The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Property sales in June

8 Todd Pond Rd. — Miriam Zoll to John D. Robinson for $1,500,000 (June 27)

173 Concord Rd. — Erik Selsing to Erin A. Sienkiewicz and Christopher J. Stone for $981,500 (June 25)

22 Deerhaven Rd. — John P. Kennedy Trust to Diane and George Maranogoly Jr. for $975,000 (June 25)

26L Indian Camp Lane — Kathy J. Copeland to Justin Byrd and Gabrielle Horbaty-Byrd for $800,000 (June 18)

7 Deer Run Rd. — Joseph A. Wheelock to Margaret L. McLaughlin Trust and Buckalew & MacLaughlin Family Trust for $2,200,000 (June 21)

70 Cambridge Turnpike and 2 Horses Crossing — Anthony J. Mrugala to Peggy Fong for $1,200,000 (June 18)

241 Tower Rd. — Tessa F.L. Brackett to William and Laura Wear for $1,500,000 (June 10)

0 Weston Rd. — Heidi H. Russell to John K. and Donna Peck for $732,500 (June 4)

Town hoping for funds for commuter lot and other South Lincoln projects

An overview of some of the current and future improvements planned for the Lincoln Station area (click image to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

The town expects to hear within a few weeks about its request for a state grant to fund four roadway projects, including improvements to the unpaved resident commuter lot next to the railroad station in South Lincoln.

Of the requested $400,000 total, $203,000 would pay for paving the lot and improving handicapped parking as well as installing a sidewalk segment, stormwater system, and new signs. The application also seeks about $150,000 to build a 1,700-foot shared-use path linking the pedestrian/bicycle pocket park next to the train tracks to the Codman Road intersection, plus improved crosswalks there.

A third project costing $26,000 would fund alterations to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists at the intersection of Route 117 and Tower Road, and the remaining $20,000 would pay for finishing work on the pocket park with pavers and granite curbing.

A previous $400,000 Complete Streets grant in 2017 funded several projects that are now complete: the pocket park with its bike repair station and informational kiosk, wayfinding signs directing visitors to attractions including Drumlin Farm, repairs to various bike path segments that had been damaged by tree roots, a new sidewalk segment on Lincoln Road near the Ryan Estate, and a crosswalk with flashing lights and a pedestrian island on Route 117 close to the Lincoln Road intersection.

The projects are part of a larger South Lincoln revitalization effort spearheaded by the South Lincoln Planning Implementation Committee (SLPIC). Subgroups of that committee are also pursuing plans to revamp the MBTA station area, and to amend zoning in South Lincoln to encourage different housing and commercial options. SLPIC unveiled its proposals at a public forum in May.

Last year, the town was conditionally awarded $500,000 to design the commuter station improvements, but it’s unclear whether Lincoln will ever see that money. Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney said town officials are continuing to work with the MBTA and Lincoln’s state legislators, but obtaining funds from a grant or other alternative source would be very difficult because most grants require that the land in question be owned by the town.

Meanwhile, town officials held a kickoff meeting last week with a consultant who will look at options for a system that would allow commuters in the larger lot behind Donelan’s to pay for parking using using either a smartphone app or cash. No changes are expected until next spring because “lots of decisions that have to be made regarding the type of system, the fee (will it remain the same or increase), etc.,” Burney said.

Another area of SLIPC’s attention is the underused green space between the mall and Lincoln Woods. The town has applied three times for a matching grant to pay for work outlined by landscape architect Lemon Brooke LLC but with no luck thus far.

“Because the town does not own this, it’s up to the Rural Land Foundation to decide what they will do. The RLF is working closely with Lemon Brook Design Firm on a design and hopefully in the future we will see some improvements there,” Burney said. Officials are also looking at other sites around Lincoln Station for the playground that was part of that grant application.

Open house at Codman Community Farms

Codman Community Farms will host an open house on Saturday, July 27 from 10 a.m.–noon, with tours of the farm, cold drinks in the barn, and a chance for Q&A with CCF staff and board members. It’s a great chance to learn more about the farm and how it produces meat and eggs using sustainable, ethical practices. The farm store will be selling pasture-raised chicken, eggs, beef, pork, raspberries, and vegetables.

Walking tours leave from the main barn next to the farm store starting at 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Longer and shorter routes will be available. RSVP on the farm’s Facebook page or by emailing jon@codmanfarm.org.

EV charging station installed at Drumlin Farm

One of the EV charging stations installed at Mass Audubon sanctuaries by Eversource.

Visitors can now charge their electric vehicles while exploring Drumlin Farm, thanks to a partnership between Mass Audubon and Eversource.

The new facility at Mass Audubon headquarters in Lincoln is one of six EV charging stations either installed or under construction in the statewide network of wildlife sanctuaries. Eversource covers all electrical infrastructure costs and manages the process of installing the charging stations; participants only have to purchase and install the charging equipment. Charging stations have been installed at Moose Hill in Sharon, Wellfleet Bay in Wellfleet, and Broadmoor in Natick, with others under construction at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan and North River in Marshfield.

To help Massachusetts achieve its goal of having 300,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025, Eversource has committed to install nearly 3,500 individual EV ports at up to 400 locations across Massachusetts by 2020, 10% of those in environmental justice communities. The company also plans to install 67 DC fast-charging stations along major roadways.

“Since 2003, Mass Audubon has reduced its annual carbon emissions from its buildings and vehicles by almost 50%,” said Mass Audubon Vice President for Operations Bancroft Poor. “As Massachusetts’ largest nature conservation nonprofit, we believe that working with Eversource to expand EV charging access demonstrates our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and creating a clean environment. We’re proud to offer our visitors electric vehicle charging options.”

“In Massachusetts, more than 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector,” said Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner. “That’s why we’re actively working with municipalities and companies across the state to make EV charging stations more accessible. Our partnership with Mass Audubon is a perfect example of how we’re collaborating in the communities we serve to help address climate change.”

Five from Lincoln earn Girl Scouts’ highest honor

Lincoln’s 2019 Girl Scout Gold Award winners are (left to right) Anya Elder, Audrey Ory, Ashley du Toit, Alison Dwyer, and Lia Darling.

By Linda Hammett Ory

Five girls from Lincoln Girl Scout Troop 72886 who have been Scouts since kindergarten — Lia Darling, Ashley du Toit, Alison Dwyer, Anya Elder, and Audrey Ory — attained the honor of earning their Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

All five graduated from high school this year (du Toit, Dwyer and Elder from Lincoln-Sudbury High School, Darling from Beaver Country Day School, and Ory from the Middlesex School).

The girls were recognized at the State House on June 14 along with 88 other awardees from across Massachusetts. Lincoln had the most number of girls at the ceremony of any town represented. The girls received special commendations for their accomplishments from multiple sources, including the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives, their local state representatives, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, and Gov. Charles Baker.

To earn the Gold Award, Girl Scouts must identify an issue in their community they’a passionate about, and then complete a project to address the issue that will continue to operate in their absence. Each girl created her own project plan and team, and then devoted at least 80 hours to implement the plan.

Darling’s project was designed to address the lack of information about mental illness in her school and community. She formulated a plan and a team that used facts and stories to educate herself, classmates, and teachers about how to be mentally healthy and informed about types of mental illness and prevention.

“Girl Scouting is where you can challenge yourself to do things that you thought you couldn’t do,” said Darling, adding, “it’s a way to make incredible bonds with girls that will always support you throughout life.”

Du Toit focused on bicyclist safety in Lincoln. She worked with Lincoln’s local government and a special committee to successfully install road signs around town letting motorists know that “bicycles may use full lane,” and then wrapped up her project by organizing a bicycle safety event for children. 

“Girl Scouts teaches girls how to speak out and be bold without fear of being criticized,” said du Toit.

Dwyer’s project focused on increasing residents’ participation in Lincoln’s town government. She conducted several studies to identify best communication practices about how town decisions are made, and she developed a curriculum about local government that will now be added to the middle school social studies program.

Through the process of earning the Gold Award, “I discovered I enjoyed working with people I never thought I’d talk to, and I learned from others in the process,” Dwyer said.

Elder aimed to reduce cyberbullying by creating a program that will now be offered annually at her school to educate and bring awareness around the topic, with the aim of reducing the frequency of this damaging online behavior.

Girl Scouting “taught me not to shy away from opportunities or challenges, but rather, to embrace and appreciate them,” Elder said.

Ory developed and taught a financial literacy curriculum for middle school girls to foster both knowledge about finances and the confidence to pursue their interests in related fields. She pinpointed this critical developmental age as an important way to help address the lack of women in the finance industry.

“Without Girl Scouting, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, and I never could have done what I have been able to achieve,” said Ory.

In addition to learning all these life skills, Lia Darling reflected that “Girl Scouting is a way to make incredible bonds with girls that will always support you throughout life.”

Research has shown that girls who earn their Girl Scout Gold Award display a more positive sense of self, participate in more community service and civic engagement, and reach higher levels of education and income. If your daughter is aged 5–18 and is interested in joining the Lincoln Girl Scouts, contact Heather Coughlin at hmcoughlin@gmail.com.

News acorns

Minuteman Library Crawl on Aug. 1

Visit multiple libraries in the area on the 2019 Minuteman Library Crawl on Thursday, August 1 from 1–5 p.m. It’s a 21st-century scavenger hunt; the challenge is to visit as many as you can and take a picture of yourself with a designated item in each library. At the Lincoln Public Library, it’s the Lincoln Library quilt and/or the “Let the Rumpus Begin” bench. If you go to at least five libraries, you’ll get a prize (one per group). Each library will have handouts and giveaways as well as refreshments. All ages are welcome to participate in this self-guided tour that starts and ends wherever you like. Click here for your “passport” detailing the items to photograph n each library along with their addresses.

“Black Robe” screening at library

The next film to be shown by the Lincoln Library Film Society will be Black Robe (1991, rated R) on Thursday, August 1 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. A young Jesuit priest seeks to convert the Indian tribes in Canada while also trying to survive the harsh winter. Directed by Robert Beresford, starring Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young, and Sandrine Holt. 

Look for disability letters from the VA

By now, all veterans collecting disability compensation from the Veterans Administration (VA) should have received their “money letters.” This letter, which states the percentage of compensation and the dollar amount of money the VA will pay this year, is the basis for obtaining the Veterans Property Tax Abatement for Lincoln taxes. Exemptions run from $800 to $2,000, with most veterans receiving exemptions falling into the $800 range. Some dependents whose spouses died as a result of injuries or disease contracted in a war zone will receive total property tax exemption. If you have any questions,  please call Carolyn Bottum from the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811. She will take your contact information and have Lincoln’s Veterans Services Officer be in touch with you.

Yarn corridor invites walkers to explore Lincoln pathway

Lincoln Planning Department senior volunteer Gary Davis and summer intern Emily Glass walk along the yarn corridor.  

The new Lincoln Yarn Corridor installed by Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary aims to offer an unexpected place for contemplation or nature play on the walk from Lincoln Station to the farm.

Designed in support of the town’s effort to highlight the destinations that are accessible on foot from Lincoln Station, the colorful installation ties together the themes of the nature of the surrounding area with the sheep and wool of Drumlin Farm and serves as a point of interest on the walk from Lincoln Station to the farm.

The hand-woven yarn corridor winds among and within trees along the south sidewalk of Lincoln Road across from the Police and Fire Department. Starting from the trailhead at the new kiosk next to the commuter parking lot, walkers can follow the new wayfinding signs all the way to Drumlin Farm, with stops along the way at Codman Farm, Codman House and the new art installation. 

As the materials in the exhibit age, volunteers will work with the farm (following its philosophy of “sustainable interpretation”) to refresh the corridor, eventually letting the exhibit degrade naturally until it’s time to replace it with another installation around a different nature/art theme.

Eyes in the sky (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Some interesting “ocular” cloud formations in the sky over Lincoln’s Muster Field off Sandy Pond Road looking toward the Lincoln School in the early evening of July 2. (Photo by Chris Thompson)

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.