Bousquet, et al, created vibrant legacy
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — At the heart of Wilfred “WillieB” Bousquet’s 37-year career as Park and Recreation director was, “I work for this community. The community was always in my heart.”
He’s retiring. He hopes to remain on the Memorial Day parade and the Aspinock’s new History Makers program, and Special Olympics. Jimmy Callaghan has already started as the town’s next Parks and Rec director.
Bousquet recalls one of his first projects was a lighting project at the former Owen Tarr field at the corner of Providence and School streets (now the “front yard” of the Municipal Complex). The culmination of his career was the renaissance of the town’s Veterans Park. “It wasn’t the biggest of my career,” he said, “but I was so proud to be a component of that.” Veterans Park was languishing; “it was a raw mineral and we polished it.”
It was one of just many cooperative ventures, such as the boxcar museum. Bousquet leaves quite a bit of recreation property. He said about 10 years ago he was asked if the town needed more recreation property. He said “It’s time to beautify, take care of what we have.” The renovation of the tennis courts, plus skateboard area should start in late spring. It will include new pickleball courts. The St. Marie Greenhalgh complex will see some reconditioning.
One of the best examples of his creative skills was COVID-19 “pivots.” While other towns just hung out, Putnam recreation didn’t skip a beat. Bousquet was part of coming up with the “Reverse Holiday Dazzle Light Parade.” The town also had a chicken parade, featuring the “good sport” mayor, Barney Seney in a chicken outfit. Bousquet said he had his Santa outfit in a box in his car and he was “going everywhere being Santa.” The After School program sent letters to kids stuck at home. Chocolate bunnies were delivered at Easter time. With the connection with Price Chopper, Putnam Bank and Wheelabrator, a massive sculpture garden was brought around downtown Putnam and Rotary Park and the River Trail. Some of those sculptures remain. Getting out was important at that time, he said. The River Trail “exploded.”
That time was a creative time, he said, and there were short-term and long-term benefits. One benefit that came out of the COVID lockdown was a deep thought process “What can we do to at least make things tolerable.”
“When challenged,” he said, “I try to think about the community’s best interests.”
He recalls when the bandstand was built in Rotary Park it was like Putnam going into “go mode”. Bousquet said Owen Tarr, friend and Recreation Commission member, turned to him and said “now we’ve got to use it.” There were concerts of every variety, fireworks, beach parties, the Big Ornament (a challenge — until all the lights were finally replaced this year, it went out every time it rained), Santa and other holidays “flying” over Cargill Falls.
The revitalization of Rotary Park, post bandstand, included a new clock, a sign, an irrigation system, a good loam base special grass, trees, and benches — much of it funded by the Putnam Rotary Club in President Marc Archambault’s year (2016-17). Bousquet built bridges. “We were creating a ‘town green,’ so to speak,” he said.
Such a legacy: the Memorial Day Parade, the Holiday Dazzle Light Parade, Wreaths Across America, The Putnam Elks Flag Day event, The Beirut Bombing remembrance, food shares, Santa Lights Up Putnam, all nature of kids’ sports. The St. Marie Greenhalgh complex took nine years and was “another piece of the puzzle.” The transition on to the Municipal Complex led to the creation of a new Tarr Complex near the St. Marie Greenhalgh. The River Fire involved ingenuity from more than one department, but Putnam got it done.
Most of the projects were collaborative. Bousquet built bridges, involving sponsors, businesses and organizations, such as the Putnam Business Association, and pretty much every town department. “I guess it’s the coach in me. If you have a team you try to have everyone put their hands in the middle and LET’S GO.”
What was most challenging (besides the Big Ornament’s temperament)? Bousquet said the department has seen such growth. There are a lot of things under the umbrella and at times, he said, it felt like there was not enough room under the umbrella. “We are a small town. Not a lot of staff.” Hence the bridge building.
Asked what he’d like to be remembered for he said: “Inventorying my career, there was a lot of connectivity to a lot of things. I’m proud of that connectivity.”
People now say Putnam is the place to be, thanks in no small part to Bousquet and his teams.
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