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Tag: 2006

  • Friday Night Summer Concerts a Go

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The popular summer “Concerts on the Green” on the Centre Common on Edgell Road are now funded due to last minute donations by large and smaller businesses and individuals.

    According to Jim Egan, Director of Building Services for the Town of Framingham, who orchestrates the concerts, Whole Foods Markets came forward with a $ 5000 donation, matching one from The Middlesex Savings Bank. Individuals and businesses, including Kathy Foran, of Realty Executives, Mark Galante, of Exit Realty, and framingham.com, also pledged donations to make this year’s series possible.

    Adesa-Boston, Bernardi Motor Group, TD BankNorth, MetroWest Daily News made initial contributions, but the recent donations helped Egan meet the $ 20,000 required to fund the program.

    The concerts will run from June through the end of August. The first concert is Friday, June 2, featuring the perennial favorite band, Tailspin. Watch for the full schedule on framingham.com soon.

    The Downtown Concerts, on the Common opposite The Fabric Place will be on Thursday nights starting in mid-June. Schedule will also be posted on framingham.com. The shorter Downtown series is funded separately with support from the Framingham Rotary Club.

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  • Free Homebuyer Fair at Nevins Hall

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – A free Homebuyer Fair will be held Monday, May 22nd, 2006 6:30-8:30 PM, Nevins Hall, in the Memorial Building, 150 Concord St, Framingham.

    The Framingham Fair Housing Committee, in conjunction with the Metrowest Daily News, is inviting all interested prospective homebuyers to a free informational event presenting information that will walk you through home-buying basics. Area resource businesses and services will be on hand to assist you with questions, and help you begin or continue the process of preparing for a home purchase. One-on-one consultations are available.

    There will be basic information for first time homebuyers, links to additional resources, and information in Spanish and Portuguese. Resources will include: Banks, Credit Unions, Realtors, Home Inspection Services, Moving Companies, Pest Control Services, Legal Advice, and Public Financing. Considering buying a house and need help or advice? They’ll give you information that will help you get started, and get you into your own place.

    For more information, contact Framingham Fair Housing 150 Concord Street Memorial Building, Framingham MA (617) 889-7781, ask for Cindy Higgins OR (508) 620-4852, ask for Beverly Kaplan.

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  • Popular Summer Concerts in Jeopardy

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Today, Jim Egan, Director of Buildings for the Town of Framingham, announced the popular Friday night summer “Concerts on the Green” are in jeopardy of cancellation.

    The concert series, scheduled to commerce on Friday, June 2 and run through September 1, 2006 is seriously underfunded and the department is taking a hard look at cancelling it.

    The schedule of musical artists and groups has been booked for the fourteen week season, but there is not enough money pledged to fund them. Like the Framingham Flag Day Parade, funding for musical groups comes from private sources, not from town funds.

    Letters requesting funding have gone out to area businesses, but to date only Adesa-Boston, Bernardi Motor Group, TD BankNorth, MetroWest Daily News, and framingham.com have committed to sponsorship with cash or in-kind services. The series is managed through the Building Services Department and requires approximately $ 20,000 annually.

    Egan is hopeful that businesses will step up to the plate for this free series enjoyed by hundreds of families and seniors each summer Friday.

    For information on sponsorships, call Jim Egan at Building Services, 508-532-5485.

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  • Hemenway Playground Build Day Sat. May 20th

    FRAMINGHAM, MA- With generous donations from local businesses, community foundations, and individual donors, the Hemenway Community Playground Project prepares for Build Day – Saturday, May 20, 2006. Volunteers from the community will complete construction of the new playground at the Hemenway Elementary School under the supervision of equipment vendor Landscape Structures and M.E. O’Brien & Sons, Inc. of Medfield, MA.

    WHAT: Volunteers and local community gather for playground build (donations of tools, time, food and materials still needed!)

    WHEN: Saturday, May 20th, (Note: All times approximate):

    • 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Volunteers Arrive; Project Kick-Off
    • 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Best viewing of playground construction
    • 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Final construction phase and adjustment

    WHERE: Hemenway Elementary School www.hemenwayplayground.org, 729 Water St., Framingham, 01701

    WHY: As the oldest and smallest playground of any elementary school in Framingham, Hemenway’s former playground was inadequate to meet the needs of the school’s 530 students, including more than 100 students with special needs. The new playground will triple the size of the previous one and include numerous events designed for use by all children regardless of age or physical ability.

    To date, funding for the playground has come from numerous generous sources including parents, alumni, and community funding partners such as the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation Framingham Union Grants Panel, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and a grant from the Framingham Disability Commission, Framingham Co-operative Charitable Foundation, Middlesex Savings Bank, Rotary Club, Mobil Education Alliance, Genzyme, Heritage Assisted Living, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, Rick Smith, and the Rousseau Family.

    Playground design, site planning, and civil engineering is donated by Geller DeVellis, Inc. (GDI), a landscape architecture and civil engineering firm with offices in Wellesley and Boston. GDI also specializes in American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility design, which will exceed Massachusetts’ standards at Hemenway.

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  • Happenings at Garden in the Woods

    PHOTO: New England Wild Flower Society - Ladyslipper (2006)
    This beautiful rare ladyslipper (C. reginae) is just one of the thousands of plants at the renowned New England Wild FLower Society plant sale.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods, premier native plant botanic garden and nursery is now open for the season.

    View 1,500 native species in naturalistic habitat displays, including 200 rare and endangered species, and thousands of seasonal blooms on 45 acres.

    All purchases and membership support the health of the natural environment. 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham, MA. (508) 877-7630.

    SPRING HOURS: Open daily, April 15-June 15; 9 a.m.- 7 p.m.;

    SUMMER HOURS: June 17-October 31st daily 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

    Admission: $7, Seniors: $5, Children and Young Adults (6-18 yrs): $3, Members and Children under 6: Free.

    Tours daily at 10 except Sundays at 2, no reservations required. Museum Shop, plant nursery and 275 special courses and events.

    Upcoming Events

    FREE PLANT LECTURES:

    May 7 (Sun) FREE 1pm Meet Carol Stocker of The Boston Globe signing and discussing her new book, The Boston Globe Illustrated New England Gardening Almanac. Purchase copies at the Museum Shop at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham. www.newfs.org. 508-877-7630.

    (Erythronium-Americanum) New England Wild Flower Society, Photo by Dorothy Long
    Here are some of the woodland wildflowers in their Spring glory at New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods.

    May 14 (Sun) FREE 1pm Tom Smarr, New England Wild Flower Society Horticulture Director lecture/demo “Great Wildflowers for the Woodland Garden” Afterwards he and his staff help with custom native plant selections.

    May 21 (Sun) FREE 1pm Author and New England Wild Flower Society Nursery Director William (Bill) Cullina lecture/demo: “Top Ten Native Woody Plants for Landscaping” Afterwards he and staff help with custom native selection and book signing.

    May 28 (Sun) and again June 18 FREE 1pm Tom Smarr, New England Wild Flower Society Horticulture director lecture/demo: “The best tools in the trade for planting, pruning, and plant care.”

    PLAN AHEAD: PLANT SALE PREVIEW PARTY – Friday, June 9th 5-8 pm. Enjoy New England Wild Flower Society’s largest plant sale in the northeast, and an evening of earthly delights, music, tasty treats, expert advice, and perfect shopping without the crowds. $25 ticket benefits plant conservation and gains admission to an unforgettable garden evening.

    Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham. www.newfs.org. 508-877-7630. Reservations at cbennett@newfs.org.

    (Photos Courtesy of New England Wild Flower Society).

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  • New Site on Historical Society House Tour

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Framingham House Tour Committee is thrilled to announce the last-minute confirmation of a highly anticipated site on this year’s tour, scheduled for Sunday, May 21st. It’s now official that tour-goers will be treated to an inside look at one of Framingham’s most exciting examples of adaptive re-use: The Residences at Dennison Triangle.

    The historic Dennison Manufacturing buildings have been center stage for years in the revitalization efforts of downtown Framingham. The vintage buildings, purchased by Rosewood Companies, were originally slated for strictly commercial development. The initial phase broke ground in 1998, resulting in the completion of the corporate headquarters for Rizzo Associates. Plans for the properties eventually changed to mixed-use (commercial and residential), and the idea to build loft style condominiums was born.

    For the past 8 months, prospective homebuyers and visitors have only been able to view renderings and a representative model loft condo in the yellow, renovated 1700s “Gate House” on Bishop Street.

    The Framingham House Tour will be the first opportunity for the public to enter the actual construction site and walk into a completed loft. The exposed brick walls, soaring ceilings, and exposed columns and beams of the Dennison Residences are sure to be a highlight of the tour.

    Framingham joins the fast-growing national trend of converting buildings to loft-style condominiums, as witnessed locally in Cambridge, Boston, Haverhill and Lowell. Don’t miss out on your chance to see firsthand the transformation of a piece Framingham’s history.

    Tickets for the Framingham House Tour can be purchased at the Framingham Historical Society & Museum (www.framinghamhistory.org) and at Citizens Bank at 35 Edgell Road. For more information, contact Susan Silver at ssilver@comcast.net

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  • Callahan Senior Center Happenings – May 2006

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Here’s what’s happening in May at the Callahan Senior Center;

    Callahan Center’s Senior Week Festivities – May 8th -12th, 2006

    Monday, May 8th – New Members Open House at Callahan Center from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. Come and join us for a tour of the Center followed by Coffee and Danish which will be available in the Friends Café. Wednesday, May 10th – Cameron Middle School Jazz Band at Callahan Center from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. If you plan to attend the jazz concert, a pizza lunch will be available. A $2.00 donation is requested. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to reserve a seat. We must receive your reservation no later than Monday, May 8th. Limited to the first 75 people.

    Thursday, May 11th – Haircuts and Manicures compliments of Keefe Technical Cosmetology Students from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to make an appt.

    Friday, May 12th – Volunteer Luncheon at Keefe Technical High School Dining Room at 11:30 am followed by inspirational speakers at 12:45 in the Keefe Auditorium. (This luncheon is by invitation only).

    STROKE SUPPORT SERVICES – Monday, May 8th from 1:00 – 2:15 pm at Callahan Center

    The Stroke Support Services would like to invite you to attend our meeting on May 8th. We will show a video, and several of our Stroke Survivors will be speaking about their experiences dealing with their illness and their healing. Volunteer nurses, Irene Jones and Jody Mahan, will be available for your questions.

    ANGIOPLASTY PRESENTATION – Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at 10:00 am at the Callahan Center. Angioplasty is a medical procedure in which a balloon is used to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels of the heart, the so called, coronary arteries. It is not considered to be a type of surgery. Blockages or narrowed arteries are caused by fat and cholesterol that can accumulate on the inside of the artery to form deposits called plaque. Since these arteries supply circulation to the heart muscle itself, this narrowing or blockage can be quite serious. In many cases, if the blockage is not too severe, a balloon catheter may be used to open theses arteries. This procedure would be done as an alternative to open heart surgery which is a serious operation. (Source: MEDLINEPLUS 2006). Come and learn more about this valuable, lifesaving procedure. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to reserve a seat!

    ARTHRITIS PRESENTATION – Thursday, May 18th at 10:00 am at Callahan Center – Please join us for this informative presentation on arthritis. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to reserve a seat.

    SENIORS’ SPRING DANCE on Friday, May 19th, from 5:00—8:00 pm for all you seniors who want to kick up your heels! Bob Fisher of ‘Music, Music, Music Memories’ will be here to play all your favorites. Dance the night away and enjoy some soft drinks and light refreshments. Don’t stay away if you are single, Bob plays a great variety of music to include line dancing, the stroll, the twist and many more! A donation of $5.00 per person is requested to cover the DJ’s expenses and the refreshments. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 and let us know if you plan to attend. Attire is casual.

    Support Groups at Callahan Senior Center: Bereavement Support Group: Mondays, May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 at 10:00 am. Diabetic Support Group: The Diabetic Support Group will not meet during the months of May and June. The group will resume in July. Grandparent Support Group: Tuesday, May 9 at 1:00 pm and Tuesday, May 23 at 6:45 pm. Low Vision Group: Friday, May 19 at 1:00 – 3:00 pm, the Low Vision Group will meet jointly with the MetroWest Radio Reading Service, who will hold their annual Radio Reading Appreciation Day. Massage Therapy: Thursday, May 4 by appt. only. Parkinson’s Support Group: Tuesday, May 16 at 1:30 pm. Podiatry: Monday, May 8 from 12:30 pm to 3:15 pm, by appt. only. Stroke Survivors’ Support Group: Monday, May 8 at 1:00 pm.

    BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC FOR MAY – Wednesdays, May 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 – 9:30—11am & 12—1 pm

    CARDIOVASCULAR CLINIC IN APRIL: The Cardiovascular Clinic will be on Tuesday, May 2nd at 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM. A doctor from the MetroWest Medical Center and nurse Kitty Mahoney from the Framingham Board of Health will be at the Senior Center to check your blood pressure, answer any questions and address individual concerns. For further information, please contact Kitty Mahoney at 508-532-5472.

    Basic Sign Language Course Offered at Callahan Center – If you are interested in learning the basics of Sign Language, we are hoping to start a 6-week course in June of this year. A $12.00 donation is required to cover the instructor’s fee. It’s a fun and an educational activity to know. You might know someone who signs or you might just want to be able to say hello to someone who you see signing on the bus, in a restaurant or wherever you might be. Please call Lorraine Fournier at 508-532-5980 to sign up for this exciting new offering at the Center.

    Please remember to register for all events to be guaranteed of a seat. Some events have limited seating, so don’t wait! Call the Center today at 508-532-5980. Thank you!

    Mother’s Day Gifts At Heritage Gallery – You will find fabulous, unique and beautiful gifts for Mother! We are located at 535 Union Avenue, Framingham. We are open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am to 2:15 pm.

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  • Earth Day Activities 2006

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Celebrate Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, in Framingham at the Downtown Common and at Garden in the Woods.

    From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. there is free fun for families, children and adults at the Park Street Downtown Common, at the intersection of Concord and Howard Streets. Local artist, Nancie Handy, will coordinate art activities and games. Angie Fowler, Recycling Coordinator, will provide composting demonstrations with free information about building your own compost bin. Recycle ink jet cartridges, toner cartridges and cell phones at the event! Call 508-620-4900 for more information.

    From noon until 4 p.m. visit the New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods off Hemenway Rd. for their free Earth Day celebration. Enjoy Garden tours on the half-hour, scavenger hunts, wild flower seed plantings, Mother Earth’s juggling act at noon, conversations with Granny and Grandpa Granite. Enjoy famed nature illustrator, Gordon Morrison. Live Animal Shows at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Call 508-877-7630 for details.

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  • 2006 Boston Marathon Information

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Transportation information for Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17th, 2006 — Route 135 will be closed from 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

    Pearl Street Parking Garage will open at 6:00 AM. No Fee on Marathon Day. Open garage – cars can enter and leave anytime.

    Trains are running on a normal weekday schedule.

    Official Marathon Bus — Cavalier Coach — Joan Libby – 617-330-1234

    Getting To Downtown Framingham: Coming from the north or south? The Town of Framingham’s LIFT Public Transit System will operate LIFT bus routes 3 and 6 on Patriots Day allowing many MetroWest area residents to leave their automobiles at home.

    For more information regarding the LIFT Public Transit System, visit the Town of Framingham’s web site at: www.framinghamma.gov or call 508-532-5459 or 800-649-6096.

    Coming from the east or west? Take the MBTA Commuter Train into Downtown Framingham. The station is located directly adjacent to the Boston Marathon route, and three blocks from Framingham’s Cultural Triangle. For MBTA schedule information call 800-392-6100 (TTY 617-222-5146), or visit their web site at www.mbta.com.

    Officials urge you to take Public Transportation when possible.

    For more information – Boston Athletic Association – www.baa.org — 617-236-1652.

    Don’t forget to visit the Free Framingham Rotary Multicultural Fair from 1 – 4 p.m. in Downtown Framingham at the Memorial Building and at the Civic League. Food, crafts, music, fun!

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  • Festival to Replace Parade

    FRAMINGHAM, MA –The Framingham Celebration Committee announced that it is planning to change Framingham’s annual Flag Day Celebration this year. In a meeting of Celebration Committee board members it was voted that for 2006 the committee would hold a Flag Day Festival in place of the usual parade down Concord Street and up Union Avenue.

    This year, the organizers of Flag Day Celebrations are planning a Flag Day Festival event in June to be held on the grounds of Tercentennial Park. The culmination of the event will be a Flag Day Procession that includes the traditional participation of Veterans groups, patriotic marchers and marching bands, much like the parade has in years past. “The Flag Day Festival event will allow us to continue the tradition of celebrating Flag Day in Framingham,” said Doug Freeman, the committee’s chairman. The free event will feature band concerts, classic cars, dealers, an outdoor flea market and craft show as well as food and entertainment.

    The Flag Day Festival and the Flag Day Procession will be held on the date the parade would have originally been scheduled, Sunday, June 11th. The Procession will begin at 2PM that Sunday and end its march at Cushing Chapel on the grounds of Tercentennial Park. It will include marching bands playing patriotic music, veterans groups, community groups and will be immediately followed by the traditional flag retirement ceremony run by the Framingham Veterans Council.

    Doug Freeman, the Celebration Committee’s chairman said, “We regret the fact that the traditional parade will not be held this year.” Freeman stated that the parade has experienced dwindling attendance in the last few years and he pointed out that the level of volunteers the last few years has also been waning. In addition Freeman said “the parade route through downtown Framingham creates a traffic nightmare for police.”

    Fundraising for the traditional parade has been off in the past few years he said, “Givers have had increased demands put on them and we’ve seen reduced donations as they try to satisfy all the requests they are getting.”

    “We hope people come to the Flag Day Festival on June 11th; we see it as a transitional event that will allow us to celebrate Flag Day and continue the Celebration Committee’s mission.”

    Freeman hopes the Flag Day Festival format sets the stage to change the tradition of Flag Day Celebrations into a different kind of patriotic event.

    The committee had hopes of keeping the parade going this year being the 20th year of Celebrating Flag Day in Framingham but it was time to change the celebration into something different. “We have talked for a number of years about turning the parade into a patriotic family day like the Flag Day Festival.” Freeman said. “But we have never been able to afford both a festival and the parade,” he added. “This year we have finally made our choice,” he said.

    As to those that have always supported the parade, Freeman said the committee still needs money to run the festival. Freeman said, “The timing is short and those that have already given toward the parade or pledged a donation have our gratitude.”

    The traditional parade usually costs about $25,000 but this year’s festival should be a more modest, making the it easier to raise the necessary funds according to Freeman. “Last year we just made our fundraising goal, we don’t want to have that problem again,” said Freeman.

    The Flag Day Festival event will feature some of the bands that were originally intended to march in the parade. “It should be a fun event for people to attend, bring the kids,” said Freeman.

    There will be food and drink available but people are also encouraged to pack a picnic. People that have old or tattered flags that need to be disposed of in a proper, respectful way should plan to bring them to the event for the flag retirement ceremony at the conclusion of the Flag Day Festival on Sunday.

    Contributions can be sent to: Framingham Celebration Committee, 475 Union Ave., Framingham, MA 01702. For further information, call Doug Freeman at 508-879-6394.

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