Living In Westford Ma ~ Worley Tasty Recipe

Living In Westford Ma

Like many parents of young children, John Flanagan came to Westford for the schools.

Compared with some Boston suburbs known for their academics, Westford was, and still is, a bargain, he finds. The school system is also what has kept Flanagan, his wife, Beth, and their three daughters in this town — home to such attractions as Kimball Farm, Nashoba Valley Ski Area, and The Butterfly Place — since 2000.

Today, Flanagan, 51, lives and works in this community of roughly 22,000 along the Interstate 495 high-tech corridor south of Lowell. Flanagan, senior director of corporate citizenship for software maker Red Hat Inc. in Westford, says his activities are still dictated by his children, ages 13, 16, and 19. He often finds himself at Westford Academy, the town's public high school, where one daughter participates in theater productions, and he has helped raise money for turf fields and spent hours on the sidelines coaching soccer. "I always wanted to be coaching . . . You're giving back to the community,'' Flanagan says.

Now that he is no longer coaching, Flanagan is giving back in other ways, including as president of the Westford Rotary Club. "It's important for me to have the community connection in town, and the Rotary is a great way to network and give back,'' he says.

Flanagan says Westford has a nice mix of shopping and restaurants along Route 110 but historic homes and friendly neighborhoods in other parts of town.

"They've done a good job of isolating the commercial growth and leaving the rest of the town to have that country feel,'' he adds. "You can still come down 110 and have plenty of restaurants and shopping, but take a turn and you have a historic district. It's got a great look and feel.

"It makes it a great place to come home to.''

BY THE NUMBERS

The number of lakes and ponds in town. Whether you're looking for a place to swim, fish, canoe, or just take in the beauty of the town's natural resources, Westford's got the fresh water to do it.

430,300

The commercial square footage in town added between 2010 and 2014, including the construction of the Cornerstone Square shopping center, space for software maker Red Hat Inc., and a Boch Honda dealership

14,000

The number of panels in Westford Solar Park. Constructed on 22 acres, it was the largest privately owned solar plant in the state when built in 2012.

40+

The number of native and foreign species of butterflies flitting around The Butterfly Place, an indoor garden with flowers, koi fish, and birds open mid-February through October

PROS & CONS

Pro

Balance

Coming in at No. 11 on Money magazine's Best Places to Live list in 2013, Westford is home to several high-tech companies such as Red Hat and Juniper Networks, yet it has roughly 2,200 acres of conservation land, a community garden, and the Nashoba Valley Ski Area.

Con

Traffic

The reconstruction of Minot's Corner (Route 110/Boston Road/Carlisle Road) improved matters with an additional lane and sidewalks, but the town's country roads can get congested during rush hour when commuters (many from New Hampshire) cut through to Interstate 495.

Pro

Schools

Families flock to here to take advantage of its highly ranked schools without breaking the bank. Westford (median home value $483,100, according to Zillow.com) is relatively affordable compared with other communities with top-tier systems like Wayland ($651,900), Weston ($1.35 million), and Lexington ($820,300).