Just two years ago we were noting that nationally-known columnist George Will was weighing-in on the brouhaha surrounding the perhaps “infamous” Motel Caswell located on Rte. 38 in Tewksbury. The family-owned business in operation for over fifty years had become the focus of a planned take-over by the feds – in league with the Tewksbury PD – under a  Civil Forfeiture statue based on the number of police call-outs to the motel for drugs, domestic violence and other offenses. Charges and counter-charges flew about the constitutionality of the plan versus what was good for the town. The planned action played out in the media and brought a pro-bono opportunity for the motel owners from the Institute for Justice – they accepted and went to court. Russ Caswell won and kept the property! Fast forward! The property was put up for sale during the past year. With help from the town, many possible investors looked, weighed the possibilities for the site as housing, perhaps a restaurant but it was a local who followed-through with an over $2 million dollar bid and now purchase of the site. Donald MacLaren – a life-long resident – and his son plan an entertainment complex focused on bowling, bocce and birthday parties with some “simulated” golf, a restaurant and lounge. To sweeten the concept to the nostalgic among the residents, the name will harken back to the former days of other entertainment on Rte. 38 – they MacLarens will name the site Wamesit Lanes. Those of us with some age will remember – many quite fondly – the Wamesit Bowling lanes located on the now Home Depot property and a near the Wamesit Drive-In. If all goes as planned – the complex is slated for opening in mid-July 2015. More here in the Tewksbury Town Crier. And stay-tuned.

 Architect’s rendering of the Wamesit Lanes planned for Rte. 38 in Tewksbury