September–October 2018 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF

 Newsletter, Sept-Oct 2018  Comments Off on September–October 2018 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF
Sep 122018
 

View or download the September–October 2018 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below.   Articles in this issue: Developing a Conservation Master Plan for Rock Meadow by Jeffrey North “Rock Meadow is a beautiful and diverse landscape with differing microclimates, terrains, and experiences throughout the site. This diversity provides both design challenges and opportunities.”  —Excerpt from Rock Meadow, A Conservation Master Plan Read more.   The Future of The McLean Barn by Robert Kennedy As most in Belmont are aware, there is a barn located adjacent to Rock Meadow, sitting back from Mill Street just south of [READ MORE]

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Developing a Conservation Master Plan for Rock Meadow

 Environment, Historic Preservation, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Plants, Sept-Oct 2018  Comments Off on Developing a Conservation Master Plan for Rock Meadow
Sep 122018
 
Developing a Conservation Master Plan for Rock Meadow

By Jeffrey North “Rock Meadow is a beautiful and diverse landscape with differing microclimates, terrains, and experiences throughout the site. This diversity provides both design challenges and opportunities.”       —Excerpt from Rock Meadow, A Conservation      Master Plan (Michael Taurean Gagnon and Sam Freedman map) The proposed Rock Meadow design adds trails and other features such as: 1) a boardwalk; 2) a path bisecting the north meadow and leading to the former landfill site; 3) an extended loop emerging from the central woodland to an observation deck; 4) two groves of oaks and hickories; 5) a nature-inspired playground [READ MORE]

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The Future of McLean Barn

 Arts & Culture, Construction and Housing, Environment, Historic Preservation, Open Space, Sept-Oct 2018  Comments Off on The Future of McLean Barn
Sep 122018
 
The Future of McLean Barn

By Robert Kennedy As most in Belmont are aware, there is a barn located adjacent to Rock Meadow, sitting back from Mill Street just south of the Rock Meadow parking lot. It is brick, substantially built, and was once part of a farm that supported McLean Hospital. Although now boarded up, it is in reasonably good repair. Belmont Town Meeting recently approved monies from Community Preservation Act funds for minor repairs to help prevent deterioration. Although there are currently no plans for restoration, future use of the barn was discussed during the recent Rock Meadow planning study (see “Developing a [READ MORE]

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Sewer Repairs In Progress to Clean Up Wellington Brook and Winn’s Brook

 Construction and Housing, Environment, Newsletter, Sept-Oct 2018, Stormwater, Water Quality  Comments Off on Sewer Repairs In Progress to Clean Up Wellington Brook and Winn’s Brook
Sep 122018
 
Sewer Repairs In Progress to Clean Up Wellington Brook and Winn’s Brook

By Anne-Marie Lambert All images and graphics courtesy of the Town of Belmont, prepared for the town by Stantec Consulting Services Inc. A home in Belmont with four occupants sends about 210 gallons a day of wastewater into the town sewer system.1 When an underground sanitary sewer pipe collapses in a neighborhood where the storm drain is located below the sewer in the same underground trench, the sewage leaks into the storm drain and then into our rivers and ponds. This happened on Homer Road, a small street off Hastings Road. The sewer pipe and storm drain serve three homes [READ MORE]

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Two Years of Homer House Restoration Success

 Arts & Culture, Construction and Housing, Historic Preservation, Newsletter, Sept-Oct 2018  Comments Off on Two Years of Homer House Restoration Success
Sep 122018
 
Two Years of Homer House Restoration Success

By Wendy Murphy The Belmont Woman’s Club has been working on many projects at the beautiful William Flagg Homer House. Located at 661 Pleasant Street, across from Town Hall in the Pleasant Street Historic District, the Homer House is named for its original owner, William Flagg Homer, a wealthy Boston merchant who built the property in 1853 as a summer residence. William Flagg was uncle to famed American artist Winslow Homer, whose artwork features numerous scenes of Belmont people and places, including his uncle’s home.   The Homer House has been actively undergoing restoration since 2016, when the Woman’s Club [READ MORE]

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BCF Survey Response

 BCF Events, Sept-Oct 2018  Comments Off on BCF Survey Response
Sep 122018
 

In the last issue of the Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter, we asked you to take our reader survey and tell us how we’ve been doing. Thank you to all who participated. We enjoyed your enthusiastic feedback and were inspired by your thoughtful suggestions, including the following: More maps, bigger maps, clearer labeling; Attend Meet Belmont and Town Day to give away old copies to generate interest (Editor’s note: We do this already; hope to see you there next year!); Article suggestions: time-of-day electric billing, commuter rail, continual increases in property taxes, update on Belmont recycling efforts, affordable housing, solar power, [READ MORE]

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Alewife Poetry Stroll

 Arts & Culture, Environment, Newsletter, Open Space, Sept-Oct 2018  Comments Off on Alewife Poetry Stroll
Sep 122018
 
Alewife Poetry Stroll

Poet Elizabeth Quinlan reads by Little River during the August 18 Alewife Poetry Stroll. This event was sponsored by Friends of Alewife Reservation and featured two poets, Quinlan and Barbara Thomas. Belmont Citizens Forum board member Anne-Marie Lambert served as nature guide to educate participants about the history of the land, water, wildlife, and people who have known this place.

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Environmental Events: September–October 2018

 Environment, Newsletter, Sept-Oct 2018, Stormwater, Water Quality  Comments Off on Environmental Events: September–October 2018
Sep 122018
 

Mystic River Watershed Association Tuesday, September 11, 8–9 PM Mass Rivers Alliance Policy Director Gabby Queenan will present ways to engage in effective advocacy for the Mystic River. mysticriver.org. 20 Academy Street, Arlington.   CoastSweep Cleanup Friday, September 21, 9 AM–12 PM Join Charles River Conservancy for their annual CoastSweep Cleanup. CoastSweep is a statewide event to raise awareness and clean waterfronts. With CRC you will remove litter and debris from the parklands and collect data on the specific types of debris found. Volunteers can work in two locations in Cambridge and Watertown. mass.gov/coastsweep. To volunteer, RSVP via email to [READ MORE]

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