In Bloom: A Sample of Belmont’s Green Garden Tour

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On Sunday, Sept. 7, 10 locations around Belmont – from community plots at Rock Meadow to small backyard spaces – participated in the 4th annual Belmont Green Garden Tour, highlighting organic and sustainable gardens that use their available spaces, whether big or small, with great efficiency and imagination.

Here are just a sample of the gardens presented this year:

Peggy Kornegger, Gilbert Road

Unlike many of the gardeners, Kornegger rents her home on Gilbert Road. But despite not owning her plot, Kornegger wanted to create a space where she could plant and grow an organic garden. She asked her landlord if she could have the run of a long neglected shade-filled backyard.

After seven years, Kornegger has repaired the building’s back wall, planted shade-friendly annuals and strategically placed a row of hostas to stop a mud slide down the driveway that occurred every time it rained. Her garden is filled with a wide variety of Indigenous New England plants, such as a native honeysuckle that attracts hummingbirds, as well as small statues of spiritual icons of  Buddha and St. Francis.

“I’m very spiritual and eclectic and my garden shows that,” said Kornegger. “Gradually, a mini-habitat is growing, and the yard is filled with life of all kinds.”

Karsten Kueppenbender and Siobhan O’Neill, Pine Street.

Located across busy Trapelo Road from a popular ice cream spot is Belmont’s newest bee habitat. The yellow and black beehive – is there any other colors to use? – that is new home to more than 1,000 bees is situated near the garage of the two-family Pine Street home of Karsten Kueppenbender and Siobhan O’Neill.

“My son wanted to have bees and we thought once he got old enough, then why not?” said Kueppenbender who has been slowly building his green garden beginning six years ago. They will not be harvesting any honey this year as the current crop will be used to allow the bees to use over the winter.

But the Pine Street location is more than just a honeycomb; there are raised garden beds where vegetables such as tomatoes (protected with wire as squirrels have taken to them), kale, swiss chard, along with earthier produce such as carrots and potatoes. There is even a small critter living just below one the beds.

The location is also where two praying mantises couples have come to dine, eats bumble bees but leaves the honey-variety alone, said Kueppenbender.

“That’s good for us,” he said. “Not so for the bumble bees.”

Joan Teebagy, Washington Street

There’s a large rabbit in a cage out front of Joan Teebagy’s house – a wonderful fertilizer, she notes – next to raised beds filled with a variety of cheery tomatoes, broccoli, squash and other produce. For the past nine years, Teebagy has been adding a little bit more each season to her front yard garden.

Out back is a brand new sunny backyard, made possible when a five-foot ash came down, where this year she grew native “painted” corn, the first time she ever grew it.

“My own ‘Field of Dreams,’ Teebagy proclaimed, said she will attempt to grind the kernels into flowers.

Teebagy has a virtual farm outback: there are a raft of ducks for the eggs – the sign at the gate warns all to close the gates less the they flee – a few chickens (“just visiting for dinner,” said Teebagy, with a knowing wink) a couple more bunnies along with Belmont’s only “barn” cat, Michu, which happily lives in the garage.

“The Animal Rescue League said she was un-adoptable and unfriendly,” said Teebagy as Michu saunters up to every visitor for a pet and a scratch. “I think they were wrong.”

Three Nights of Work on Trapelo Road Starts Tuesday, Sept. 16

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For the next three nights/early mornings, a half-mile stretch of Trapelo Road from Church Street to Flett Road will be under construction.

Beginning tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 16 and lasting until Thursday, Sept. 18, paving and repairs to the roadway will run from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

As with an earlier overnight repaving job in July that effected Trapelo from Lexington and Church streets, the work by contractor Newport Construction is being conducted “under the lights” so to limited the impact on the 30,000 daily commuters that use the road, Glenn Clancy, director of the town’s Office of Community Development told the Belmont Board of Selectmen last week. 

And while the town did provide neighbors and residents living along the road a week notice of the work, Belmont Selectman Sami Baghdady advised Clancy that those effected by future overnight work be given a two weeks “heads up” before construction begins.

The work is part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s $17.2 million Trapelo/Belmont Corridor reconstruction project.

Residents with any concerns on the night work can call Clancy at 617-993-2659 or by e-mail at gclancy@belmont-ma.gov. or Ryan Gleason of Newport Construction at 603-765-2173 during the late night work hours.

Belmont Field Hockey Overwhelms Second Visiting Team

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Belmont High School Field Hockey Head Coach Jessica Smith is never one who wants to pile on the score line.

“I feel so terrible,” said Smith as the team was ahead 6-0 with a minute left to play … in the first half of the Marauders game against visiting Stoneham High School on Friday, Sept. 12.

“I’m not that type of coach but what can I tell my team? Not shot?” she said, pulling off veterans to allow substitutes to play long stretches of the game.

By the end of a long day – the game started 45 minutes late due to travel problems for Stoneham – Belmont would score a pair of second half goals to win 8-0, creating a nice bookend for the week as the Marauders drubbed Melrose 7-0 on Tuesday.

“Two big scoring victories with lots of players getting goals but just as important, everyone got to play,” said Smith.

Kerri Lynch and the team’s midfield leader, senior Suzanne Noone, scored twice while starters sophomore Annemarie Habelow and Jacqueline Hill scored a goal each. Tallying goals off the bench were Kate McArthy and Hillary Fay. Goalies Kate Saylor and Nicole Crowley shared the clean sheet. 

“Gosh, this is a great team. We really don’t have a weak spot anywhere on the field and I have really good subs that I can put in who have been scoring and other good stuff on the field. It’s like I have a second layer in some positions,” said Smith.

And while the Marauders have put in 15 goals over the past two games, Belmont will be meeting teams with greater skills and talented players. On Wednesday, Sept. 17, the team travels to Reading Memorial High School, a team that “is always very hard. It’s a game that you really want to win and it’s hard every single time and it’s never easy,” said Smith.

 

 

Belmont Fire Honors Those Lost on 9/11

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The Belmont Fire Department held its annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony marking the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States at the FF Roland A. Weatherbee Fire Headquarters on Trapelo Road on Thursday, Sept. 11.

Firefighters remembered those who were lost in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Shanksville, Penn. Special tribute was paid to the 343 firefighters from the Fire Department of New York who were killed when the World Trade Center towers collapsed.

As a tribute to the FDNY, the Belmont Fire Department rung the department’s ceremonial bell, and held a flag raising ceremony. The flag was placed at half-staff by the Department’s Color Guard.

A floral wreath was presented by retired Chief of Dept. William H. Osterhaus and retired Firefighter Roy Sacco.

On and off-duty firefighters, along with several retired Belmont firefighters, participated in the ceremony.

 

Belmont Savings: Six Weeks to Show Support for ‘Beloved’ Piece of Belmont

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Belmont Savings Bank Foundation announced on Thursday, Sept. 11 that it will match dollar for dollar contributions to the Underwood Pool project up to $200,000. Specifically, the bank foundation has committed to contributing $200,000 which – if matched – would fully fund the remaining $400,000 needed to complete the project.

Recently, plans to rebuild Belmont’s Underwood Pool stalled after the winning bidder dropped out, potentially leaving the Belmont community without a public swimming area next summer.

“As a child, I used the pool and, subsequently, my children did as well, which is why I take pride in announcing this matching grant through our Foundation,” said Robert Morrissey, chairman of the board of directors of Belmont Savings Bank as well as the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation.

“With six weeks to go until the October deadline, it is imperative our community shows its support for this beloved piece of Belmont’s history.”

The Underwood Pool was originally constructed in 1912, and is believed to be the first public outdoor pool in the United States. Belmont had approved debt exclusion for a new pool to be built, with the grand opening originally scheduled for June 2015.

“We are grateful to our partners at Belmont Savings Bank, who understand how much Belmont residents care about the Underwood Pool, and have demonstrated a true commitment to making a positive difference in the community,” said Ellen Schreiber, who is helping lead the campaign.

“We urge businesses and individuals alike to join Belmont Savings Bank in donating by Oct. 31.”

Under the current circumstances, the Underwood Pool Building Committee was faced with redesigning and rebidding the project, in effect cancelling the pool’s summer 2015 season. The involvement of the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation enables supporters to raise the necessary funds in order to accept the current lowest bid before the upcoming October deadline.

“Supporting the rebuilding of Underwood Pool, the oldest municipal pool in the country, is one of those rare opportunities to truly help the community, and improve the quality of life for Belmont citizens,” said Bob Mahoney, president and CEO of Belmont Savings Bank.

“I am thrilled that our Foundation agreed to support the Underwood Pool, which has long been a touchstone in our town.”

Checks can be dropped off at each Belmont Savings branch. Checks should be payable to “Winn Brook PTA for the Underwood Pool” which serves as the non-profit (501c3) fiscal agent for Belmont Partners in Play.

Belmont Partners in Play is coordinating the fundraising campaign, with the total amount used exclusively for the new pool. Each donation is tax-deductible.

Checks can also be mailed to Ellen Schreiber, 49 Sandrick Road, Belmont, MA 02478.

If you have any questions, please contact Ellen at ellensch@verizon.net or 617-290-6216.

To donate online, please visit www.underwoodpool.com.

Football: Promise Amidst the Pain in 31-0 Opening Loss to Stoneham

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Belmont High School Football team’s game and the season didn’t start the way Yann Kumin had hoped.

Belmont’s head coach – his first ever in charge of a program – saw Stoneham High School recover the on-side kick on the opening kickoff under the Friday night lights on Stoneham’s forlorn grass field on Sept. 12.

“Not the way to start,” commented Kumin when the referee pointed towards Belmont’s side of the field.

Despite the hope for a big performance on the first game under a new football mindset, the Marauders stumbled in the season opener, losing 30-0 to the Spartans.

“Disappointing,” said Kumin after speaking to his team, greeting people he knew from when he was Stoneham’s associate head coach last season and receiving congratulations from Belmont Athletic Director Jim Davis.

“I’m proud of my guys. We fought and we were a discipline football team from start to finish. That’s what we wanted to be. We worked hard but we did not get the result we wanted,” he said.

What Belmont could not control was the quickness and football IQ of Stoneham which ran a variety of rushing plays that found gaps in and around Belmont’s front line. Stoneham’s players experience within a system that relies on technique and speed paid off for the Spartans as they made plays that the Marauders could not.

Kumin said the team was not beaten in the physical portion of the game “but [Stoneham] is a team with three years of really quality coaching and teaching them how to tackle. We have had three weeks of coaching so it’s going to take a little bit more time for us.”

“You have a series of bad habits that have been instilled and repeated over and over again,” said Kumin of Belmont’s  past football culture.

“So when our guys find themselves in situations where they’re ‘behind the eight-ball’, it’s easy to revert back to what they’re comfortable doing, So all we, as coaches, have to do, day-in and day-out, is to break those bad habits and get great habits in place,” he said.

Throughout the contest, Kumin and his young assistant coaching staff were either making every play – and mistake – into a teachable moment or encouraging the effort of players. And Kumin saw great promise in several aspects of the Maruaders’ game.

“The positives exist in the fact that we are capable of making mistakes and coming back and try to do good things. We moved the ball really well and by the end of the second quarter, our offense was clicking,” said Kumin.

As he was walking off the field, Kumin told a Stoneham acquaintance that “you’ll have to come next year to [Belmont’s] Harris Field and we’ll be ready for you.”

The Week to Come: Solar Power Pricing Debated Thursday, Clifford at the Library Wednesday

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• The Belmont Municipal Light Board (which is made up of the Belmont Board of Selectmen) and the Board’s Advisory Board will be holding a joint public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium to discuss the new net metering policy which will impact resident who have existing solar power units.

• The 7th-8th Grade Book Club is meeting for the first time this school year on Monday, Sept. 15 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Young Adults Room of the Belmont Public Library to discuss Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan. Let’s discuss, eat snacks and pick next month’s book. Sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.

• Meet one-on-one with the staff of US Rep. Katherine Clark (representing the 5th Congressional District of Massachusetts) as they hold office hours at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., on Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

• Enjoy a free concert of music spanning three centuries with clarinetist and Belmont resident Marguerite Levin and pianist Sayuri  Miyamoto at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., on Tuesday, Sept. 16 beginning at 5 p.m. The concert is open to the public.

• The Belmont Book Discussion Group will discuss the masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez on Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Flett Room. Everyone is welcome to attend. Copies of the book can be requested through the library catalog or call the library’s Reference staff at 617-993-2870.

• The Belmont Historical Society is presenting an illustrated lecture by author Chaim M. Rosenberg on the book, “Francis Cabot Lowell: The Man Who Launched America’s Industrial Revolution” in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. 

• There will be a community blood drive at St. Joseph Parish, at the corner of School and Common streets, on Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Call 1-800-RED CROSS for more information.

• If you have a child who’s just beginning to read, it’s likely that his second favorite pet is that big, red dog Clifford. And the book character is visiting the Belmont Public Library’s Children’s Room on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m in the Assembly Room. Enjoy stories, activities, and surprises galore. Bring your camera so you can have your child’s picture taken with Clifford. Sponsored by the UFund college investing plan as part of the MEFA U.Fund Start U. Reading Series. For more information, please contact the Children’s Room at 617-993-2880.

• On the government front, the School Committee is returning from summer vacation and will meet for the first time this school year in the Chenery Middle School on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The Planning Board will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall to discuss two new two-families (318 Trapelo and 13 Birch) seeking permission to build while the Board of Health is setting up shop on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss increasing to 21 the age to purchase tobacco in Belmont as well as holding a “dog hearing” with “Diamond.”

• Al Natale and his Swing Orchestra will be performing a fundraising concert to benefit the Belmont Council on Aging for the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., on Thursday, Sept. 18 beginning at 7 p.m. This performance includes vocalists Sandi Bedrosian and Jim Bramante, crowd-pleasers at last year’s concert. The concert is open to the public, so bring family and friends. A suggested donation of $10

Belmont Yard Sales on Sept. 13-14

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Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales (and a free item giveaway event) happening in the 02478 zip code:

This weekend will see two large neighborhood yard sales in Belmont:

• “Shop around the Block” at several homes on Hurd, Selwyn and Oakley roads on beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. It’s so large there will be two lemonade stands. Also, there will be bundles of Martha Stewart magazines waiting to be taken away. Park in the Chenery Middle School lot off of Oakley. 

• Dozens of households are holding individual sales on Kent, Regent, Brookside, Lorimer, Mayfield and Vernon roads off Mill St.) running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. Perennials will also be for sale at 127 Brookside Ave. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• 236 Brighton St., Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• 20 Ericsson St., Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• 15 Exeter St., Saturday, Sept. 13, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

• 23 Leslie Rd., Saturday, Sept. 13, 9 a.m. to noon.

• 54 Park Rd., Saturday, Sept. 13, 8 a.m. to noon.

A New Era Begins Tonight for Belmont High Football

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This is it: the start of a new era for Belmont High School Football begins tonight, Friday, Sept. 12 as new varsity head coach Yann Kumin and his young group of assistant coaches will lead a new look Marauder team to Stoneham for the season opener against Stoneham High School beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The game marks a return to Stoneham for Kumin, who matriculated at Harvard and teaches English at Cambridge’s  Matignon High School, where he was the associate head coach last season. 

The team, which finished 0-11 last season, will bring back talented sophomore Cal Christorfori as quarterback and five senior captains including Max Jones, Austin Lutz, Nick Ryan, Omar Escobar and Darren Chan.

All you need to know about this team can be found in a remarkable video made by a pair of Belmont High School students, Lucas Tragos and James Neylon.

This Weekend in Belmont: Animals in the Gallery of Art!

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The Belmont Gallery of Art will begin its tenth year with a roar (and a bark, honk and a myriad of other animal sounds) with  the opening of Animal Arts, an juried exhibit featuring animals in a variety of media, from paintings to sculpture, ceramics, photography and collage created by more than 50 Massachusetts artists.

Animals Art will be in the Gallery from Sunday, Sept. 14 to Friday, Oct. 17.

The exhibit celebrates the unique bond between humans and animals, from wild beasts to family pets, that have long been a staple of artistic expression going back to man’s earliest days. Whether as totems, allegory or decoration, animals have been featured in some of art history’s greatest works: from DaVinci’s horses, to Rousseau’s primitive wildlife and Picasso’s bulls.

Belmont artist Richard Hill, who helps run the Belmont Gallery of Art together with colleague Rebecca Richards, conceived of the idea for Animal Art.

“I wanted to open the BGA’s tenth season with a long overdue appreciation of animals in art,” said Hill.

“The ‘menagerie’ up in the gallery should appeal to art lovers and animal lovers of all ages,” he said.

The Gallery will donate ten percent of sales from works sold at the Animal Art exhibit to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Angell.

The opening reception for Animal Art takes place on Friday, Sept. 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with special guest Dr. Dawn Binder from Belmont’s Cushing Square Veterinary Clinic. An accomplished artist herself, Binder – who often features animals in her art – agreed to serve as a guest judge and will present the “Best in Breed” and “Best in Show” awards at the reception.

Since opening its doors in July 2005, the Belmont Gallery of Art has presented more than 50 shows featuring the work of dozens of local and regional artists. The recipient of a Gold Star Award from the Mass Cultural Council, the BGA has been praised throughout the community for its support and promotion of the arts and culture in Belmont.

Animal Art will be on display in the BGA through Oct. 17. The Belmont Gallery of Art is located in the Town Hall Complex, third floor of the Homer Bldg., 19 Moore St., off Leonard St. in Belmont Center behind Belmont Savings Bank. Visit the BGA’s website at http://www.belmontgallery.org” www.belmontgallery.org for more information.

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