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

My Turn: Smith and Chester trade perspectives on community center

By Lynne Smith

(Editor’s note: See the response to Smith’s piece by CCNC Chair Sarah Chester below.)

At the April 4 Community Center Building Committee (CCBC) community forum, I realized that ICON Architecture has no plans to review alternate spaces for community center activities. ICON’s charge is to develop three options for a building on the Hartwell campus: 50%, 75%, and something approaching 100% of the original $25 million cost. As a result, I propose a study group be created to consider “existing available town space” as intended by the vote taken at the 2022 Special Town Meeting.*

The community forum allowed many of the 100 attendees to air their comments. A few were in favor of a new building on the Hartwell campus. Some wanted an open space for informal gathering. Others liked the proximity for after-school programs for students. Several cited the inadequacy of Bemis Hall and pointed to the 2019 town meeting charrette that favored the Hartwell campus as a location.

But many were opposed to a large new building on the Hartwell campus hosting all programs. Here is my summary of this opposition.

Cost to taxpayers — Jonathan Sheffi, who identified himself as a new resident with a young family, described his inability to persuade friends his age to move to Lincoln because of our housing costs and high taxes. Kate Wolf, a long-time resident of Lincoln, pointed out that her taxes have increased significantly in the last four years and she expressed concerns about adding on more capital projects while Lincoln is still paying off bonds for the new school. Both Wolf and Sheffi recognize that Lincoln has no commercial base to mitigate tax bills but think the town should work to minimize taxes whenever possible. Dennis Picker said that he thought the amendment to the November 2022 motion had actually omitted a 100% option for the project, thus ensuring a lower-cost building. His surprise that ICON will study three options led to a moving conversation with Jonathan Dwyer — a very “Lincoln” moment that grounded all of us as a community.

Need for a viable town center — Three architects (Ken Hurd, Brooks Mostue, and David O’Neil) all argued for siting a community center in the “center of the community” as recommended in the long-term plan developed by the Planning Board several years ago. Others including Joe Robbat also made clear their wish for more development at Lincoln Station where there are many vacant spaces along with important amenities.

Use of existing spaces — Many attendees voiced a desire to explore use of existing spaces before committing to a large new building. In fact, the CCBC passed out a spreadsheet labeled Decentralized Programming Matrix which identified the many programs currently being held in spaces other than Bemis Hall or the Hartwell pods. The spreadsheet made clear which activities could continue in those spaces. I was glad to see this listing of programs for the Council on Aging & Human Services (COA&HS) and Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) held in various places around town: the school gyms, the library, the Pierce House and Pierce Park, local churches, our outdoor trails, and off-site activities. As I said at the meeting and in earlier Lincoln Squirrel articles, I support some investment in these spaces to make them suitable for use in the 21st century.

A study group of community spaces — As a result of the community discussion, I hope that Lincoln and/or the CCBC will form a study group to create a current inventory of existing spaces, match them with identified activities, and recommend modifications that would make these spaces even more useful to town activities. This analysis would ensure that alternative spaces get a full and fair review, as was set forth in the Special Town Meeting vote of 2022. Given the number of residents who attended the April 4 CCBC community forum, I am confident that there are eager volunteers to lead and participate in this important effort.

* Here is the motion that was ultimately approved at the Special Town Meeting on November 30, 2022, with amendments to the original motion indicated in boldface:

“That the town vote to transfer the sum of $325,000 from the town’s Stabilization Fund for the purpose of hiring relevant consultant support services, to potentially include project management, design, engineering and other technical reviews to assist the Community Center Building Committee in developing a range of community center design choices and budgets including options not to exceed 75% and 50% of the current project estimated cost of $25 million for the Hartwell complex, supplemented or not with existing available town space, with the intention of presenting said choices at a fall 2023 Special Town Meeting for a vote on a preferred option; and provided further, that it is anticipated that the preferred option selected by the town will be presented for a funding vote in March of 2025.”

Response from SBCC Chair Sarah Chester:

Thank you, Lynne, for your continued thoughts and suggestions for the community center process.

I am puzzled, however, that you think that CCBC and ICON are not concerned with the locations that the COA&HS and the PRD use around town. As shown in the amended motion from the November 2022 Special Town Meeting, and as architect Ned Collier and I reiterated in the “open mic” meeting on April 4, CCBC is obligated to explore the use of other facilities around town to try to meet our program needs. We gave ICON a tour of the outlying spaces in town the day after ICON signed their contract. We shared with them immediately a document highlighting COA&HS and PRD program locations around town, and this program matrix was mentioned in public meetings multiple times. As COA&HS director Abigail Butt pointed out on April 4, ICON has conducted a deep evaluation of Bemis Hall. Facilities Director Brandon Kelly is working with them to understand the Hartwell campus spaces, and ICON will proceed to the Pierce House shortly. Additional locations will be reviewed after that. ICON needs to understand all of these opportunities if they are to develop three viable program options. A separate study committee would duplicate their work and slow the process.

As Ned described, ICON is working along two tracks: conducting an in-depth analysis of the Hartwell site (traffic, wetlands, etc.) and collecting as much program data as possible. This includes extensive interviews with all stakeholders and evaluating other locations around town. CCBC is conducting a third concurrent track: seeking input from town organizations about the project and from residents via a survey about their individual values. This will also inform ICON’s work.

ICON updates the committee and the community on this work at each of our public meetings. They also will be presenting their work and seeking further feedback at our next public forum on April 25. This process is all to help them formulate the variety of price options specified in our charge.  

This response is more detailed than your letter needed, but I want to assure you and other readers that the CCBC is closely following its instructions from the Special Town Meeting and, with the skilled assistance of ICON Architecture, is proceeding along the complex and tight schedule.

Sarah Chester
Chair, Community Center Building Committee

P.S. The next CCBC meeting will be held Wednesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. in the Donaldson Room, Town Hall, hybrid format (see agenda here).

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

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Water Commission speaker series kicks off April 12

(Image by brgfx on Freepik)

The Water Commission, in collaboration with the Conservation Commission, Agricultural Commission and the Land Conservation Trust, is sponsoring the Lincoln’s Hydrology Speaker Series with the first speaker presentation on Wednesday, April 12 from 7–8:30 p.m., when Dr. Max Rome, Stormwater Program Manager with the Charles River Watershed Association will present via Zoom. Come learn about what happens in Lincoln’s watershed (flooding, nutrient pollution, drought and groundwater), drinking supply sources (including private wells), and how all the sources and uses of water in Lincoln interrelate and impact both the water supply and the ecosystems supported by water systems. Click here for the Zoom link.

Future speakers in the series will include Martin Briggs of the U.S. Geological Survey in September) and Dr. Chi Ho Sham, immediate past president of the American Water Works Association, in December.

Film: “Monsieur Lazhar”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “Monsieur Lazhar” in the Tarbell Room on Thursday, April 20 at 6 p.m. At a Montréal grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. In French with English subtitles (94 minutes).

Wine and beer tasting to benefit domestic violence victims

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable invites the public to a free wine and beer tasting to support its annual Shower for Shelters on Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m. at Spirits of Maynard (4 Digital Way, Suite 3, Maynard). There will be light refreshments provided by the Roundtable and a short presentation by a survivor. Please bring a new, unwrapped housewarming gift to the event. These donations will be collected and given to the clients of Reach Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence. 

Requested items include bedding (twin-size sheets, pillowcases, blankets, comforters, and pillows), crib sheets, bath towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses, and small kitchen appliances. Supermarket and departments store gift cards are also welcome.

Sign up for Hazardous Waste Collection Day

This year’s first regional Hazardous Waste Collection Day at the Minuteman Hazardous Products Facility (60 Hartwell Ave., Lexington) will take place on Saturday, April 22 from 9 am.–2 p.m. Advance signup is required. Click here for information on what materials will and won’t be accepted. and click here to sign up.

Barbara Myles retirement celebration

Lincoln Public Library Director Barbara Myles is retiring from the library after nearly 20 years of service and all are invited to her retirement party on Friday, April 28 from 3–5 p.m. Come celebrate Barbara’s time at the library and wish her well with whatever she chooses to do next.

Celebration of the life of Judith Balogh

All are invited to a celebration of the life of Lincoln resident Judith Györgypály Balogh on Sunday, April 30 from 2:30–4:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Balogh, a retired pediatric psychiatrist, died in October 2022 at the age of 92. In honor of her insatiable love of books and stories, attendees are invited to bring words, photographs, books, or souvenirs to share memories. Please RSVP to charlottebalogh@gmail.com or 978-496-6656.

Join the L-S Community Sing

The annual L-S Community Sing in May is when community members, parents, alumni, and friends are welcome to join in a performance of John Rutter’s “Gloria” with choir, soloists, brass octet and percussion. The L-S Chamber Singers will be singing “The Road Home” and will invite any Chamber Singers alumni to come up and sing with. Masks will be optional for singers.

The L-S Music Department has scores and practice files for the music and text — please email Choral Director Michael Bunting at michael_bunting@lsrhs.net. The dress rehearsal is Monday, May 15 at 7 pm. in the L-S auditorium and the Community Sing concert is Thursday, May 18. Call for singers is at 6:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Firefighters from Lincoln and other towns help at Weston fire

490 North Ave. in Weston before and after the April 7 fire. (Photos courtesy Zillow and the Weston Fire Department)Firefighters from Lincoln and several other area towns responded to an April 7 house fire in Weston that caused extensive damage and also a brush fire nearby.

The house at 479 North Ave. is at the corner of Route 117 and Lincoln Street, a stone’s throw from where the latter turns into Weston Road in Lincoln. Route 117 eastbound was closed at Tower Road in Lincoln for some time, and drivers heading south on Weston Road had to turn around. 

No one was inside when firefighters arrived at around 12:40 p.m., according to Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young. The fire apparently started in some mulch close to the house and strong winds pushed the fire under the porch, into the eaves of the deck, and eventually into the rafters of the house, which then caught the large attic space on fire. Windblown embers also started a brush fire on the other side of Lincoln Street, he said.

The scene was crowded for hours with emergency vehicles and firefighters from Waltham, Newton, Wayland, Wellesley, Sudbury, Lexington, Needham, and Framingham, according to the Weston Fire Department’s Facebook page. The fire reached four alarms; each alarm is a request for three fire engines and a ladder truck, and each engine has four firefighters, resulting in a total of 64 firefighters, Young said. They spent several hours exposing ceilings and walls to access where the fire was burning up in the attic so it could be fully extinguished.

Aerial shots were captured by a helicopter from WHDH-TV (7 News Boston). The house was valued at $2.16 million, according to Zillow.

Police log for March 27–April 2, 2023

March 27

Greenridge Lane (12:56 am.) — Wayland Police requested assistance in attempting to locate a motorist.

Lincoln Road (10:14 a.m.) — A caller reported the railroad gates were malfunctioning. An officer responded and a short time later, a Keolis representative arrived.

Bedford Road (10:30 a.m.) — A caller reported losing their dog. The dog was located a short time later.

Mill Street (2:21 p.m.) — A caller reported smoke in the area. The Fire Department responded and discovered a resident was burning without a permit. The resident was advised.

Trapelo Road (5:10 p.m.) — Several individuals were reportedly fishing along the causeway on Trapelo Road. An officer advised them to move from the area.

Concord Road (6:55 p.m.) — The Fire Department was alerted to a brush fire that was not supported by a permit. They responded to the residence and extinguished the fire.

Silver Hill Road (8:50 p.m.) — An officer responded to a residence to follow up regarding a phone call places to the police station.

March 28

Page Farm Road (12:28 p.m.) — An officer responded to Bank of America to assist a resident regarding a possible scam.

Wells Road (1:10 p.m.) — An attempt was made to serve court paperwork.

Trapelo Road (4:23 p.m.) — An officer was headed to a reported motor vehicle crash when their tire struck a piece of curbing, causing minor damage to the wheel.

Deerhaven Road (6:44 p.m.) — An officer received several firearms marked for destruction.

March 29

Codman Road (9:46 a.m.) — An officer responded for a vehicle that had been parked for an extended period of time. The vehicle was gone when the officer arrived.

Lincoln Road (12:39 p.m.) — An officer observed an individual urinating in the commuter lot. The officer obtained the person’s information and advised them that they needed to find an appropriate location in the future.

North Great Road (5:27 p.m.) — Multiple calls were received about a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of North Great Road and Bedford Road. A vehicle was waiting to take a left turn from North Great Road onto Bedford Road when they were struck from behind by a truck. The first vehicle was towed from the scene and the operator of the truck was cited for failing to slow.

March 30

South Great Road canoe landing parking lot (2:03 a.m.) — An officer discovered an occupied vehicle parked at the Canoe Landing. The operator was sleeping for a brief period before continuing with their drive.

North Commons (6:24 a.m.) — An officer responded to take a report from a resident regarding possible missing items.

Lincoln Road (9:03 a.m.) — A caller reported a minor motor vehicle crash in which one vehicle had backed into another. An officer responded and took a report.

Lincoln Road (6:11 p.m.) — The Fire Department assisted an individual who was locked out of their business.

March 31

Concord Road (10:06 a.m.) — A resident reported that their dog had left their yard.

Harvest Circle (12:49 p.m.) — An officer responded to the Commons for the report of a resident missing several items.

April 1

Brooks Road (11:13 a.m.) — A resident reported a suspicious vehicle in their driveway. An officer responded and determined the vehicle belonged to a neighbor.

Trapelo Road (6:45 p.m.) — Several individuals were reportedly fishing in the Cambridge Reservoir. An officer responded and advised them to move from the area.

Silver Hill Road at Trapelo Road (8:13 p.m.) — The Fire Department responded to extinguish a small fire in an open field.

Tower Road (10:05 p.m.) — The Fire Department was asked to check carbon monoxide readings inside a residence. The readings were negative.

April 2

Trapelo Road near Winter Street (3:46 p.m.) — Report of a dog running around with no owner in sight. The dog ultimately returned home on its own after a brief, unsupervised tour of the neighborhood.

Old Cambridge Turnpike (4:15 p.m.) — An individual came to the station to speak with an officer regarding an ongoing issue.

Old Sudbury Road (4:37 p.m.) — An officer was asked to speak to a landscape company regarding the use of leaf blowers. The officer spoke to all parties involved.

Wells Road (6:58 p.m.) — An officer was approached by cyclists regarding yelling coming from the Wells Road area. The officer responded and spoke to several parties.

Tower Road (9:26 p.m.) — An individual reported that their dog was missing.

L-S hires Stephens as new superintendent/principal

Dr. Andrew Stephens

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District has appointed Dr. Andrew Stephens as the new Superintendent/Principal of Schools. Stephens had been prinicpal of Lexington high School since 2017. 

Prior to that he spent 10 years as Principal of Duxbury High School and four years heading Hull High School.  He began his career as a history teacher in Vermont before returning to Massachusetts, where he taught for three years at Newton North High School spent another three as an assistant housemaster. Stephens is a graduate of Colgate University ,where he obtained a B.A. in history, and Johnson State College in Vermont, where he got his master’s degree in education. He also holds a Certificate of Advanced Educational Studies from Boston College and an Ed.D. from Northeastern.   

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Stephens to the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District,” Heather Cowap, chair of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee, said in a statement. “His extensive experience and impressive educational background make him an excellent choice to lead our district.”

“I am honored to have been selected as the next superintendent/principal of the Lincoln Sudbury Regional District,” Dr. Stephens said in the statement. “I am looking forward to working with the dedicated educators, staff, students and families to build upon the foundation of excellence which departing Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong leaves behind.”

Stephens will start work at L-S on July 1. The other finalists were Jamie Chisum, principal of Wellesley High School, and Allyson Mizoguchi, principal of Wayland High School.

Community center forum draws wide range of sentiments

At the first “open mic night” held by the Community Center Building Committee, comments ran the gamut from reluctance about building one at all to suggestions for a garden, cafe, piano, and room for repairing appliances.

Also on April 4, the CCBC launched an online survey asking residents about what they think a community center should be. The committee and architects stressed that this type of feedback will be crucial in shaping concepts. The deadline to complete the survey is April 21.

ICON Architecture has been working since early March to gather information on the Hartwell campus site and will present those “objective findings” on April 25, said Principal Architect Ned Collier. There will also be public forums about once a month, said CCBC Chair Sarah Chester.

“We need a public discussion about wants vs. needs. That has yet to occur in the 11-year history of this project,” said Dennis Picker. Collier responded that his team has emphasized that point when talking to stakeholders (primarily the Council on Aging & Human Services and the Parks and Recreation Department), and the survey “will help us identify if there are community-wide wants and needs that aren’t being met.”

Some of the roughly 100 residents who attended online and in person were not sold on the whole idea. “I’m not sure I even understand what you mean by ‘community center,’ said Peter Braun, saying the town’s existing spaces such as the refurbished school and the Pierce House are sufficient. 

Lynne Smith agreed, saying, “I want Lincoln to invest in our existing buildings and make sure they’re part of our lives for decades to come” and look more closely at existing spaces “before totally sinking time into a new building.”

Several residents, while agreeing on the need for a community center, suggested that it be located in the South Lincoln commercial area, even though previous studies and the 2022 Special Town Meeting vote specified the Hartwell pod area as the chosen site.

The town’s 2009 Comprehensive Long-Range Plan calls for a compact, vital, walkable area in the village center to encourage social interaction, “but the Planning Board has not been involved in this [community center] process,” said Ken Hurd. As outlined in the state’s Housing Choice Act, South Lincoln will most likely be rezoned to allow denser housing and for mixed-use development — another reason why it would be the best site for a community center, he added.

But Ruth Ann Hendrickson pushed back, saying that revitalizing South Lincoln “is a terrific idea and many of us are hoping for that, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon… To hold off on building a community center until this difficult problem is solved is just not helpful today. We need to concentrate on what the needs are right now.”

The Hartwell location is best for children who attend LEAP and after-school Parks & Rec programming, and walking to South Lincoln is not a viable option for them, several residents noted. Ultimately, “you’re going to have a hard time locating it in a place where everyone can walk to,” Craig Donaldson observed.

Chester and Collier reiterated that any location other than Hartwell was not up for discussion. “Short of reopening past decisions, [the survey] would help us to understand what it is that we could do with you in this location that would really fly for Lincoln,” Collier said.

Many of those who spoke said they hoped the community center would be a place where people of all ages could gather and socialize informally, work remotely, play ping-pong, etc. “The town would benefit from a space that isn’t bound by specific programming [that’s] open and welcoming; maybe it doesn’t matter if there is an event scheduled and it’s possible to just drop by,” said Lis Herbert. A working kitchen or at least a cafe would be useful for everyone in that regard, several said.

Planners should also find a way to consult with children and teenagers as to what they would like in a community center, said Alice deNormandie — “I think they might have some interesting ideas.”

ICON will present some preliminary cost figures for various options at the Hartwell site at a CCBC meeting in June. 

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May Market Trash and Treasures sale at First Parish

Some of the treasures being readied for sale in the Stone Church.

Don’t miss the First Parish in Lincoln’s famous May Market Trash and Treasures sale on Saturday, April 8 at the First Parish Stone Church from 9 a.m.–noon. This is the first time it’s been held since 2018, so we now have five years’ worth of treasures including fine and casual furniture, fabulous jewelry, antiques/collectibles, gardening items, artwork, toys, and housewares of all sorts. We’re holding May Market in April this year because May weekends are just too lovely to be spent at an indoor sale. All items are priced to sell, and you will find treasures from every decade.

First Parish held the first May Market Trash and Treasures sale in 1981. It takes more than 70 people to collect, sort, clean, mark, stage, sell, and clean up. At the end of day, another huge effort begins to donate every single remaining item to local charitable organizations. In 2018, we donated $8,000 worth of furniture and housewares to Household Goods Recycling in Acton and sent four full pickup trucks to Sudbury to go to Nigeria by container ship. Another three truckloads went to the swap table and two full SUVs to Savers (a thrift store in Natick). This end-of-day effort is all part of First Parish’s commitment to helping others as well as keeping as much out of our landfills as possible.

All proceeds from May Market (one of the church’s very few fundraisers) are used for special projects at First Parish.

Henri-Ann Sussman, 1943–2023

Lincoln resident Henri-Ann Sussman passed away at age 80 on April 1. Her obituary and a link to the video of her funeral can be found here.

“What’s Dinner Got to Do with It? Food, Farming and Climate Change”

The food we eat, where we buy it, and how that food is grown affects our health and that of the planet. Join MetroWest Climate Solutions on Tuesday, April 11 at 7 p.m. for a discussion of food, farming and climate change. To register, visit metrowestclimatesolutions.org.

While the food sector contributes to climate change, it’s also vulnerable to climate disruption. Water shortages, extreme weather events, pest and disease variations, and rising temperatures will change the crops that can be grown as well as the viability of farming in some regions. Progressive farmers are adapting with more sustainable techniques. Learn about the changes that lie ahead for our food system and how we can improve our diets while supporting sustainable farming. Speakers will be Lincoln’s Jennifer Hashley, director of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project at Tufts University; Erin Coughlan de Perez, associate professor at Tufts and a technical advisor to the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre; and Winton Pitcoff, executive director of the Mass. Food System Collaborative.

Piano concert on April 14

There will be a piano concert on Friday, April 14 at 3 p.m. in Bemis Hall featuring Abla Chocair and her grandson Zaineddeen Kawaf playing works by Beethoven and Brahms. The concert is dedicated to Shocair’s mother, Bashira Sadeq.

Kids: join in “The Great Create”

The Lincoln School Foundation invites K-5 students in the Lincoln Public Schools to complete creative challenges at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum on Sunday, April 30 from 2–4 p.m. Students from the Lincoln and Hanscom campuses will work collaboratively to create sculptures using unexpected art making materials. Join us for a fun afternoon of coming together as a community and making new friends — all while supporting the LSF in its mission to inspire and fund innovative teaching.Space is limited and advance registration is required. Visit lincolnschoolfoundation.org for more information and to register (tickets are $25 per child or $50 per family).

Event sponsors are Barrett Sotheby’s International Realty, Coppe and Sears Pediatric Dentistry, Marquis Tree Service, Donelan’s, and Doherty’s Garage. Raffle donors are Clover Food Lab, Codman Community Farms, Colonial Gardens, Debra’s Natural Gourmet | Debra’s Next Door, Feltish Creations, Gymnastic Academy of Boston, Jocelyn Finlay Photography, Nosy Crow, Reasons to be Cheerful, The Tack Room, WeCo Hospitality, and Xtreme Craze.

Field Notes: Let it grow for No Mow May 

By Rachel Neurath

Field Notes is an occasional feature highlighting climate and environment work in town and spotlighting Lincoln residents and staff. Rachel Neurath is a soil microbial ecologist, co-leader of Lincoln Common Ground, and a member of Lincoln’s Climate Action Plan Working Group. 

This May, Lincoln is joining the growing global movement to keep mowers in the shed until June. By delaying mowing, you give flowers a chance to bloom among the grass. Flowers provide nectar and habitat for pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. No Mow May is a chance to discover beautiful surprises, support pollinators, create a wildlife haven, increase ecosystem resilience, and store carbon in soil. The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) and Lincoln Common Ground encourage you to give it a try — even leaving a patch of lawn unmown can make a big difference. 

On Tuesday, April 11 at 7 p.m., I will give a Zoom presentation on No Mow May. I will talk about its benefits, share photos of my unmown lawn last May, give some tips, and open the conversation up to answer your questions. You can learn more and register here. 

Robin Wilkerson, ecological landscape designer and gardener, is leading the Lincoln Common Ground No Mow May movement. Wilkerson and other Lincoln Common Ground members will table at the transfer station on Saturday, April 8 and Saturday, April 22 from 8 a.m–noon where you can learn more about No Mow May. 

“Since learning as a child about the demise of passenger pigeons, I gained an understanding of the irreversible damage that humans can inflict on the environment. Then Rachel Carson wrote her unfortunately prescient book, Silent Spring, about the catastrophic effects of our war on insects. Those two events set me on a life course of being a committed organic gardener and attempting to live compassionately on the land,” Wilkerson says,.

“I am utterly buoyed by others who share this sensibility. Lincoln Common Ground is a group of passionate people who care deeply about the survival of species and at the same time we are trying to find ways to address the climate emergency. It’s a big task, but it’s a journey with a group that gives me hope.”

Bryn Gingrich, outreach director of LLCT, grew up in Lincoln. Last May, Gingrich’s unmown lawn transformed into a sea of violets. “No Mow May is a really exciting initiative because it focuses on an easy way for folks to improve biodiversity in their own yards,” she says. “It’s a really hopeful and positive way to engage with busy families because it’s actually less work for people and they can enjoy seeing more color and more life in their lawns. I think it’s important to recognize that this is a big culture shift we are promoting. Perfectly manicured and leaf-blown lawns are seen as a sign of care for one’s property. That’s why signage is such an important part of initiatives like this one. Signs like LLCT’s Pollinator Pathway signs cue passerby that the “messiness” is intentional.

“I also want to acknowledge that change can be slow and incremental, and for me just seeing small patches of unmown lawn or new pocket pollinator meadows popping up is heartening.

“One of the ways that LLCT has been engaging with our community recently is providing content on the connection between land stewardship and biodiversity, ecosystems, and carbon sequestration. This applies both on conservation land, stewarded by LLCT, and in Lincolnites’ yards and gardens. As part of LLCT’s Pollinator Action Plan, we’ve put a much greater emphasis on new plantings on conservation land that increase biodiversity and functional ecosystems.”

My family loved No Mow May last year and plans to participate every year now. We were amazed how many flowers popped up in our yard. I worried we might find more ticks on our daughter, but we did not. New research actually shows that mowing less frequently can decrease ticks. You can learn more about No Mow May here. So this May, consider letting it grow. 

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Service on April 11 for Murray Nicolson

Murray Nicolson

A funeral service will be held in St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church on Tuesday, April 11 at 11 a.m. for Murray Nicolson, 84, of Concord, who passed away on Saturday, April 1, 2023, surrounded by his beloved family.

He leaves behind his loving and devoted wife of 61 years, Barbara (Jones) Nicolson; his son, Edward Nicolson and his wife Valerie of San Francisco, Calif.; three grandchildren, Eleanor, Walter and James Nicolson; and his brother, David Nicolson and wife Liz of Edinburgh, Scotland. He was predeceased by his son, Stephen Murray Nicolson.

Family and friends are invited to gather for his funeral service at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, 147 Concord Road, Lincoln on April 11 at 11 a.m. Services will conclude with a reception in the parish hall and burial at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Murray’s memory to St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 6, Lincoln, MA 01773.

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in Nicolson’s online guestbook, visit  www.DeeFuneralHome.com and click on Obituaries.

My Turn: Oppose solar plan next to reservoir in Lexington

(Editor’s note: This op-ed was originally published in the Lexington Observer on March 30, 2023.)

By Ed Sullivan

Lexington [and Lincoln] residents need to be aware of the Tracer Lane Solar Project at 0 Cambridge St./Concord Turnpike that is currently under review by the Lexington Planning Board. The project is planned in a forestry area adjacent to Lexington conservation land, the Cambridge Reservoir, and residential property in Lincoln and Waltham. The scope of the project is to cut down approximately 800 trees over 9+ acres and build a 1 megawatt 4,000-panel solar installation. Imagine the tree loss and wildlife displacement. The solar panels will be located on a steep hill and jammed up against Waltham residential property. The panels will have a proposed 50-foot setback from the residential property lines, but much of the area between the property line and actual panel placement will be cleared. 

Because of the proximity to the reservoir, there will be no foam fire suppression installed or used, as foam could contaminate the reservoir. Should there be a fire (solar panels do catch fire more frequently than people think), the agreed strategy by the Lexington and Waltham Fire Departments is essentially: let it burn itself out. You cannot fight an electrical fire with water, so all the responding firefighters will do is wet the ground near the abutting homes in hopes the fire will not spread. This is the plan! Where else in Lexington is there a “let it burn” strategy?

If there were a fire, the plume of smoke would contain both lead and cadmium (both carcinogens) that would settle on the reservoir and potentially contaminate the water. The smoke could travel for 1.25 miles and the residue settle on homes in Lexington, Lincoln, and Waltham. The potential for risk to firefighters is high. They would be exposed to toxic smoke, working on an extremely slippery and steep incline. The sole entry and exit to this solar field will be a 20-foot-wide gravel path installed across a residential property in Waltham (owned by the developer) which backs up to the Lexington property the developer is planning for this solar field.

The Waltham residents are not against solar. Some have it on their own homes. This is not NIMBY opposition. It is just a bad project with multiple problems. For more information, please visit our website at WalthamNeighborsForSafeSolar.org.

Sullivan lives at 24 Sherbourne Place in Waltham. 

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