Stoughton's Town Hall Roof Project Creates Parking "Inconvenience"

Residents making a trip to over the next couple of months may need to brush up on their parallel parking and street parking skills.

Parking in the front of and on either side of the Town Hall has been temporarily prohibited as crews begin work on the historic building's roof. However, there will be some spaces available on the Pearl St. side of the building for handicapped patrons.

Town employees will continue to park in the lot in the rear of the building (off Rose Street) and the municipal lot next to the Stoughton Police Station on Rose Street.

More street parking will have to be utilized in the meantime for visitors.

Patrons are also being asked to enter the building from the rear (the basement), with signs inside directing visitors to the stairwells and elevator.

The roof work, which started earlier this week, is scheduled to last until mid-October, according to .

The at the 2012 Annual Town Meeting.

In a move supporters of the article said would cost a little more up front, but save the town money over the long haul, Town Meeting members voted unanimously to install a slate roof on Stoughton Town Hall.

Town Engineer Ben Feehan explained on the Town Meeting floor back in May that there was about $330,000 of available funds for the repair of the Town Hall roof. This was enough if the town wanted to use an asphalt surface, as is currently the case, but would need to approve the additional funding to cover the costs of a slate roof, which is around $380,000.

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The roof was last replaced with an asphalt surface back in 1986, Grover said. A slate roof is more durable and can last up to 100 years.

Grover acknowledged the parking situation was an inconvenience.

"So far everyone has been exceptionally cooperative by making the necessary adjustments," Grover said. "It may be a little bit of an inconvenience but the main thing is that we don't want anyone to get hurt."

Interim Town Manager Joseph D. Feaster, Jr. said that if parking for patrons becomes an issue and there is not enough street parking available, he will revisit the possibility of having employees park in other town-owned lots like the one Railroad Ave. to free up more spaces closer to the building.

Christine Iacobucci contributed reporting.