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

SBC hears preliminary school cost estimates

The “B” series of concepts that call for mostly new construction at the Lincoln School (click to enlarge).

Officials now have some rough cost estimates in hand for different approaches to a Lincoln School project, and they urge residents to attend a community workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 23 to offer feedback on the various options that architects have presented to the School Building Committee.

The identical January 23 workshops will be held from 8–10 a.m. and 7–9 p.m. in the Reed Gym. They are a critical point of community engagement and guidance and will play an important role in shaping what residents will see at a special Town Meeting on June 9 when they vote to select a preliminary design.

There will also be a multi-board meeting of the SBC, Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Finance Committee, Capital Planning Committee, School Building Committee, and Community Center Planning & Preliminary Design Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Town Office Building.

To cap off the month, preliminary designs for a community center on the Hartwell campus will be presented at public forums on Tuesday, Jan. 30 from 8–10 a.m. and 7–9 p.m. in the Hartwell B pod.

The SBC learned in mid-November that a basic project to make repairs and bring the school building up to code would cost about $46 million. A significant portion of this cost would be eaten up by no- instructional space because of required code compliance upgrades. For example, outside entrances now require an airlock, and converted closet spaces could no longer be used for teaching, Selectman and SBC member Jennifer Glass noted at a selectmen’s meeting on November 27.

The “A” series of school options would involve more renovation than new construction (click to enlarge).

At the SBC’s November 29 meeting, members looked at possibilities for “the other bookend,” as Glass put it—a comprehensive project with almost all new construction (though retaining the Reed Gym and Donaldson Auditorium in every case) that would achieve all of the school’s educational and sustainability goals.

Those plans aimed for the greatest possible efficiency in terms of devoting square footage to educational space compared to the elongated current building, which has 50,000 square feet of circulation space (primarily hallways and lobbies). This criterion also maximizes the building’s energy efficiency. At construction costs of $600 per square foot, each of the November 29 proposals would cost at least $90 million.

These four “B” concepts concentrate the school on the north side of the Ballfield Road campus. They are summarized in the SBC’s meeting minutes.

On December 13, the SBC saw four new “A” proposals that call for a greater proportion of renovation vs. demolition and new construction. In each case, the current 139,000-square-foot building would be transformed into a building of 150,000–156,000 square feet. All four call for demolishing the old Smith building and replacing it with a larger piece there. Options A2–A4 call for additions elsewhere in the school as well.

Option A1 (which does not include the “hubs” for grades 3–8 found in the other three alternatives) would cost about $73 million, while the other three are about $82–84 million.

News acorns

“Snowman Mailbox” built by Team Webber (11 Minebrook Rd.) in February 2015.

Snow sculpture contest now underway

Given the vagaries of New England weather, the Parks and recreation Department has decided this year to widen the time window for the annual Lincoln Winter Festival snow sculpture contest. Resients can build a snow sculpture any time between now and late January. Once it’s finished, take a photo with a time/date stamp and email it to smulroy@lincnet.org. Email submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27. Parks and Rec will then post everything online for the community to vote on. Winners will be chosen on Friday, Feb. 2. Click here to see photos of the 2015 entries and the winners.

Personnel Board has an opening

The town’s Personnel Board is seeking a volunteer to fill a vacancy. Subject matter expertise isn’t necessary. Anyone who is interested in this position—or any other opportunity to serve on a town board of commission—should fill out and submit this volunteer form.

L-S Adult Ed offers bridge, yoga, tai chi, SAT prep

Lincoln-Sudbury Adult Education is offering a special six-week program in January and February to play and practice bridge with a teacher’s guidance. Bridge players of all abilities are welcome. Muggsie Rocco, a successful tournament player and bridge teacher, will give a brief mini-lesson or “bridge tip” each week, then stay while you play to answer questions as you go. Scoring will be Chicago style and all tables will play the same pre-arranged but randomly dealt hands. This is a great opportunity for newer players to gain some valuable practice under the guidance of a seasoned player/teacher. More experienced players are also invited to play in a friendly, no-pressure setting with new friends and old, ask questions, and gain knowledge of modern bridge techniques. To enroll, you should already know the fundamentals of bridge, as you will launch right into playing in week #1. Bring a partner if you have one; singles are welcome and will be paired up in class. Sessions take place in the L-S library from 7–9 p.m. on Thursday, January 11, 18, and 25 and February 1, 8, and 15. March 1 will be a snow make-up date if necessary. The cost is $70.

L-S Adult Ed is also offering special winter classes in yoga, tai chi and SAT preparation. Register online for any of these classes or mail a check payable to “L-S Adult Ed” to LS Adult Ed, 390 Lincoln Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776.

Town offers well-being calls

The Council on Aging and the Public Safety Department offer “well-being” telephone calls to residents of all ages during storms and other emergencies. They will call you when storms cause extensive power outages and during extended spells of extreme cold and other similar situations. If they can’t reach you by phone, Public Safety will visit your home for a well-being check to make sure you’re all right. You may also specify when you would like to be called.

To sign up for this service, please call the COA at 781-259-8811 and give your name, address, and any phone numbers you would like them to call (a cell phone or family member, for example), as well as any other pertinent information you would like to share with them, such as special medical needs. You may ask to be taken off the list at any time.

Property sales in November

6 Smith Hill — Xiaowen Chan to Kai Wang for $1,070,000 (November 15)

5 Birchwood Lane — Deborah Robbins, trustee to Phyllis Green for $554,000 (November 14)

17 Story Dr. — David Hwang to Lee O’Brien and Jeffrey Sutherland for $1,380,000 (November 9)

27 Conant Rd. — John Klobuchar, trustee to Russell Kondaveti and Keerthi Bala for $864,000 (November 9)

226 Rower Rd. — William Sporrong to Elizabeth and Robert Luczak for $1,590,000 (November 6)

76 Trapelo Rd. — John Robinson to Neil H. Aronson, trustee for $1,230,000 (November 3)

Letter to the editor: Lincoln Dems sponsor 2018 kickoff rally

To the editor:

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee is sponsoring a Campaign 2018 Red-to-Blue Kick Off Rally on Sunday, Jan. 14. A reception will be held from 12:30–1 p.m. and the program will follow from 1–3 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Massachusetts Reps. Katherine Clark and Seth Moulton have been invited to review new congressional candidate endorsements for contested and open seats across the nation, and to illustrate how attendees can learn how to support them.

For those who were fearful and critical of the election of Donald Trump as president, have your fears and criticisms been confirmed?  For those who voted for Donald Trump, do you feel betrayed and embarrassed? Red to Blue Democratic Campaign 2018 brings a rising wave in record numbers of fresh young and intelligent talent—but electing them will only happen with serious grassroots support.

Our own Rep. Clark is now vice chair in charge of recruiting for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) to identify, train, and encourage Democratic candidates in Congressional races from Maine to California. Rep. Moulton is endorsing several highly qualified candidates with military experience across the nation as well. Emily’s List is endorsing women for a full range of electoral seats for state and local offices, as well as for Congress, the Senate and state Governors.

The DCCC is encouraged by the elections in Virginia and New Jersey. They believe we can flip the House and turn red states blue. As of September 30, 391 Democratic challengers have filed with the Federal Election Commission—up from 209 in June. These new candidates are known and respected in their home districts for their devotion to their community values, honest dedicated government, and truthful democracy. They come from every walk of life to seek positive change and make a constructive contribution.

Gary Davis and Barbara Slayter
Co-Chairs, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

Pierce House New Years’ Day gala rises again

The 2004 New Year’s Day gala at the Pierce House kicked off Lincoln’s 250th birthday celebration in 2004. And yes, there were 250 candles on the birthday cake. (Photo courtesy of Sara Mattes)

The annual New Year’s Day gala at the Pierce House was a Lincoln tradition that seemed to be a no-go this time around—but it’s back by popular demand.

The Pierce Property Committee announced last week that it was canceling the open house scheduled for Jan. 1, 2018 due to unforeseen budget constraints. For the previous 23 years, Richard and Susan Silver, the house’s former caretakers, organized the event and started making and freezing home-made soups for weeks in advance to serve hundreds of Lincolnites who gathered to mark the first day of each new year.

During the Silvers’ long tenure, there were very few improvements in the caretaker’s upstairs living quarters, so the committee spent $35,000 on work to renovate that area and bring it up to code for new caretaker Nancy Beach, who arrived last winter. They also had to pay the Silvers $11,000 for accrued vacation time, said committee chair Terry Green.

But this year’s announced cancellation caused a wave of consternation among residents who expressed dismay on the LincolnTalk email list and offered to pitch in with food and labor to make it happen. “Lincoln is stepping up to the plate and wants the party,” said Green, who talked to Town Administrator Tim Higgins ask about possible alternative funding sources.

On Monday evening, Green reported that “town officials are on board for the celebration” and funding was “a work in progress.” The Ogden Codman Trust is expected to contribute, and the Lincoln Family Association has also offered to help. The fallback plan is to do the entire event as a potluck; though this would probably be permitted in some fashion by the Board of Health, the logistics would be formidable, Green noted.

Green warned that the event will be different than in the past, with catered food rather than home-made soup and alcohol still a question mark. However, organizers are not considering charing admission to defray expenses. “We think it’s important to have a celebration that everyone can come to without regard to cost,” she said.

Previous New Year’s events at the Pierce House cost about $7,000 in addition to the Silvers’ donated labor to make the soups. Soup and labor provided by entirely a caterer would cost about $10,000, so the menu will probably be a departure from tradition as well, Green said.

Oxbow Meadow proposal to be decided by state court

The red oval shows the location of the proposed Oxbow Meadow playing field in Wayland, just south of the Lincoln town line in red (click to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

Opponents of a new playing field at Oxbow Meadows in Wayland close to the Lincoln town line have filed suit in an attempt to halt the project, but “both sides are talking right now” about resolving some of issues outlined in the appeal, according to Sarkis Sarkisian, Wayland’s town planner.

​​The recreational field was proposed by the Wayland Parks and Recreation Department for the old Nike missile site on Trout Brook Road just south of Birchwood Lane in Lincoln. The site would include a soccer field, a 34-space parking lot, and a pathway connecting to the existing Farrar Pond trail network, but no lighting. The playing field is a permitted use, but the town needed Planning board approval to expand parking from the current 10 spaces.

The proposal is the subject of numerous “Save Oxbow Meadows” lawn signs in Wayland and Lincoln, and the issue was debated in an August 4 Boston Globe article

The federal government deactivated the site in 1974 and Wayland purchased some of the land for housing and recreation purposes, according to a Wayland Recreation Department website detailing the history of the site and the various studies that have been done over the years.

The Wayland Planning Board granted site plan approval with conditions on August 8. Abutters filed an appeal in August with the state Land Court and the Zoning Board of Appeals, taking issue with a traffic study and the project’s potential impact on pedestrians from overflow parking on nearby roads. The ZBA determined it had no standing in the case because there was no building permit involved, but the court litigation is still pending.

At a Lincoln Board of Selectmen meeting in July, some residents expressed concern about the possibility of increased traffic on Farrar Road as well as environmental impacts from digging up land that may have been polluted by the missile site. But selectmen and Town Administrator Tim Higgins noted that Lincoln has no legal jurisdiction to intervene, although the board sent a letter in June asking Wayland to minimize impacts from traffic, noise and light.

Other Wayland projects

Wayland and Lincoln share the problem of having too few public playing fields. Last spring, Lincoln approved purchase of some of the Wang property on Bedford Road and is building a playing field which will be shared with the Birches School.

Two more fields were recently built in Wayland close to the Lincoln town line on Old Sudbury Road by the Carroll School, which has relocated some of its students to renovated buildings on  the site. Lincoln officials explored the possibility of seeking field privileges there, “but we were advised by Carroll School that this would not be an option as they are attempting to limit impacts on the neighborhood,” Higgins said earlier this month. The town has not requested privileges for the proposed Oxbow playing field, he added.

A second set of protest lawn signs in Lincoln and Wayland saying “Stop the Monster” refers to another Wayland construction proposal. Developers are hoping to build a three-story residential building with 60 units (15 of which would be affordable housing) at 133-119 Boston Post Rd. on the site of the former Mahoney’s Garden Center, which has moved to expanded quarters at the company’s existing location at Nine Acre Corner in Concord. Yet another proposal for 188 apartments at 484-490 Boston Post Rd. near Wayland’s town line with Sudbury. At least 25 percent of those units will be affordable, and at least 25 percent age-restricted for older residents. Both proposals are in the public hearing process with the Wayland ZBA.

Letter to the editor: shop local for the holidays

Dear fellow Lincolnites,

Yesterday I needed two small gifts to take to a holiday lunch with friends. I headed for the Old Town Hall Exchange to see what they might have. In five minutes I discovered some high-quality soap made in Afghanistan to benefit a good cause. Perfect! I came away pleased with my purchase and stress free. (Or at least for the moment, in these hectic days.)
Don’t forget our local Lincoln shops where a familiar face will greet you and you will walk away on a holiday cloud (or at least for the moment).
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Hales
32 Huckleberry Hill Rd

News acorns

Estate sale of dolls to benefit MCC

The Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee will have a doll-focused estate sale on Sunday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.–9 p.m. at 18 Cerulean Way in Lincoln. On offer will be American Girl and Pleasant Company doll baskets, vintage porcelain Franklin Mint dolls, and antique and vintage dolls from all over the world. If you don’t have a special someone buy for, you can purchase a doll to donate to the Home for Little Wanderers in Boston. Your purchase will support two non-profit organizations. There will be tea, wine, chocolate, cheese, and music. Cash, checks, debit and credit cards will be accepted.

Gift basket fundraiser for scholarship

On Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 8 a.m.–3 p.m., the Lincoln-Sudbury Teachers Association will hold a silent auction and raffle to raise money for the 2018 the Paul J. Vernon Memorial Scholarship Award given to a graduating senior. Up for auction will be gift baskets from Starbucks Basket, Candy Apple Shop Basket, Movie Basket, Mindfulness Basket, Bath and Body Works, Book Basket, and Duck Soup; gift cards from Target, Sudbury Pizza, Sudbury Coffee Works, CJ’s Pizza, Selections Boutique, Pure Barre; baked goods and more.

First Parish plans several holiday happenings

Karin Levy and Nancy Fleming, co-chairs of First Parish in Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair, display the wealth of greenery to be made into wreaths and centerpieces for the fair on Saturday, December 9th from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Parish House Auditorium at 14 Bedford Rd.

  • The annual Touch of Christmas Fair will be on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.in the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.). Click here for details.
  • Students in the religious education program at the First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) will perform a Christmas pageant on Sunday, Dec. 17. Come enjoy this annual portrayal of the traditional Christmas at 11:30 a.m. in Bemis Hall. There is no snow date. Goodies donated by the families of FPL will be served after the pageant.
  • There will be a hand bell concert on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Parish House. This will be the eighth annual candlelight concert of Christmas carols and holiday favorites. Admission is free, and there will be a reception to follow.
  • The FPL’s Winter Solstice Service will take place on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Parish House. In the tradition of cultures ancient and modern, the First Parish’s service will include music and meditation, story and song as we welcome the return of the light during the winter season. Ministerial intern Terry Cummings will lead the service along with church deacons. The service will be followed by refreshments and conversation in the new Stearns Room at 4 Bedford Rd.
  • As part of its “Live in Lincoln Center” series, the First Parish will present Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. in the Parish House. The traditional holiday musical production will be performed by Ian Watson (conductor/harpsichord), Guy Fishman, Aisslinn Nosky and more, plus the Lincoln Baroque Players and Chorus. Suggested donation is $40 but any amount is appreciated. Seating is limited and is first-come, first seated; doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

Letter to the editor: thank you from the Lincoln Food Pantry

To the editor:

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul would like to thank all those who helped make this Thanksgiving special for our pantry clients. We helped 29 households, a total of 65 clients most of whom live or work in Lincoln and Weston. We are grateful to:

  • the 17 volunteers
  • St. Julia parishioners for making monetary or food donations
  • the Religious Education students and their parents for helping fill the bags
  • Joanne Dolan of Gold Bell for a huge amount of vegetables
  • the Boyce family for donating apple cider for all of our clients
  • Donelan’s Supermarket in Lincoln and their customers for donating over 1,000 items of food
  • students from the First Parish in Lincoln and their teachers for collecting a large amount of food in front of Donelan’s, and the customers for contributing
  • FELS (the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury) for organizing a pie sale, and the families who donated their pies to our pantry clients

It takes a village to ensure that all pantry clients can celebrate Thanksgiving. Many thanks to all of you!

Sincerely,

Ursula Nowak (Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph Conference)
33 Conant Rd.

GearTicks students help create prosthetic hands for kids

The GearTicks robotics team. Back row, left to right: Trevor Tsang, Anna Sander, Evan Lee, Jack Hutchinson, Wesley Lo, Ben Morris, Kevin Ji, Alex Payne, and Andreas Muzila. Middle/front row, left to right: Emily Appleby, Olivia Crisafi, Amelia Pilar, Howie Tsang, Irene Terpstra, Audrey Gammack, Ken Hawkey,  and Prerna Karmacharya. All are Lincoln residents; Lee, Terpstra, and the Tsangs are L-S students, Hutchinson and Sander attend Concord Academy, and the others are Lincoln School students (click image to enlarge).

By Anna Sander, Prerna Karmacharya, and Evan Lee

A group of middle- and high school students from Lincoln has partnered with the Maker Club at the Perkins School for the Blind to make prosthetic hands using the Lincoln GearTicks’ 3D printer.

The GearTicks—the robotics team of students from the Lincoln School, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and other schools—used their 3D printing, puzzle solving, and mechanical assembly skills to create low-cost prosthetic hands for children who aren’t able to afford more expensive prosthetics as they grow.

e-NABLE, which provides the designs for the hands, had its beginnings five years ago when founder Ivan Owen collaborated with a South African carpenter who had lost a finger in a woodworking accident. He ultimately developed a set of 3D-printable prosthetic hands and put the designs for them in the public domain so they can be printed and assembled by anyone with access to a 3D printer.

The GearTicks participate in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), an annual robotics competition whose mission to encourage students to enter robotics and other STEM-related fields. Although the competition involves designing, building, and programming robots, there’s also a focus on community outreach. After hearing about e-NABLE’s project, the team knew they wanted to become part of the global e-NABLE community of hand-builders that’s sprung up to help those who were born without fingers or lost them to due to injuries or disease.

The GearTicks got their first 3D printer, a Flashforge Creator, four years ago, and they were able to print most of the parts for their robot for the 2016-17 season. The machine uses plastic filaments to create a precise layered object based on a CAD (computer-aided design) file. The team now has a new Prusa i3 MK2 3D printer and is in the process of designing and printing for this season’s robot. With the help of GearTicks coach Anne Hutchinson, they even made this video starring and written by team members Anna Sander and Jack Hutchinson explaining how the team uses 3D printing.

This fall, the GearTicks printed several sets of the e-NABLE hands. They used a plethora of colors, mixing and matching fingers, thumbs and various other joints to create colorful and unique hands to ship around the world. Eventually, they expanded the project to other outreach events, such as Boston Scientific’s Bring Your Child to Work Day and the Girl Scouts’ “Geek is Glam” Expo, where they worked with students on assembling the hands. At this year’s Boston Scientific event (which the GearTicks have been involved with every summer since 2015) they hosted about 300 kids over the course of six hours and worked with them to assemble hands, build Bristlebots, and teach them how to drive the GearTicks robot.

Most recently, the GearTicks partnered with the Perkins School’s Maker Club, which began as a group for visually impaired students interested in STEM-related opportunities beyond the classroom. The Lincoln students attended several of the club’s meetings, getting to know the Perkins students by working alongside them on their current projects. Later, the students split into mixed teams with each group receiving a kit of parts for one hand and all the necessary instructions to assemble it. Everyone got to work deciphering the assembly guide, and the sighted students helped the Perkins kids feel how the parts were supposed to fit together. Subsequent visits focused on creating the hands in these groups.

Natalie, a 21-year-old Perkins student, worked in a group with GearTicks members Evan Lee of L-S and Lincoln School eighth-grader Alex Payne. Pushing in the assembly pins for the hands was initially a challenge for her, but she and her group mates completed one full hand and half of a second. The kids also found that they had many common interests beyond engineering—everyone loved Spanish and music. By the third meeting, Natalie had learned the words for different colors and hand parts in Spanish.

Another Perkins student, CJ, worked with Jack Hutchinson, a student at Concord Academy. CJ, who really enjoys puzzles, immediately dove into the project. Despite not being able to see, he had a natural grasp of the project and required little instruction or help. “CJ was a really cool kid to work with. He was really talented with his hands, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the future,” Hutchinson said.

Together, the groups assembled over 20 prosthetic hands. Despite coming from different backgrounds and abilities, all the students found a common passion for using their engineering skills for the benefit of their community. They’re hoping to meet one more time to package the hands and send them to kids who need them.

Other community service projects

In addition to the hands project, the GearTicks have been working on a Deer DeFence project for Minuteman National Historic Park. A landscape architect for the National Park Service contacted them last spring to see if they could design a fastener to support an enclosure to protect trees in the park’s orchards from hungry deer and goats. Over the summer and fall, they designed several iterations of the part and, after a few rounds of testing, recently installed these fasteners on about ten trees at Minuteman NHP.

The team also helped the Solarize Mass group of Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland by creating a sandwich board sign to promote awareness of solar power that required them to design a number of 3D printed parts.

“These projects have been a blast, and we’re always looking for more ways to get involved,” Sander said.