One of the chief concerns voiced before Council’s second vote against the proposed demolition of the Grover farmstead, including the home of war hero Thomas Grover, was that bit-by-bit the symbols of West Windsor’s history and agricultural heritage are being obliterated. Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh says on the contrary, his administration has done more to preserve the township’s rich history than any officials who came before him.
Establishing the Saturday farmers’ markets next to the train station was one example. Preserving historic buildings such as the fire house that the West Windsor Arts Council now occupies as well as structures of the old potato barn at the new Center for Orthodontic Excellence at 61 Princeton-Hightstown Road are further evidence, the mayor says.
Some have suggested that the Rogers House on the grounds of Mercer County Park holds substantially more historical significance to the area than the Grover house (see letter page 3) as it is one of only two sites in the area listed on the National Registry of Historic Sites.
Hsueh says that although the township staff followed all proper procedures over the course of the past three years, since the property was vacated by Mrs. Grover there was not enough time invested into the historical elements of the house — aside from contacting the Grover family and the West Windsor Historical Society regularly and allowing them to remove any items they deemed worthy of saving. Hsueh also feels that there is a need for more volunteers in the community to come forward about preserving the history of the township and evaluating what is and what isn’t of significance.
The Grover Farm will remain a hot-button issue as it stirs fond memories and symbolizes the West Windsor many grew up in. But Mayor Hsueh stated that he is open to Council’s recommendations for the property, given that they are within the governmental standards established by the state.
Part of the problem is that when discussions with council were held in 2009 and 2010, the house could not be rented although a lease agreement was drawn up. Farmer Steve Jany did rent the property from the township for farming, however.
Another issue is use of the land — any plans for it must gain approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection as it is designated as open space.
Now Mayor Hsueh anticipates that a new advisory committee, which will include councilmembers Kristina Samonte and Linda Geevers and township Municipal Land Use Manager Sam Surtees, will come up with a recommendation for the property that fits in with two objectives: compliance with state regulations and saving taxpayer money.
“The cost involved is prohibitive. They [Council] cannot say they want to save money and also take care of every farm estate. Also, the state will not allow the house to be used as a rental property,” Hsueh says.
Hsueh suggested that Samonte, Geevers, and the committee might come up with a group to organize a nonprofit. Whatever the future holds for the Grover farm, the mayor is conscious of keeping West Windsor’s heritage alive. He announced a new strategy for the Environmental Education Center at the Schenck Farmstead: through its agriculture and nature-themed exhibitions, it will serve as the “#b#Museum of Historical West Windsor#/b#.” Although that differs from its original purpose, the site at the Schenck Farm will showcase some of West Windsor’s rural-agricultural atmosphere.
The most recent plans for an environmental center exhibit at Schenck Farm were presented in April to the West Windsor Environmental Commission. Beth Redmond-Jones, president of Redmond-Jones & Associates, presented her preliminary conceptual design, outlining recreational and educational functions that the new facility would serve.
Redmond-Jones says her design team spoke at length about the target audience for the new facility (students around the fourth-grade level) and then the big idea — in museum terms she called it “the organizing theme.” Another element going into the design starts with take-home messages — the ideas and concepts that visitors walk away with.
Redmond-Jones studied up on the proper educational content required for the target audience.
“I did a very thorough review of the New Jersey science and social studies content standards for fourth grade and primary school age groups so we could see what educational topics they learn about in science and social studies that could potentially apply to this exhibition. That could help support getting teachers to visit with their classes,” she said.
She listed the target audience as fourth graders from both public and private schools; home-schooled children; scout groups of the same age range; and local residents in general. Township Landscape Architect Dan Dobromilsky said the Commission decided on gearing the center to that age level because fourth-grade students currently tour the Schenck Farm.
The concept that Redmond-Jones & Associates came up with is “West Windsor is Committed to Sustaining the Environment.” Through various exhibit notes and signage, Redmond-Jones boiled down sustainability to words that would connect with the fourth-grade students. She stressed the importance of simplifying certain environmental concepts to the level a child can understand because, through initial feedback, the Environmental Commission had thought more along adult lines.
“There are a lot of concepts that you guys had that would be fabulous for an adult-centric environmental center. But if we are to truly focus on fourth graders we need to get to where their baseline knowledge is and what their vocabulary is.
Redmond-Jones says the very concept — “sustaining” — is more of a sixth-grade level word than for fourth-graders.
“We will provide accurate content, not simplified or dumbed-down,” she assured the Commission.
