On a rainy but happy Monday, October 20th, the MBTA hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Franklin/Dean Train Station to celebrate the opening of the new accessible ramp and the completion of the exterior mural by artist Kayla Nisbet.

The approach to making the station more accessible began over a year ago, when a Franklin resident brought lack of accessibility to the attention of the Franklin Commission on Disability. The team then sent letters to Philip Eng, the General Manager and CEO of the MBTA, as well as to Rep. Jeffrey Roy. 

Ali Rheume, Chairperson of the Franklin Commission on Disability, says, “This new accessible mini-platform is a huge improvement and benefit to the Town of Franklin. It resolved the main issue of the station formally being inaccessible with a solution that is even more impressive than we imagined! When it comes to accessibility, it’s important to consider the diversity of needs, not only physical mobility. There is a ramp for boarding the train, auditory announcements and a visual digital screen about the train’s arrival or updates, proper signage including Braille, and a large visual map to refer to.

“The great part about all of this, is that accessibility helps everyone and harms no-one, continues Rheume, “A ramp helps someone with physical mobility needs and can also benefit someone traveling with a rolling suitcase. Auditory announcements help someone who may be blind or experience low vision and can also benefit someone who is checking emails, yet still hear train updates. Visual signs and digital board updates help someone who is deaf or hard of hearing and can also benefit someone who is on a phone call and wants to know how much longer they have to talk.

“We want to thank the MBTA and our state leaders for prioritizing this new platform at the Downtown MBTA station” said Jamie Hellen, Franklin Town Administrator. “This project has taken many years and a lot of coordination with town staff to get funded and constructed, but better late than never!”

Not only is the station more accessible, but it is now adorned with a beautiful mural by Franklin artist Kayla Nisbet, who was selected last year by the town to create the artwork.

“As we all know, the MBTA Train Depot has sat vacant and without any love for almost a decade. continued Hellen. “But this is the role of art: to help bring color and imagination to forgotten spaces, bringing life and attention to a historic structure. I can’t thank Cory Shea enough for her tireless efforts to secure the permission from the MBTA to bring a beautiful mural that both brings color and modernism to the site, but also respects the Town’s history. Kayla Nisbett did a great job and we know many will enjoy this new attention to the building. If anyone is interested in occupying the building, they should let us know and we will work with MBTA officials to bring life back to the Depot Station.”

Artist Nisbet said she felt lucky to live in a town that values public art and thanked her slew of supporters, noting, “This mural celebrates our town and its namesake, Ben Franklin. More specifically, it celebrates the 116 books that he once donated that established America’s First Public Library. You’ll see some of the original titles and flourishes from the exact books around the mural.”

When you put artwork on an empty building such as this charming little station, you tend to see the structure in a new light. People notice the art, and then they notice the town and then a transformation takes place. Care and meaning give way to respect and wonder and excitement for what is beyond the art.”

In an effort to strengthen connections between creative businesses and the community, the MBTA is currently seeking tenants for the station’s interior.

With accessible restrooms, convenient parking, and a prime location in downtown Franklin, this could be your moment to bring new energy and activity to this revitalized space. Want to brainstorm? Reach out to the Director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy Cory Shea, [email protected].