paws, and participants are invited to gather afterwards at La Cantina Winery to share thoughts and observations. 

For more information and to RSVP for either or both of the two launch events, or to sign up for BEN 4 Franklin’s mailing list, please visit: tinyurl.com/ben4franklin

Visit the web page for more information -> https://ben4franklin.org/

What is your Franklin residence's "Walk score"?

Walkability is a concept and frequently mentioned in current discussion. There is a web site that calculates the "walkability" of an address. I have tried it and there are a couple of addresses I have share here. It is free to use so try addresses on your own. 

Walk Score = https://www.walkscore.com/

The overall walk score for the Town of Franklin is shown below as 22 (out of 100). And as the samples show, the average is purely that, an average. Some locations (Library) are higher than others (121 Grove) and High School (218 Oak St).

The web site calculates and provide the methodology for their results on the 'walk score', 'transit score' and 'bike score'. San Francisco, New York and Boston are the Top 3 walkable cities. Interesting to note that Franklin has no 'transit score'. Other than GATRA and Commuter Rail we really don't have a public transit option.

"City of Franklin Town

This location is in the city of Franklin Town, MA. Franklin Town has an average Walk Score of 22 and has 31,635 residents."

Franklin High School - https://www.walkscore.com/score/218-oak-st-franklin-ma-02038?s=03

Franklin High School

121 Grove St (site of a proposed 40B) https://www.walkscore.com/score/121-grove-st-franklin-ma-02038

121 Grove St (site of a proposed 40B)

Franklin Library, 118 Main St - https://www.walkscore.com/score/118-main-st-franklin-ma-02038

Franklin Library, 118 Main St

Conversation on Franklin's walkability & insights from Worcester (audio)

FM #962 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 962 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo and Dean College Chancellor Ed Augustus. 

Brad, Melanie, Ed and I were in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Cobi joined us for the discussion via Zoom.

Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.  

We were joined by Chancellor Ed Augustus for this session to include his insights as former Town Manager of Worcester, MA and the lessons from the Worcester experience that might be considered for Franklin. 

The recording of our conversation on zoning runs about 57 minutes. Let’s listen in.

Audio file ->  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-962-walkability-worcester-insights-03-15-23

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Principles of walkability: useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting. Watch the TED Talk with Jeff Speck - https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_speck_the_walkable_city

Jane Jacobs writer and activist on urban design wrote her book in 1961  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_and_Life_of_Great_American_Cities  

Center for Living City is an organization that continues in the spirit of her work ->    https://centerforthelivingcity.org/janejacobs/#jane-and-the-center

Other podcast episodes in this series:

4th discussion with Melanie and Cobi included Brad (FM #942) ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/02/listen-to-this-discussion-on-housing.html 

3rd discussion with Melanie and Cobi included Joel D’errico  (FM #922) ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/downtown-zoning-discussion-with-derrico.html 

2nd discussion with Melanie and Cobi in December (FM #904) -> 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/12/downtown-zoning-discussion-with.html 

1st discussion on Franklin For All project -> (FM # 755) https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/03/this-franklin-for-all-discussion.html

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Conversation on Franklin's walkability & insights from Worcester (audio)