Read the July/August 2022 BCF Newsletter
In this issue:
Belmont Hill School Plans To Pave Woodlands
Belmont Hill School has recently revealed plans to pave over a large section of existing woodland to build a new campus site across Prospect Street from their current campus. Read more.
The Belmont Hill School’s property acquisitions. The dark gray portion shows the current campus: light gray areas were acquired prior to 2022: pink areas were purchased in 2022. Belmont Hill is seeking to purchase the area marked in red to the west of the main campus. Data provided by Justin Roe.
Do We Need a New High School Parking Lot?
The town is now planning the completion of the high and middle schools, and plans are underway for a new skating rink and library. For the last 50 years, off-street surface parking in the area west of Harris Field has been limited, but the facilities have worked with what has been available. And for 50 years, 10 tennis courts were available at the high school. Read more.
Could the Community Path Host a Solar Array?
The imminent arrival of the Belmont Community Path prompts the question: what other productive uses might be devised for the Fitchburg Line corridor? One possibility is siting a south-facing solar photovoltaic (PV) array along the tracks. Read more.
Mass Central Rail Trail Continues Expansion
Progress continues on the Wayside section of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) from I-495 to Boston. Two paved segments were recently completed: in addition, two major segments are under construction. Read more.
Monarch butterfly caterpillar on Lone Tree Hill milkweed. Photo: Ryan Corrigan
Restoration Resumes on Lone Tree Hill
A crew of field horticulture technicians returned to the Lone Tree Hill conservation area for their first visit in 2022 on May 20. The mission this time was to cut or pull and spray garlic mustard in bloom. Read more.
Black swallowwort vine flowers, leaves, and stem. Photo: Jeffrey North
Belmont’s Invasive Species: Black Swallowwort
Black swallowwort is a killer. Monarch butterflies mistake the plant for native common milkweed, and lay their eggs in the non-native invader, where the larvae die. Read more.
Leonard Katz collects bags of garlic mustard. Photo: Radha Iyengar
Volunteers Battle Invasives
On Saturday mornings in May and June, Lone Tree Hill’s Invasives Working Group led volunteers removing black swallowwort and garlic mustard. Read more.
What is a CISMA, and Why Do We Need One?
Massachusetts has one Comprehensive Invasive Species Management Associations (CISMAs) across the country is approaching 400. With the likely passage of the invasive species bill (H4595), financial and administrative resources will be available for CISMAs and a host of other programs. Read more.
Gas Leaks are a Civil Rights Issue
Across Massachusetts, gas leaks are often underestimated by officials and underserved by gas companies. While numerous gas leaks in Belmont are listed and mapped, other communities of underrepresented minorities face the heaviest burden of this pollution. Read more.
Belmont Porchfest to Celebrate Our Resilience
Planning is underway for Belmont Porchfest’s most ambitious event yet to reflect on and celebrate our resilience as a community. Porchfest is scheduled for September 10, and registration is open at BelmontPorchfest.org. Read more.
Belmont Village at dusk. Source: Cambridge Housing Authority
Affordable Housing: A Primer
The Belmont Housing Trust would like to define some terminology to make it clearer when we talk to the community about the need for affordable housing and ways to accomplish it. Read more.
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