Belmont Issues Heat Advisory, Opens Cooling Center At Beech Street, 1/2 Price Pool Admission

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Photo: The Underwood Pool will have reduced admission during heat advisory.

Due to the upcoming period of high heat and humidity, the Beech Street Center at 266 Beech St. will be open as a cooling center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, and Wednesday, July 16-17.

Additionally, the Underwood Pool at the intersection of Concord and Cottage will be open Monday July 15 through Wednesday July 17 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is half price admission for Belmont residents until the close on Wednesday.

“We encourage everyone to stay cool and hydrated. We ask that you check on elderly friends and neighbors, along with others, who may need help during this period of high heat and humidity,” said a message from the Belmont Police Department

What’s Open/Closed On The 4th Of July, Trash Interrupted, Fireworks Close To Belmont

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Photo: Old Glory, Belmont

Thursday, July 4, the country observes Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 (The document was signed on July 2nd). 

Massachusetts’ own John Adams, who signed the Declaration and was the nation’s second president, said the Fourth should be celebrated the day with “Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” Adams would die on July 4th, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the document’s adoption, on the same day as the declaration’s chief author, Thomas Jefferson, the third president.

Other noted events occurring on July 4th:

1845: Henry David Thoreau moved to his cabin at Walden Pond in nearby Concord, where he wrote his series of reflective essays titled Walden; or, Life in the Woods.

1865: Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published.

1939: New York Yankee great Lou Gehrig gives his famous “Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth” speech before 63,000 fans at the Stadium after being diagnosed with ALS.

1960: The 50-star US flag is flown for the first time.

For most Belmontians, the most impactful result of the holiday is that trash and recycling pick up will be interrupted for one day due to the holiday. So Thursday’s pickup will take place on Friday.

Here is what’s closed and open on the 4th of July.

Closed on the 4th

  • Belmont Town Hall, the public library and town offices will also be closed on the 5th.
  • State and Federal government offices.
  • US Postal Service: Both Belmont post offices are closed; express delivery only.
  • Banks.

Opened

  • The Underwood Pool: Open to members and those purchasing day passes
  • Retail stores: Open at owner’s discretion
  • Supermarkets: Star Market on Trapelo Road in Waverley Square is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the pharmacy will be closed.
  • Coffee shops: Starbucks and Dunkin’s on Trapelo Road will operate during regular hours. The Dunks on Pleasant and Church will also be open.
  • CVS: 89 Leonard St. (Belmont Center) Store 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Pharmacy 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • CVS: 264 Trapelo St. Store 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Pharmacy 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For those who want to do someday traveling using public transportation, the MBTA is running on the following schedule:

  • Subway will run on a modified Saturday schedule until 3 p.m. After 3 p.m., the subway will run on a weekday schedule.
  • Bus and the RIDE will run on a Sunday schedule.
  • Commuter Rail will run on a weekend schedule. The last train on the Wachusett route, which serves Belmont and Waverley commuter stops, will be held at North Station until 11:25 p.m.
  • There is no fare after 9:30 p.m. on all lines.

Where to see fireworks celebrations near-ish to Belmont:

  • Arlington: Robbins Farm Park on Eastern Avenue. There will be music, refreshments, with the Boston Pops Orchestra and fireworks on a giant screen. Fireworks starting at 10:30 p.m.
  • Boston/Cambridge: along the Charles River at the Esplanade, 10:30 p.m. A great option: Use the Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path along the Charles to get to Boston.
  • Newton: Albemarle Field/Halloran Sports Complex, 9:10 p.m. Carnival rides, food trucks and a crafts fair starts at 1 p.m.

Why Wait? Underwood Pool Opening One Day Early On Wednesday, June 19

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Photo: Early opening for the Underwood Pool

The children are out of school for the summer, and a heatwave has descended on Belmont. Why wait to open the Underwood Pool? So, the town’s Recreation Department has decided to start the 2024 summer pool season one day early on Wednesday, June 19.

The pool, located at the corner of Concord Avenue and Cottage Street, will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on the last day of Spring.

The June 19th opening is being sponsored by Belmont Youth Activities and D.A.R.E.

Juneteenth: What Open/Closed In Belmont; Trash/Recycling Delayed By A Day

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Photo: The Juneteenth flag (credit: Wikipedia)

This year, on Wednesday, June 19, the country celebrates Juneteenth National Independence Day. It is a federal and Massachusetts holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining June and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. (Thank you, Wikipedia)

Trash and recycling pick-up will be delayed by a day.

Here is what’s closed and what’s open on Juneteenth:

  • Belmont Town Hall and town offices: Closed
  • Belmont Public Library (at the Beech Street Center and the Benton Library): Closed
  • Belmont Public Schools: Summer recess began last week
  • State and Federal government offices: Closed.
  • US Postal Service: Both Belmont post offices are closed; express delivery only.

Most retail operations are open for the new holiday.

  • Retail stores and coffee shops: Open
  • Liquor stores: Open.
  • Supermarkets: Open.
  • Convenience stores: Open.
  • Taverns, bars: Open.
  • Banks: Closed.

The MBTA will operate on its regular weekday schedule for those who want to use public transportation.

Belmont Opens Cooling Centers To Help Alleviate Midweek Heat Wave

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Photo: Cooling center opened for all residents

With temperatures during a midweek heat wave expected to reach the mid-90s to over 100 degrees, Belmont is providing a pair of cooling centers to help all residents stay comfortable and safe during the peak of the hot weather.

The Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., will be open on Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Center will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, as part of the Juneteenth holiday.

The Belmont Media Center, at 9 Lexington St., will be open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Water will be provided at both locations.

Belmont Pride March Along Concord Avenue, Belmont Center On Saturday, June 15

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Photo: Belmont Pride March is this Saturday, June 15

Belmont LGBTQ+ Alliance, Belmont Against Racism, and Human Rights Campaign are holding the annual Belmont Pride March and Celebration on Saturday, June 15, at 1 p.m., starting at the Belmont Town Green across from First Church Belmont at 404 Concord Ave.

The day will begin at 12:45 p.m. with opening remarks as residents gather before the parade. The parade will include a short march along Concord Avenue up to Belmont High School before returning through Belmont Center back to the Green. The route is relatively flat and accommodating for everyone.

What’s Open, Closed On Patriots’ Day; Trash/Recycling Delayed A Day

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Photo: Most retail shops and offices are open on Patriots’ Day

Patriots’ Day, the Bay State’s homegrown holiday, commemorates the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Menotomy on April 19, 1775, the first of the American Revolutionary War. 

While the first shot was fired in Lexington and the Regulars were halted at North Bridge in Concord, more than half of all casualties that day occurred in modern-day Arlington. Minutemen from surrounding towns converged on Menotomy to ambush the British over the short distance from Foot of the Rocks (at the intersection of Lowell Street and Massachusetts Avenue) to Spy Pond on their retreat back to Boston.

Arlington will celebrate on Patriots’ Day to greet National Lancers riders reenacting Paul Revere and Williams Dawes’s famous ride warning, “The Regulars are out!” The celebration will occuz r at Whittemore Park, in front of the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum, 611 Mass. Ave. While awaiting the riders, you’re invited to join the activities: crafts, snacks, and a scavenger hunt beginning at 11 a.m. The riders are expected around noon.

Most of the day’s attention is focused on the Boston Athletic Association’s annual 26.2 miles marathon. It will be a great day for runners and fans as the forecast calls for highs in the mid-60s, with some clouds during the race.

So, what’s opened and what’s closed?

Closed

  • Belmont Town Hall, offices, and buildings are closed, as is the Belmont Public Library currently in the Beech Street Center and the Benton Library.
  • Belmont public schools are closed Monday as they are shut for the week-long spring-time break.
  • State offices such as the Register of Motor Vehicles and courts are closed.

Due to the holiday, trash and recycling curbside pickup is delayed a day. If your removal day is Monday, don’t! Bring it to the side of the road on Tuesday.

And Massachusetts residents get an extra day to submit or mail their federal and state taxes. The deadline is Tuesday, April 16 at 11:59 p.m.,

Open

As it is a state holiday, the US Post Offices on Concord Avenue and in Waverley Square are open as are federal offices.

Star Market on Trapelo Road is open as are retail and convenience stores, eateries and restaurants, and liquor establishments.

Marathon Monday on the MBTA

While the Red Line subway at Harvard and Alewife will be running on a weekday schedule, buses are on a weekend timetable. In addition:

  • Various bus routes on the marathon route’s North and South sides will be detoured.
  • Due to congestion, bikes are prohibited on any MBTA vehicles on Patriots’ Day.
  • Copley Station will be closed Monday. 
  • View the MBTA’s Patriots’ Day schedule here

Belmont Garden Club’s Anne Allen Lecture Focus On Landscaping With Native Plants

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Photo: Landscape at Garden in the Woods (Credit: Wikipedia)

Ulrich Lorimer, director of horticulture for the Native Plant Trust, will be the feature speaker at the fourth Anne Allen Horticultural Lecture to take place Thursday, March 28 from 7:30 p.m. at The First Church in Belmont Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave. This lecture series is sponsored by The Belmont Garden Club.

Lorimer, an advocate for the use of native plants in the designed landscape, oversees the daily operation of the Garden in the Woods in Framingham, and at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts. Nasami Farm nursery focuses on the propagation of and research about New England native plants. 

The Anne Allen Horticultural Lecture is a biennial event that honors the life of Anne Allen, a life in gardening, horticulture and public service. Anne was a lifelong member of The Belmont Garden Club.  The Claflin family, which Allen is related, were founding members of The First Church in Belmont UU and founders of the town of Belmont.  

Belmont Musicians, Singers Ready to Welcome Spring At Concerts March 9, 10

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Photo: Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera

Welcome spring with music and song at a pair of concerts performed by Belmont musicians being performed on the second week of March.

The Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church, 421 Common St. in Cushing Square, will present its Annual Spring Concert on Saturday, March 9 at 7 p.m. in support of New England Justice For Our Neighbors (NEJFON), an organization providing free expert legal advice to low- and no-income immigrants.    

Featuring B-WUMC music director, Yilin You, and an outstanding collection of musician friends will perform music ranging from classical to jazz, in forms of violin/piano duo, brass ensemble, and piano four-hands in the church’s sanctuary followed by refreshments in the parlor.

A $20 donation is suggested to NEJFON at the door or give by contacting https://newenglandjfon.org/

On street parking will be available. A handicapped entrance is located off the small parking lot in the back of the church.

On the next day, the Philharmonic Society of Arlington presents the Arlington-Belmont Chorale and Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus in An Almost Spring Concert, on Sunday, March 10 at 3 p.m. at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 630 Massachusetts Ave. in Arlington. 

Music Director Barry Singer and Assistant Conductor Ana Zecic Jeffers will lead the Chorale in a diverse musical program including 

  • Missa Brevis by Dietrich Buxtehude
  • Messe Basse by Gabriel Faure
  • Crossing the Bar by Gwyneth Walker
  • O Love by Elaine Hagenberg
  • Celebrations by Vincent Persichetti, accompanied by members of the Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Chamber Chorus, under the direction of Barry Singer, will reprise a commissioned work, Three Poems of L. M. Montgomery, by Kenneth Seitz, accompanied by Julie Goldberg, flute.

Tickets are purchased at the door. $20 General Admission; $15 Seniors/Students; $5 Children 17 and under. This venue is wheelchair accessible. Masking is optional.

What’s Open/Closed On Presidents’ Day 2024 In Belmont; Trash/Recycling Delayed A Day

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Photo: Presidents’ Day in Belmont, 2024

Two for the price of one. Living in Massachusetts allows residents to have your choice of who we are celebrating on the third Monday of February.

Presidents’ Day is a commemoration of George Washington’s Feb. 22 birthday. And since it fell near the Feb. 12 birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the federal government in 1971 included the two birthdays under one holiday.

And here is a bit of trivia: The Bay State officially celebrates “Washington’s Birthday” on the same day as the federal holiday. So take your pick.

Trash and recycling curbside pick up is delayed by a day.

Closed

  • Belmont Town offices – Town Hall, Homer Building – and Belmont Light.
  • Belmont Public Schools are on winter recess.
  • Belmont Public Library at the Beech Street Center and the Benton Library.
  • US Postal Service offices On Concord Avenue and Trapelo Road: No deliveries.
  • Banks; although some branches will be open in supermarkets.
  • MBTA: Operating on a Saturday schedule. See www.mbta.com for details.

Open

• Retail stores

• Coffee shops; Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are open

• Supermarkets

• Convenience stores, and

• Establishments that sell beer and wine are also allowed to be open.