Brochure Submitted By Joint Industrial Comm.
Co-Chairmen Albert P. Nelson and Roe P. Hendrick of the Norwood and Canton Industrial Development Commission, last week presented a complete brochure depicting a 2000-acre site in the Towns of Canton and Norwood, for the location of the proposed National Aeronautics Space Administration research center to be constructed in the Greater Boston area.
The attractive 50-page color brochure contains in capsule form, pertinent information of interest to NASA. Twenty-four copies were assembled at a cost of $400 which was shared by Canton and Norwood.
The brochure includes descriptions of the labor force of three-quarters of a million within 15 miles of the proposed site; utilities, including sewer, water, and power; an extensive highway system with expressways in existence and under construction; rail service with over two miles of track at the site offering unlimited opportunity for rail sidings, and air transport and facilities at Wiggins Airways with its two 4,000 foot lighted and paved runways.
Other descriptions point to the excellent foundation conditions which prevail throughout the proposed site assuring economical design and construction. Sub-surface data available to substantiate these claims is included in the brochure which states in part:
“The general site area offers over 2000 acres within easy driving distance of Route 128 research facilities, downtown Boston, seaside communities along the south shore, and many other urban, suburban, and rural communities South and West of Boston thus assuring the type of living desired and expected by prospective personnel ”
Zoning by-Laws and subdivision control laws of communities within a 5-mile radius of the site are described with reference to Canton, Dedham, Millon, Norwood, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, and Westwood.
The population and general economy in towns within a 10-mile radius and including parts of Boston are also described with reference to populations, shopping facilities, recreation, and churches.
Schools and colleges, medical facilities, churches commercial banking, and police and fire protection, are described in detail, with reference to the numbers and kinds of each.
The government space agency here would require some 2000 technicians at an average salary of $10,000. The actual facility will be a cam-pus-type research center constructed at a cost of $50,000,000.
Massachusetts has been referred to as the “emphatic choice” for the N A.S A. site because of “a university and electronics concentration,” by Hiram R. Haggett, N.A.S.A. education program officer.
Congressman James A. Burke of the local 11th District has been battling hard on the floor of Congress for locating the space center in Greater Boston. In a speech last Thursday Burke pointed out that over 12 percent of the Greater Boston workforce is professionally or technically trained, outranking all other Atlantic coast or midwest states.
In its bid for the space center, Norwood and Canton are receiving area-wide support, with towns to the south of here, such as Attleboro and Mansfield, registering approval.
(All articles originally appeared in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)