UMass Field Station Update

UMass Field Station Update

By John Dieckmann

In the January/February issue of the Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter, there was a brief article on the status of the UMass Field Station on Beaver Street in Waltham. The city of Waltham acquired the property from UMass last year.  The city planned to issue four requests for proposals (RFPs) covering different parts of the property for potential users to respond to. 

 To date, one of these RFPs was issued in February, covering about 13 acres of farm land, the main building, and several outbuildings.  According to Stacey Daley, executive director of the Waltham Fields Community Farm (WCFC), the only proposal was submitted by the WFCF. The WFCF  has operated on the site since the mid-90s. To date the city hasn’t responded to their proposal.  

In the meantime, WFCF has proceeded to plant this season’s crops and has recently harvested the first output, which is being supplied to community supported agriculture shareholders and is being sold in the farm stand on site. WCFC has been proceeding at risk, since the RFP and their proposal, to date, hasn’t resulted in an agreement with the city.

Several nonprofits, in addition to WCFC, have rented office space in the main building for many years.  Given the uncertain status, several, including the Waltham Land Trust, have opted to move their office to other locations.  The Waltham Land Trust office is now located at 8 Common Street in Waltham.  This is just off of Main Street across from the end of Moody Street. 

John Dieckmann is a director of the Belmont Citizens Forum.