On ‘The Avenue of Grievance,’ indicators of Estabrook dispute linger

By Dakota Antelman — [email protected]

The authorized brawl could also be over. But distinguished indicators alongside Estabrook Road might linger as thorny reminders of the city’s entry battle. 

Officials sued house owner Brooks Read and several other co-defendants in 2017 to affirm public entry alongside the unpaved Estabrook Trail. As legal professionals locked horns, Read memorialized his aspect of the case with massive — and oft-criticized — picket shows. 

Massachusetts’ prime judges sided with the city earlier this 12 months, successfully ending the defendants’ state appeals.

Despite this, Read mentioned his indicators aren’t coming down, and Town Manager Kerry Lafleur mentioned officers don’t have any recourse. 

The vinyl banners embody screenshots of emails and court docket paperwork. Speakers play looping audio clips from public conferences, and Read screens cameras mounted on the indicators and alongside the path. 

Read wouldn’t say how a lot he’s spent on the sizable creations, however he mentioned it’s “much less than 1%” of what he’s forked over for attorneys — roughly $500,000.

Trails Committee assembly minutes from 2024 present the panel supported probing whether or not the billboards complied with the city’s signal ordinance. 

Lafleur instructed The Bridge that she hadn’t been as much as Estabrook Road lately, however final she noticed, Read’s indicators have been on non-public property. 

“It’s not any different than anybody having a ‘No Kings’ [sign] or whatever,” she mentioned. 

‘What would Thoreau say?’

Defendants have warned that the state Supreme Judicial Court ruling might trigger confusion about different Massachusetts roads that have been “discontinued” via the identical county mechanism as Estabrook. 

Read mentioned he received’t be making the attraction, however he asserted the state ought to cross laws to codify that deserted roads “were in fact fully discontinued, did not exist, and therefore could be built over.”

State Rep. Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury), whose district consists of components of Concord, disagreed about that want, saying the Estabrook case truly clarified state legislation.

Co-defendants Leslee and Russ Robb acknowledged that the city “successfully sued for legal access.” They’re fearful this might enable builders to someday destroy the idyllic woods. 

With the prolonged litigation, Leslee Robb mentioned they’ve additionally stopped earlier talks about discovering a company to supervise long-term public use of their land and have gated lots of their trails. 

“The town won the battle but lost the war,” she mentioned.

The indicators, in the meantime, preserve drawing criticism.

Resident Michael Dettelbach dubbed the path previous the banners “The Avenue of Grievance.” 

He mentioned the audio element “sort of freaked my dog out at first.” Now, he mentioned, his 16-month-old rescue isn’t fazed. 

Dettelbach hopes to see the indicators come down. He’s not alone, and even when the city can’t require their removing, present Trails Committee Chair Bob White mentioned he thinks the indicators ought to come down. 

“What would Thoreau say, after all?” he mentioned.