Alberta Brook — ’An extraordinary act of love’

By Bruce Burdett
Posted 11/18/18

A north Westport brook that flows between Sawdy and Davol pond is nameless no more ...

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Alberta Brook — ’An extraordinary act of love’

Posted

A north Westport brook that flows between Sawdy and Davol ponds is nameless no more.

In a husband-to-wife gesture of affection years in the making, that brook will henceforth be known as Alberta Brook, the Board of Selectmen decided last Tuesday, Nov. 13

The brook’s meandering route takes it through 179 Robert Street property belonging to Fernand and Alberta Lavoie.

Although small, the brook and the peaceful land around it have long been important to the couple and Mr. Lavoie figured it should finally have a name. The name Alberta Brook would be a fitting tribute to his wife, he believed.

He approached Representative Paul Schmid a few years ago with the idea and the lawmaker was supportive, calling it “an extraordinary act of love on his part.”

It fell to Lucy Tabit, assistant and clerk to the Board of Selectmen, to do the background work necessary to naming of a brook. That proved to be no small task.

She contacted the US Geologic Service to see if federal records contain any name for the brook. Mr. Lavoie was correct — the USGS confirmed that the brook had indeed never been named.

She reached out to neighbors to see if any had objections — none did.

Nor did anybody on the Board of Selectmen or in the audience that evening. For his part, Mr. Lavoie said beforehand that he had no wish to speak on the matter — he’d let town officials do the talking.

Anticipating that the vote would be ‘yes,’ selectmen had a proclamation prepared — read by board Chairwoman Shana Shufelt as Mr. and Mrs. Lavoie listened from the front row.

The couple has owned their land for many years, it stated, and Mr. Lavoie has “worked quietly and without public acclaim in providing vital rainfall and water level data for Sawdy Pond to the city of Fall River, the city’s drinking water supply.”

Moments after the unanimous vote, the couple share a quick kiss, then stood for congratulations and a photo.

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