By Greg Ellison

(Sept. 16, 2021) Aiming to preserve a piece of land that is historically significant locally, the Berlin Town Council voted unanimously on Monday to spend $45,000 to buy the parcel on Flower Street.

Mayor Zach Tyndall introduced a FY22 budget amendment to increase the general fund by transferring $45,000 from the Community Center Fund reserve account.

Tyndall said the parcel in question totals just over half an acre.

“We had a couple executive sessions regarding the purchase of property on Flower Street,” he said.

Tyndall said parcel, which is less than an acre, was the site of the former Flower Street School that served the African-American community before it was shuttered in 1970 after Worcester integrated schools.

“There’s history with that site dating back … well over 100 years,” he said. “It was once the site of the Flower Street school educating a large population of Berlin residents.”

At present the site is home to SHORE UP, a nonprofit organization that helps people become economically self-sufficient, and the Berlin Community Improvement Association’s multipurpose building.

“What you’re seeing this evening is part of several pieces of a puzzle that will hopefully all come together nicely,” he said.

In June, the council voted to establish a Community Center Development Committee to research replacing the multi-purpose building, which served as a center for a time until it fell into disrepair.

Councilmember Dean Burrell moved to approve the fund transfer, with a second by Councilwoman Shaneka Nichols .