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

Groundbreaking caps decade-long drive for new Minuteman school

Some of the many officials who took turns with the ceremonial shovels at the Minuteman High School groundbreaking were (left to right) Minuteman School Committee chair Jeffrey Stulin, State Rep. Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington), MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy, Minuteman School Building Committee chair Ford Spalding, and Superintendent Edward Bouquillon (click to enlarge).

Almost a decade in the planning, a new Minuteman High School finally got underway at a well-attended groundbreaking ceremony on June 14. The event took place where the front door of the new building will go, at the western edge of the district-owned property in Lincoln, a few hundred yards from the existing school in Lexington.

The $145 million project cleared its last hurdle last September with a district-wide vote. The new school is expected to open in September 2019, after which the old building will be demolished and new athletic fields will be built.

“An investment in education pays the best interest,” said Jack McCarthy, executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), quoting Benjamin Franklin. The project has been in the MSBA planning process longer than almost any other project in the state, spanning the tenure of several state treasurers, he noted.

“This project is like Job—it went through every trial imaginable… and we were spit out of the whale on September 20″ when the project was approved last year in the district-wide vote, McCarthy remarked. The MSBA is contributing more than $44 million of the school’s cost. To secure project approval, the district also had to revise its governance structure and membership, scale back student enrollment, and change state regulations so non-members contribute to capital costs.

“This project nearly failed several times,” said Minuteman School Committee chair Jeffrey Stulin of Needham. Speaking directly to Minuteman students in reference to how he felt at the project’s beginnings, he said, ” I expect that some time in the future, you too will become involved in an idea of importance where you’re overwhelmed and in over your head… but you have no chance of success if you don’t even try. You have to have courage to accept that you may fail.”

Minuteman Superintendent Edward Bouquillon, a Lincoln resident, said he first realized that the existing building needed significant repair or replacement soon after he accepted the job as superintendent in 2007, thus starting the decade-long journey to win voter approval and state funding. At times emotional, he thanked an array of people and organization, including his wife Diana.

Bouquillon urged officials not to tinker with the existing model for career vocational-technical education. “Now is not the time to shave off the best aspects of high-quality career and vocational technical education and try to graft it onto a traditional high school schedule,” he said. “All that will do is weaken our system in Massachusetts.”

He also urged the state legislature to increase funding for similar projects. “MSBA needs another penny of the sales tax to get all the vocational technical schools rebuilt and to build new ones to fill the skills gap,” he said. Currently, MSBA is funded by 16 percent (one penny) of the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax.

Guests at the groundbreaking included a host of officials from the state and district towns as well as education officials, members of Minuteman’s business-led program advisory committees, and a representative from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

There were no Lincoln officials in attendance, however. The town’s residents voted to withdraw from the Minuteman district in early 2016, a move that takes effect on July 1. At that point, the district will go from 16 towns to 10: Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham, and Stow.

The new school is designed for 628 students who will spend their Minuteman “careers” in one of two “career academies”: a Life Sciences and Services Academy, and an Engineering, Construction and Trades Academy. The curriculum’s 16 career and technical education programs will include two new ones: Multimedia Engineering (Technical Theatre) and Advanced Manufacturing.

Gilbane Building Co. is the construction manager for the project and Kaestle Boos Associates is the architect. Skanska USA Building serves as Minuteman’s project manager.

Pollen galaxy (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Nancy Selvage photographed this swirl of pollen in Valley Pond.

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.

Route 2 ribbon-cutting this Friday

Lincolnites are invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the Route 2/Crosby’s Corner highway improvement project on Friday, June 16 at 10 a.m. at The Commons (lower parking area) on the hillside overlooking the flyover bridge.

Scheduled speakers include:

  • James Craig, chair of the Lincoln Board of Selectmen
  • Mike Barrett, state senator for Lincoln and Concord
  • Cory Atkins, Concord state representative
  • Jonathan Gulliver, acting MassDOT highway administrator
  • Peter Braun, former Lincoln selectman
  • Patrick Murphy, project abutter and neighborhood organizer

Many Lincolnites participated in the project over a period of 30 years—explaining the need, lobbying for the funds, participating at every step in the design, and helping to make sure the project was constructed in accordance with the plans. Organizers hope the event will be a great way of telling the story and thanking those who participated along the way.

Two projects under way at Hanscom

Starting in August, residents who live near Hanscom Field may notice more noise than usual as air traffic is temporarily rerouted during two separate runway reconstruction projects. However, another unrelated project—construction of a new hangar for Boston MedFlight—will not result in any increase in noise or air traffic in the area

Logan Airport is now resurfacing its most heavily used runway, meaning it will be closed entirely until late June and open for arrivals only until about November 1. What this means for the Lincoln/Bedford area is that some smaller business-type flights will use Hanscom instead of Logan, according to Amber Goodspeed, MassPort’s manager for airport administration at Hanscom Field.

Beginning in August, one of Hanscom’s runways will also be resurfaced, Goodspeed added. As a result, some of Hanscom’s traffic will be rerouted so their flight paths go more over Bedford and Lincoln rather than Concord and Lexington, Goodspeed said.

Boston MedFlight project

Boston MedFlight is also moving its local base from Hanscom Air Force Base to Hanscom Field. The company is building a new hangar on the site of an older one that’s been demolished. This new facility will allow easier access for training, education, community outreach as well as helicopter maintenance, since visitors will no longer need to go through Air Force base security.

“Nothing is going to change as far as our operations go” in terms of the number of aircraft or staff on site, said Boston MedFlight General Manager of Aviation Rick Kenin.

Boston MedFlight’s fleet (click to enlarge).

Among those who will benefit from the easier access are Lincoln Fire Department paramedics, who get their first-responder training from Boston MedFlight. The company already hosts some visits from community members and groups such as Boy Scouts, “but we plan to greatly expand that once we’re on the civilian side” of the air field, Kenin said. “This will work out much better as far as community activity and outreach.”

The $17 million project is expected to be complete in about a year.

Boston MedFlight currently has two local offices, one on Hanscom Air Force Base and another in the nearby Lincoln North office building, as well as facilities in Plymouth and Lawrence. The nonprofit firm transports about 4,000 patients per year, about half of them via ground transportation and the rest by helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, Kenin said. Most of the flights take critically ill or injured patients from community hospitals (including Emerson Hospital in Concord) to Massachusetts General Hospital and other advanced-care Boston hospitals, but the company also picks up some patients directly from accident scenes.

Boston MedFlight is not taxpayer-funded, relying instead on donations and insurance reimbursements, Kenin noted.

News acorns

Affordable housing forum

Come find out more about the town’s new Affordable Accessory Apartments Program in a forum especially for homeowners and tenants. On Wednesday, June 14 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall, members of the Housing Commission will give information and answer questions. What are the benefits for homeowners and tenants? How does the Housing Commission match up tenants with homeowners? What is the lottery? Why do I have to choose a tenant from your list? How long will I wait for an affordable apartment. Come join the Housing Commission and get answers.

Fatherhood Project event reminder

The Fatherhood Project presents “A Celebration of Fatherhood: Strengthening Family Connections” with guest speaker Andre Dubus III, author of Townie, The Garden of Last Days, and House of Sand and Fog on Friday, June 16 from 6:30–9 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Click here for more information.

Multi-town RiverFest this weekend

RiverFest, an annual celebration of the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers, takes places on Saturday and Sunday, June 17–18 with more than 40 events for all ages—free walks, talks, hikes, paddles, concerts, and art—in nine communities from Lowell to Framingham.

Among the events close to Lincoln: a guided walk at the Walden Woods conservation area with naturalist Peter Alden as he looks for plants and birds along Fairhaven Bay; in Sudbury where participants can join a Mass Audubon naturalist on a visit with native wildlife, birds and reptiles that live along riverbanks; and the closing solstice event at the Old Manse in Concord. For a full listing of events and maps, visit riverfest.sudbury-assabet-concord.org or call 978-223-5049 with questions.

Library hours for exam week and summer

Lincoln Public Library will be open late for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School students studying for final exams on Thursday, June 15 and Monday, June 19 until 10 p.m. Snacks will be provided and staff will be on hand to monitor students to provide a safe place, though no library services will be provided.

The library will be open on Saturdays this summer from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on July 8, 15, 22 and 29.

St. Anne’s summer schedule

From Sunday, June 18 through early September, St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will celebrate a single service of Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m.

Public hearings coming up

The Lincoln Planning Board will hold public hearings on applications for site plan reviews on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, June 13 at 7 p.m.— applicant John Crawford, 20 Old Concord Road, proposes to renovate and construct an addition to an existing home.
  • Tuesday, June 27 at 7 p.m. —  applicant Joseph Robbat, 151 Old Concord Road, proposes to renovate and construct an addition to an existing accessory structure.

The Board of Selectmen will conduct a public hearing on Monday, June 19 at 7:45 p.m. in response to an application for a curb cut at 19 Granville Road.

The Lincoln Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m. in accordance with the Mass. Wetlands Protection Act and the Town of Lincoln Wetlands Protection Bylaw. Applicants Andronica and Joseph Wheelock propose to construction a new home in the Outer Buffer Zone Resource Area at 6 Millstone Lane.

News acorns

School Building Committee workshop

The School Building Committee invites residents to a kickoff workshop on Wednesday, June 14 from 7:30-9 p.m. in the Brooks gym. Attendees will have the chance to met SBC members, learn about the next steps and the draft timeline, and help develop the town’s decision criteria for a school project.

Summer kick-off party for kids at library

Children of all ages are invited to the library on Thursday, June 15 from 3:30–5 p.m. for balloon sculpting, crafts, a raffle, make-your-own sundaes, and a magic show by Ed Popielarczyk at 4 p.m. Kids can pick up their reading Challenge forms. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.

Talk on identifying birds

Lincoln resident Gwyn Loud will give an informal talk on the basics of identifying birds and bird calls on Tuesday, June 20 from 9:30–10:30 a.m. at the Lincoln Public Library in the terrace off the first-floor link (rain date: Wednesday, June 21).

Summer Fest at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will stage Park Fest on Saturday, June 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as a 5K trail run starting at 9:30 a.m. (click here to register). Signature collaborative activities from deCordova’s Learning & Engagement Team will include:

  • A large-scale Play in the Park
  • Roaming performances by larger-than-life puppets Big Nazo
  • Guided tours of the spectacular 30-acre sculpture park in full bloom
  • Art sale with more than 30 local artists and artisans
  • Live music throughout the day including local alternative folk duo The Farewells and singer Jenny Riddle.
  • Curator-led spotlight art talks in the galleries
  • Ceramic Sculpture Studio demonstrations by resident artist Bruce Barry
  • Photo ops near Jim Dine’s Two Big Black Hearts sculpture
  • Food and ice cream trucks
Free for members; click here for tickets for nonmembers ($20 for adults 18-60, $15 for seniors, $10 for children ages 6-17, free for children 5 and under).

Kids’ “Splash, Mash Dash” triathlon coming up

The 14th annual “Splash, Mash and Dash” Lincoln Kids Triathlon—with three age-appropriate sets of distances to run, bike and swim—takes place on Saturday, June 17 starting at 8:30 a.m.

The swim segment ranges from a 25-meter swim for the youngest kids (age 5-6) up to a 150-meter swim six lengths of the Codman pool) for the oldest (ages 13-14); the bike ranges from 1–4 miles and the run leg is ¼ mile for the youngest and 1 mile for the oldest kids. Putting all three together into one race means that the time spent switching between events (known as transitions) also counts toward the overall time; running from the pool to the bike, putting on shoes, buckling the mandatory helmet, mounting the bike, and dismounting the bike are all skills that are important for a fast time and make for an entertaining, bustling transition area.

Children ages 5-14 are invited to participate; register in advance at the Lincoln Recreation Department website or in person at the Lincoln Recreation Department. All race distances and other event details are available at www.kidstri.net. Race packet pickup will be on Friday, June 16 at Hartwell from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday June 17 from 7:15–8:15 a.m. There is race-day registration, but the entry fee increases from $30 to $40 on race day, so save money by registering before June 17.

The race begins at 8:30 a.m. on June 17 and no cars will be allowed to leave the Lincoln School complex until the bike portion of the race has finished. Residents should also note that the section of Lincoln Road from Ballfield Road to the intersection with Trapelo Road will be closed from 8:30 a.m. until about 10 a.m. for the race.

The event couldn’t take place without support from all aspects of the Lincoln community: the Lincoln Recreation Department, which helps organize the event; the Codman Pool lifeguards, who keep all the swimmers safe, Lincoln Police, who close the road to keep the cyclists safe; and the many course volunteers from the community who help keep the kids on course and hydrated.

In addition, many local businesses sponsor the event. Emerson Hospital, Team Psycho (a local triathlon club), CGI, Allen Sports and Barrett Sotheby International Realty have given key financial support that helps pay for the elaborate timing system, finishers’ medals, T-shirts, and goody bag giveaways. Prizes for the top three in each age group, raffle items and post-race food are donated by local businesses Donelan’s, Something Special, Saucony, Marathon Sports, and Ashworth Awards as well as national companies like TYR and Clif Bar.

Anyone interested in volunteering at this event may email Ginger Reiner at ginger.reiner@gmail.com. (Click here for a story about the 2012 event.)

Service on Friday for Laura Dewey

Laura Dewey

There will be a service on Friday, June 9 at 11 a.m. at the First Parish Church for Laura Dewey, who died on May 19 at the age of 90. She was active with the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum board, the Lincoln Town Democratic Committee, and the choir of the First Parish Church. Click here to read her obituary.

News acorns

Waxwings win tree photo contest

“Waxwings on Cedar Tree” by Barbara Peskin (click to enlarge).

Lincoln resident Barbara Peskin’s photo titled Waxwings on Cedar Tree won the Lincoln Garden Club’s recent Tree Photo Contest. She received a certificate, ribbon an $50 gift card from Stonegate Gardens during the Tree Tour Photo Exhibit at Pierce House on June 4. Her entry was chosen by the people who attended the Tree Tour in a display in the Pierce House of 72 photos taken by 23 contestants. Tree tour participants were guided by the Garden Club’s new 40-page color booklet to 16 trees of interest in Pierce Park, and at the Lincoln Public Library, Old Town Hall, Station Park and Lindentree Farm. Copies of the booklet will soon be available at the library.

Bike group surveys residents on safer biking to school

The Cycling Safety Advisory Committee invites residents to complete this online survey as it collects feedback on ways to make biking to school easier for families. On Friday, June 9, Lincoln students are invited to bike to school—grab your helmet and bike and wave to the adults helping out at a few intersections in town.

Lincoln Literary Society to meet

The Lincoln Literary Society will meet on Friday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. in the Lincoln Public Library’s couch area outside the Tarbell Room. Organizer Daniela Caride will provide tea and cookies as well as free books from the Swap House. The group meets on the second Friday or every month to talk about books they’ve read (recently or not), recite poems, read a passage, or anything that can start a conversation. The structure is very informal and there are no assigned books.

Farmer’s Market opens in new location

Opening Day for the Lincoln Farmers Market is Saturday, June 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market is now located at Codman Farm where it first began, and it will take place every Saturday at the same time until October.