Hands ’round the Pond: Belmont Stands Up for Safety and Civility

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In the spirit of being a welcoming community, while acknowledging the recent increase in hate crimes across the state and nation, residents of Belmont and surrounding communities are invited to join “Stand-Up for Safety – Hands Around the Pond” on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the Concord Avenue side of Clay Pit Pond in Belmont.

The highlight of the event will be a “hands around the pond,” a powerful visual statement of residents standing shoulder-to-shoulder and linking hands around the pond.

“We calculate that we’ll need about 1,000 people joining hands to reach around Clay Pit Pond,” said event co-chair Donna Ruvolo in a press release.

“It’s ambitious, but we have already heard from families, teachers, students, religious institutions and civic and youth organizations who are eager to be involved in this unprecedented event.”

“Our goal is to bring the community together to reaffirm our commitment to safety and civility,” said Ruvolo. 

“It is also our hope that residents who are feeling threatened or fearful know that we, as a community, will stand up to discrimination, harassment and bullying.”

In addition, residents will be able to review plans for the proposed Veterans’ Memorial at this location, and to acknowledge the service of local veterans who are currently championing the memorial project.

Due to the non-political and on-partisan nature of this event, participants are requested to refrain from carrying a sign or wearing clothing that is affiliated with an individual political candidate’s name or slogan. Participants are also encouraged to dress for the elements. 

Parking is available in the Belmont High School parking lot, and walking, biking and car-pooling are encouraged. This is a family friendly event suitable for all ages, but it is requested that all dogs except service dogs are kept at home.

This event is being coordinated by members of the Stand-Up Campaign, a non-political and non-partisan organization committed to kindness, decency and civil discourse.  The Stand-Up Campaign is a branch of Belmont Against Racism. Co-sponsors include the Belmont Human Rights Commission, The Belmont Veterans Memorial Committee and the Belmont Religious Council.

For more information, please contact belmontagainstracism@gmail.com

Community Path’s ‘Hot’ Topics at Wednesday’s Meeting

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Photo: A previous public meeting of the Community Path Implementation committee.

“Hot topics” raised at three previous community meetings will return for a second go-around before residents as the Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee holds its fourth public meeting on the creation of a multi-use route through Belmont.

The meeting takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School, 90 School St.

The night will focus on discussing the major issues – such as privacy, on- and off-road path and alternative routes – with the committee’s engineering and landscaping consultants who are creating a feasibility study of the pathway.

The consultants, lead by Foxboro-based Pare Corp., will take data and information from the meeting and incorporate it into a matrix which will evaluate the various alternative routes.

“All views and comments made during the meeting will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible,” said the committee in its agenda.

Historic Resources Survey Makes Public Debut on Thursday

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Photo: Redtop, the historic house located at 90 Somerset St. It was once the home of William Dean Howells and family.

After two years of compiling and sorting data and information, the summary findings of the Belmont Historic Resources Survey will be presented in the Board of Selectmen’s Meeting Room, at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Dec. 8.

The town-wide survey of historic properties, conducted by Preservation Consultant Lisa Mausolf, was funded by a grant of $115,000 from the Community Preservation Committee in 2013.

“The Historic District Commission is excited that the historic survey project is nearing completion,” said Lauren Meier, co-chair of the Belmont Historic District Commission.

“It fills in a number of gaps in the documentation about Belmont’s historic resources and will be a valuable tool for the Commission going forward. We are grateful to the Community Preservation Committee and Town Meeting for making this possible,” said Meier.

The survey is an update of the 1984 book Belmont: The Architecture and Development of the Town of Homes, a comprehensive architectural and historic survey of Belmont created by the Boston University Preservation Studies Program. 

In 2013, the Belmont Historic District Commission embarked on revisiting the data, hiring Mausolf to update forms with new information and prepare new forms for resources that had been overlooked in the previous effort.   

The information collected can inform state and federal agencies when federally or state funded projects are planned that might adversely affect a significant cultural resource.  

On the local level, the new inventory can help communities identify significant resources and prioritize future preservation activities including listing properties on the National Register of Historic Places and establishing local historic districts or neighborhood conservation districts.  

The inventory also serves as a basis for the Belmont Historic District Commission to determine which of the town’s significant historic buildings should be subject to the Demolition Delay Bylaw.

Here Comes Santa Claus: Kris Kringle Takes the T to Belmont [VIDEO]

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Photo:Santa in Belmont for the second time this week.

Each year, Santa Claus makes his annual visit to the Belmont Lions Club’s Children Christmas Party via the MBTA commuter rail, always arriving at Belmont station on the 2:30 p.m. train.

Because he’s ageless, Santa only has to pay $2.75 from his trip from the North Pole.

Santa recruited Belmont’s Becca Pizzi as his special elf this year.

Holiday Cardboard Recycling Set for Saturday, Dec. 3

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For the first time, Belmont’s Highway Department will accept uncut cardboard packaging for recycling. 

Residents will be able to drop off cardboard – which will need to be folded at the Department of Public Works Town Yard – on Saturday, Dec. 3 between 9 a.m. and noon.

While Belmont’s trash and recycling contractor accept cardboard, it must be cut into pieces no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet and tied or taped together to make a stack no more than nine inches high.

The new pilot program will take place on three Saturdays – the other dates are Jan. 7 and Feb. 4 – during the holiday season. The DPW will evaluate the scheme in February to determine if it will become an annual service. 

Fill Some Holiday ‘Big Wishes’ at Belmont Savings’ Giving Tree Drive

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Photo: A giving tree at Belmont Savings.

To help brighten the season for local children, Belmont Savings Bank is supporting the “Big Wishes Gift Drive” in its Belmont, Watertown and Cambridge branches to benefit the Home for Little Wanderers.

From now until Dec. 15, those interested in participating can stop by Belmont Savings Bank branches in Belmont, Watertown or Cambridge and select an ornament from the giving trees on display. Each ornament indicates the gender and age of a child, as well as the type of gift needed.

All unwrapped gifts dropped off at Belmont Savings will be delivered to the Home for Little Wanderers, which serves children and youth from birth to 21, making a positive impact on more than 7,000 lives each year through a wide network of programs.

Located in Waltham, Dorchester, Roslindale, Plymouth, Walpole, Roxbury, Norwood, Brighton, Somerville and Bridgewater, The Home has an “open door structure that allows children, families, and young adults access services at any point in continuum of care, based on their needs.” Services include: adoption, foster care, clinical and family support, residential care, special education, youth aging out, case management, and program evaluation.

For additional information, please visit Belmont Savings Bank’s website.

Panos Named A ‘Super Lawyer’ by Boston Magazine

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Photo: Laura Panos

The Law Office of Laura A. Panos is proud to announce that its founder, Laura Panos, has been named one of Boston Magazine’s “Super Lawyers,” a designation given to outstanding attorneys.

“I am honored this year to be selected to join such a distinguished circle of peers,” said Panos who has been practicing law for more than 25 years and serving the Belmont community for more than a decade. 

Her office is located at 50 Leonard St. in Belmont Center.

Panos was also named one of 50 Top Women of Law in Massachusetts for 2014 by Massachusetts Lawyers’ Weekly.

Panos provides employment counseling to businesses and individuals at every level, including representation of a large number of locally owned businesses. The spectrum of services includes terminations, severance, leaves of absence, policy drafting and presentations and trainings on a wide range of employment topics. Individualized counseling specific to industry and position are a unique strength.

“We strive to provide practical, creative, employment solutions specific to our client’s needs. We make it a priority to serve as both client advisor and strategic counselor to optimize opportunities and mitigate risk,” she said.

Belmont High Athletes Honored For Assisting Chenery Runner to Compete

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Photo: A representative of the MIAA with (not in order) Danielle Baiany, Reagan Haight and Jenna Magno and Natalie Peterson last week. 

A quartet of Belmont High athletes was honored by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association for allowing a visually impaired Chenery Middle School runner to compete in her sport this fall.

Seniors Danielle Baiany, Reagan Haight and Jenna Magno and junior Natalie Peterson were recognized with the MIAA Educational Athletics Achievement Award for Community Service and Leadership at last week’s Pep Rally.

The four worked together to support a 7th-grade runner so she could not just participate in the races but to practice with her peers, making themselves available so she could be a member of the team. The high schoolers would talk to the runner and help her navigate courses that were more tactical and challenging for a runner with limited vision.

“They embraced the opportunity and had been a reliable support so that the athlete has been able to participate … without hindrances,” noted the MIAA.

“These four student-athletes are models of how their service not only impacts the individual they are supporting and their community but also benefits them as well.”

School Committee to Ponder Pre-Labor Day District Opening in ’17

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Photo: The Belmont School Committee

Long standing end-of-summer activities of Belmont families could be put on hold next year as a majority of the Belmont School Committee spoke favorably of opening the town’s six public schools the week before Labor Day next September.

The committee’s unofficial consensus came as the school administration presented a draft of next school year’s calendar to the group at its scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Under the proposed timetable, the 2017-18 school year would begin on Wednesday, Sept. 6, one of the latest opening in many years as Labor Day will be celebrated on Monday, Sept. 4. The late start will also mean kindergarteners would not have a full day until Monday, Sept. 11.

“That’s a long way before classes start,” said Belmont Assistant Superintendent Janice Darias.

The final day of school without snow days included will be Wednesday, June 13. With the traditional five snow days added, the school year ends on Wednesday, June 20, the day before summer.

High School graduation would be on Sunday, June 3, 2018.

While praising the preliminary Almanac, the late start allowed Superintendent John P. Phelan to reiterate a long-standing personal preference that students and teachers benefit from a pre-Labor Day start to the school year.

Phelan said holding two full days of classes on the Wednesday and Thursday before Labor Day allows students “to get all the hot air” out of their systems before the long holiday weekend.

Psychologically, the “first-day worries” experienced by students and teachers are out of the way, and the students are “in school” during the first full week in September, said Phelan.

While traditionally the case against a pre-Labor Day start was predicated on families being on long vacations and in camp up until the holiday, many students, especially in the high school, are active with school events before the holiday. All the fall sports programs have begun training with many scheduling scrimmages and attending pre-season tournaments while the 100-plus member marching band is perfecting their routine during the same period.

And due to the lateness of Labor Day, many local and out-of-state camps will have shut down weeks before and sent the children home.

An earlier start “helps working parents” who have two to three weeks to fill before traditional school starts.

Phelan also noted teachers and staff “liked starting before Labor Day” as it allows them to finish perfunctory classroom matters during the short week and start original studies on the Tuesday after the holiday.

For the majority of school committee members, the change – which would go against district policy to start the school year after Labor Day – is well worth considering.

“I’m more than willing to explore” changing the start of the school year, said Committee member Tom Caputo. Susan Burgess-Cox noted in her family her daughter, entering first grade in September, “had a stomach ache” over the Labor Day weekend due to the anxiety attending a new school while her niece in Acton benefited from two days before the long holiday to explore her new school.

Darias said she would present at least one alternative calendar with students in classes on Wednesday, Aug. 30, (teachers and staff would begin Monday, Aug. 28) at the next school committee meeting on Dec. 13.

Join Plymouth Church’s Great Holiday Cookie Bake Off This Saturday

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Photo: A classic from the Great British Bake Off Show (credit BBC)
 
Calling all bakers; here is your opportunity to claim the title of cookie champ of Belmont. 
 
On Saturday, Dec. 3, Plymouth Congregational Church will be hosting a Christmas Cafe and Holiday Cookie Bakeoff from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Boston Foodies photographer and blogger Tiffany Lopinsky – who has more than 80,000 Instagram followers – will take on the Mary Berry role as the special guest bakeoff judge along with the public for the cookie tasting.
 
Professional and amateur bakers may submit entries here before noon, Friday, Dec. 2. Winners will have photos of their cookies posted on Boston Foodies.
 
Food offerings include home baked breads, luncheon with soup, sandwiches and salad and cookie tasting for dessert. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the church, located at 582 Pleasant St.
 
Kids crafts and games will be available from 10 a.m. to noon. Kids can make a gift for someone special for $2. Boy Scouts will be selling wreaths at the Cafe entrance.