Norwood Arena Warns Town of Potential Land‑Damage Lawsuit

The long‑running tensions between the Norwood Arena and the town’s Board of Selectmen escalated sharply in June 1969 when the arena’s attorney, John J. Mulvehill, notified the board that the racing enterprise intended to seek land‑damage compensation related to a proposed easement for a heavy‑duty electrical line crossing nearly five acres of arena property.

The easement, agreed to the previous year for a token $1 fee, would allow the town to run a major power line from Sharon across the arena’s parking area. But Mulvehill argued that the land would become effectively unusable for future development — a significant financial burden for the business.

Compounding the issue was the board’s recent decision to ban drag racing at the arena and limit stock‑car racing to one night per week. Mulvehill said the restrictions had “seriously threatened” the arena’s future and might force the owners to sell the property. He accused the board of acting “improperly and illegally,” claiming that the decision was made under pressure from the District 9 Betterment Association, a group of nearby residents opposed to racing operations.

The attorney warned that the board’s actions set a “bad precedent,” suggesting that other neighborhood groups might now demand similar restrictions on businesses they opposed.

Selectmen voted to consult Town Counsel Walter J. Gotovich at their next meeting to review the legal ramifications of the threatened lawsuit.

The conflict highlighted the growing friction between Norwood’s industrial‑era entertainment venues and the expanding residential neighborhoods surrounding them. The arena, once a major regional attraction, now found itself at the center of debates over noise, traffic, land use, and the future character of the Route 1 corridor.

The Patriot Ledger, June 12, 1969 via Newspapers.com

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