The Lakeville Community Conservancy was established in 2015 with a mission to preserve and maintain public green spaces, foster civic pride and create beautiful professionally designed public gardens for the enjoyment of the entire community. The LCC is a 501(c)(3) charity supported by donations from residents, visitors and the business community.
In the past 8 years the Conservancy has acquired, planted and maintained more than sixteen large planters throughout the village center. They are replanted as the seasons change to make them a welcome sight as we travel through the community.
Where there had once been only dirt and weeds, we created a seasonal public garden in front of the centrally located Historic Lakeville Post Office and put up wreathes for the holiday season.
In 2017 the LCC created the highly acclaimed garden in Cannon Park at the intersection of Routes 44 and 41. The gardens were created by a landscape architect, and a horticulturist from Hartland Design. They were installed by Salisbury Garden Center. Benches were added so friends, neighbors and visitors could enjoy the plantings and the village itself.
Work began the next year on a children’s garden in Bauer Park at the north end of Factory Pond at the entrance to the Town Grove beach and park. New flower beds, shrubs and pathways were created with a focus on botanical and sensory plants for the education and enjoyment of children as well as adults.
As support for the Conservancy grew, we undertook a major revitalization of Community Field. This vital multi-use community resource, established by the town in 1935, was in need of significant maintenance and renewal. This 6 ½ acre greenspace in the center of the village used for sports such as baseball and soccer, also has a small basketball court and courts for tennis and pickleball. Further, its considerable open space invites people of all ages to utilize it for casual activities such as picnics, biking, dog walking, strolling children, having lunch from one of the nearby local restaurants, and even quiet early morning meditation. The LCC worked with school groups to clean up litter and then began a restoration project that included replacing unsightly old chain link fences with new post and rail, installing new farm gates with decorative lights and upgrading the antiquated electrical system and floodlights for evening use. The entrance to the 2 ½ mile rail trail that begins at Community Field was refreshed and the bank cleared of fallen trees and overgrown weeds, four benches were provided, dog waste stations installed., and waste receptacles as well, all in a deep green to blend with the natural environment.