Belmont Community Path Update, Part One

 Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Construction and Housing, May-June 2018, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Traffic  Comments Off on Belmont Community Path Update, Part One
May 152018
 
Belmont Community Path Update, Part One

Feasibility Study Plan would Renew Transportation Infrastructure and Create New Public Spaces By Vincent Stanton, Jr.    A bicycle and pedestrian path stretching from the Charles River in East Cambridge to the town of Berlin, beyond Interstate 495, is in various states of design or construction. The path is complete from Brighton Street in Belmont to Lowell Street in Somerville (via Alewife station and Davis Square.) From the Belmont/Waltham border west to Route 128, a path is being designed. Construction is likely to start in early 2019. That leaves a 2.1-mile gap in Belmont. Filling the gap is difficult because [READ MORE]

Share

Another Way to Preserve Belmont’s Neighborhoods

 Historic Preservation, May-June 2018, Newsletter  Comments Off on Another Way to Preserve Belmont’s Neighborhoods
May 152018
 
Another Way to Preserve Belmont’s Neighborhoods

Should Belmont residents consider a ‘neighborhood conservation district’ model? By Sharon Vanderslice Belmont’s cohesive and walkable neighborhoods, high-quality schools, extensive green space, and proximity to public transportation have made it one of the most desirable places to live in the Greater Boston area. And yet, skyrocketing real estate values and the overdevelopment that tends to accompany them currently threaten the very neighborhoods that have made this “town of homes” so appealing in the first place. One tool that cities and towns around the country have used to preserve local neighborhoods from inappropriate development is the “neighborhood conservation district” designation. Cities [READ MORE]

Share

Preparing for Climate Change

 Environment, May-June 2018, Newsletter, Stormwater  Comments Off on Preparing for Climate Change
May 152018
 
Preparing for Climate Change

By Will Brownsberger This winter’s storms have dramatized flooding in Boston and many other coastal areas. Is Belmont at risk? Despite climate change and rising sea levels, Belmont has minimal risk of direct seawater flooding in the next 50 years. The greatest threat to Belmont residents is the fragility of our regional infrastructure. In the next five decades, scientists and planners predict a rise in sea level of as much as three feet. Stronger sustained winds in storms are also likely to produce greater storm surge. We will also see heavier rains. A detailed model of how water may move [READ MORE]

Share

Belmont Announces First Annual Porchfest

 Arts & Culture, May-June 2018, Newsletter  Comments Off on Belmont Announces First Annual Porchfest
May 152018
 
Belmont Announces First Annual Porchfest

By Mary Bradley Porchfest is coming to Belmont! The first annual Belmont Porchfest will be on Saturday, September 8, 2018. Porchfest is a celebration of community through music and arts performed by your friends and neighbors (and maybe even you) on porches throughout Belmont. Walk to a neighbor’s house to hear a klezmer band or host a circus show on your front lawn. You can sign up to play some music, host a band, or both. You can also support this event through a donation or sponsorship. However you choose to participate, please save the date for a fun day [READ MORE]

Share

Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

 BCF Events, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May-June 2018, Newsletter  Comments Off on Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day
May 152018
 
Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

More than 50 Volunteers Donate Time to Annual Cleanup and Planting By Radha Iyengar On Saturday, April 28, the Belmont Citizens Forum (BCF), in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, held its sixth annual Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day. More than 50 volunteers of all ages, including students from Chenery Middle School and Belmont High School, donated their time on this picture-perfect sunny day. At the Pine Allee, in just two hours, the efficient volunteers planted more than 60 white pine saplings (of which 30 were transplants from Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary). At the other end of [READ MORE]

Share

Poetry In Nature

 BCF Events, Environment, May-June 2018, Newsletter, Open Space  Comments Off on Poetry In Nature
May 152018
 
Poetry In Nature

In early April, Belmont poet Stephanie Burt (far right) and Belmont Citizens Forum director Anne-Marie Lambert (far left) led a group of local residents on a poetry walk through Rock Meadow. The group explored the landscape and history of the area, including a pair of chickadees that inspired the reading of Marianne Moore’s “Smooth Gnarled Crape Myrtle” and a discussion of the ice trade that inspired a reading of Burt’s “Ice for the Ice Trade.” Burt is a Harvard professor and author of several books of poetry, including Belmont (2014) and Advice From the Lights (2017). The group enjoyed a [READ MORE]

Share

Environmental Events, May-June 2018

 Environment, May-June 2018, Newsletter  Comments Off on Environmental Events, May-June 2018
May 152018
 

Grow Native: Massachusetts Annual Native Plant Sale Saturday, May 19, 9 AM–3 PM Select from over 100 species and ask on-hand experts for advice. Rain or shine. grownativemass.org/programs/plantsale. UMass Field Station, 240 Beaver Street, Waltham.   Rock Meadow Stakeholder & Community Workshop, Meeting #2 Saturday, May 29, 2018, 7:00–9:00 pm With generous support from the Judy Record Conservation Fund, The Belmont Conservation Commission is working with the Conway School to develop a Master Plan for the Rock Meadow Conservation Area. This is the second community stakeholder meeting, part of a master plan process that will allow the Town of Belmont to assess, [READ MORE]

Share