Town Unveils "Labor of Love" Renovations to Mattera Cabin

Town officials this weekend unveiled the renovations to Mattera Cabin, which have been described as a "labor of love." 

The board of Selectmen and town staff were on-hand Saturday to celebrate all the hard work the wnet into the revitalization of the space at 1481 Main St.

The Mattera family bought the area back in 1930, and, after the passing of Mr. and Mrs. Mattera, the remaining family offered to sell the parcel to the town as conservation land—an offer the Board of Selectmen couldn't refuse.

Thanks to funding from Nelson and Rita Burbank, the efforts of students and staff from the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School, planning by Conservation Administrator Fran Fink, , the Boy Scouts, and other contributors, the cabin has been renovated and preserved for the enjoyment of future generations of townspeople.

"Mr. Mattera and the family worked, I’m sure, on the weekends on the land here, and it was a labor of love," said Nelson Burbank. "You could see his footprints everywhere, all through the property. So, I’m just delighted it worked out thanks to Camille, Peter and the board."

The project took almost four years to complete after the purchase of the land, and it would not have been possible without so many different groups and efforts.

“It was a full community project," said Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner. "It took a lot of volunteers from the voke kids to the Boy Scouts who made the handicap ramp, the DPW, [and so many others]."

"This is a great example of teamwork and the community getting together for the benefit of all," added Brian Sullivan of the Conservation Commission.

According to Lucy Mattera Del Ponte of the Mattera family, the family had the chance to sell the property to groups who wanted to put in million dollar homes and condominiums.

"We just looked at each other and we said 'I don’t think that’s what Dad would want,'"' Mattera Del Ponte said. "So, we approached the town and said would you like to buy this property for conservation land, and they said ‘would we?’ And here we are today."

The space will be available to rent out, and the town will always be looking for donations in order to keep the property up and running.