DickBeecher | Newton MA News and Politics BlogYears ago, the city build a war memorial at the corner of High & Pettee Streets, on the ground of the old Emerson School.  Sometime later the school was sold and turned into condominiums.

Dick Beecher is a local veteran.  He lives in Needham but he grew up in Upper Falls and worked for the City of Newton for many years.  Dick became concerned that the memorial appeared to be “orphaned”.

He contacted the city and nobody was quite sure of the status of the memorial.  He met with Carol Stapleton from Parks & Rec Dept and she promised that she’d get to the bottom of it.  She spoke to the Falls Ridge condo association and they were very supportive.  They agreed to trim back the bushes and mow the lawn.  The Veterans Council donated a wreath and flags.  Parks & Rec donated flowers.  Neighbor Liz Reilly who lives down the streets took care of the plantings.

Meanwhile the city’s law department checked out the deed, from the sale of the property.  It explicitly allows the city access to the memorial so that they can continue to maintain it, but in the meantime the condo association is happy to take care of it now that the path is clear.

So just in time for Memorial Day, the Upper Falls memorial has suddenly been restored and spruced up.   Many thanks to Dick Beecher for getting the ball rolling and to  Carol Stapleton,  Liz Reilly, Falls Ridge condo association and the Veteran’s Council for making it happen.

The Upper Falls war memorial is now looking good, and the future path for maintaining it is clear.