Where we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re going, in the words of the people who make MetroWest home.
Every neighborhood starts with a promise. MetroWest’s was simple: a place where people could live, work, and play. On February 17, 1986, the MetroWest Master Association was founded to keep that promise. That same year, MetroWest Elementary opened its doors, and in 1987 the MetroWest Golf Club clubhouse opened beside the fairways.
Forty years later, that promise is home to nearly 28,000 neighbors and more than 500 businesses.
A Long Way Home
No one in MetroWest has traveled farther than the four bronze horses above the fountain at Veranda Park. The originals are among the most storied sculptures in the world. They stood over the Hippodrome of Constantinople, were carried to Venice in 1204 to crown St. Mark’s Basilica, were taken to Paris by Napoleon in 1797, and came home to Venice in 1815.
MetroWest’s Quattro Cavalli were cast by the Valese Artistic Foundry, authorized by the Italian government to reproduce the ancient horses. After centuries of journeys, they landed here, standing watch over a community still writing its own story. As Wesley and Durrell Hambley put it, “Seeing them gives us the familiar feeling that we are home.
40 Voices
A community isn’t its fountains or its fairways. It’s its people. So for our 40th, we asked them. Neighbors who have been here since the early days and neighbors who just unpacked. Business owners, educators, officers, and friends. We asked what MetroWest has meant, what it means today, and what they wish for the next 40 years.
The answers kept coming. Here are the voices so far, and the conversation is still going.
Share your wish for MetroWest’s next 40 years here:
THEN – Where We’ve Been
“MetroWest has been my home for 37 years and I have no plans on leaving. This community has brought me friends, a sense of belonging and purpose.”
– Stina D’Uva, MWMA Vice President | 37 years“This is our 25th year working and playing in MetroWest! Every morning I drive to work on Hiawassee Road, the beauty and positivity in the neighborhood brings joy to my heart.”
– Sri Pothamsetty | 25 years“Thank you for allowing us to be part of your story for more than half of that journey.”
– Nicola Swaby, Stonington’s Fried Shrimp“I used to walk through MetroWest with my husband and we would say to each other, we will have to win the lottery to own a house here one day.”
– Wesley & Durrell Hambley, now in their dream home in the center of MetroWest
NOW – Who We Are
“The moments that stand out most are the quiet ones, like a neighbor reaching out to offer a helping hand or the way the community rallies during the holidays.”
– Gena Gray, Mommy Wants A Break“I love how clean, green, and beautifully maintained the MetroWest community is. It has a great, peaceful energy that makes it a wonderful place to live.”
– Nick Kotok, Adopt-a-Street volunteer | newest neighbor, less than a year“Everybody plays their role, and every single role is important.”
– Nicole Wilson, kitten rescue foster, Fairway Cove“We have provided a safe and trusted space for our community while making them look and feel good about themselves.”
– Lesline Powe-Barton, Hair In Motion of New York | 13 years“It takes a village, and all villagers, to keep the village safe.”
– Officer Brian Faer, MetroWest Public Service“…everything that makes MetroWest special: a thriving community coming together to celebrate, and giving back to the neighbors and schools that make it home.”
– Julie Sanchez, General Manager, MetroWest Master Association
NEXT – Where We’re Going
“With its diverse, family-focused population and its commitment to active living, this community is ready.”
– Colin Dixon, Burn Boot Camp MetroWest“Wishing MetroWest continued prosperity, lasting success, and many more remarkable years ahead!”
– Fernando Mariano, BIZCENTER USA“For 40 years, MetroWest Elementary has been more than a school. It’s been a place where students discover their potential, families build lifelong connections, and our community comes together. Happy 40th Anniversary, and here’s to many more years of excellence!”
– Lisa Waxler, Media Specialist, MetroWest Elementary“Every community has a story worth preserving. For 40 years, MetroWest has been writing a remarkable one.”
– Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, your neighbors in Winter Garden“Alcorn McBride and MetroWest both started in 1986. Here’s to 40 more years of building, growing, and enjoying a place that feels like a community, not an industrial park.”
– Loren Barrows, Alcorn McBride“My wish for MetroWest’s next 40 years is a community where every neighbor feels secure, supported, and connected. Stay connected and stay aware.”
– Officer Monique Shepherd, MetroWest Public Service“We look forward to being part of MetroWest for many more years.”
– Diego Bastos, The Ultimate Cave Barbershop, Veranda Park | since 2017“If we keep investing in people, supporting one another, and believing in the future, the next 40 years of MetroWest will be even brighter than the first 40.”
– Laura Lerma, 2 Good Realty, Veranda Park | since 1998
Full Circle
The horses traveled for centuries before they found a home in MetroWest. Many of us did too, from across town, across the country, and across the world. And what we found here was the same thing: a place that feels like home, and neighbors who make it that way.
Here’s to the next 40 years, and to every voice still to come.
Share your wish for MetroWest’s next 40 years here:
