Natick Report

More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Natick School Committee community forums

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Join the Natick School Committee for upcoming discussions about facilities, space and capital planning. The meetings will address issues related to Johnson Elementary School and Natick High, and overall long-range space and facilities planning.

EVENT: Community-wide forum
Natick High School is facing space needs according to a long-range space and facilities planning report. Based on the report, administrators are looking to somehow add 6 classrooms to the this old school. This could be achieved by adding modular classrooms, similar to the way Andover has recently used modulars to add 10 classrooms at a cost of 1 million. Additional issues regarding the building will be discussed.

DATE: Mon., Oct. 25
TIME: 7pm
LOCATION: Virtual. Join the meeting via computer:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81394916525

EVENT: Johnson Family Forum
The meeting will address Johnson School needs, the biggest issue being the aging school’s lack of ADA compliance. The elementary school has additional upkeep needs that will be discussed. Closing the school is not off the table.

DATE: Wed., October 27
TIME: 7pm
LOCATION: links to the Zoom meeting

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‘History of Natick’ mosaic comes to life

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Artist Carol Krentzman installed her newest mosaic—based on a “History of Natick” theme—at Court Street in Natick Center on Friday.

oct 2021 carolkmosaic oct 2021

The mosaic stands 12 feet high and 64 inches wide, and adds to a collection of other public art displays downtown, including Krentzman’s “We the People” mosaic. She says it’s her biggest mosaic, and that her grandson estimates it includes 6,000 tiles.

Featured on it are the South Natick Dam, the old baseball factory, a fire that changed the looked of downtown Natick, and more.

She recently finished her studio work and this weekend got to screwing the mosaic panels onto the wall and adding other finishing touches. Tilling, grouting and other glamorous stuff.

 

carol krentzman mosaic history
Carol Krentzman, top, and assistant Kathleen on ladder, showcasing Natick’s past and present

 

carol krentzman mosaic history

 

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Cochituate Rail Trail Celebration

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First, the muckety-muck State-level officials did their jobs. The suits showed up last month at the Rte. 30 bridge that spans Rte. 9, speechified, cut a pretty ribbon, and voila—the Cochituate Rail Trail was officially open.

Next, it was time for the locals to party. At the Cochituate Rail Trail (CRT) Community Celebration last week, community members and civic groups got together on the part of the 4-mile trail that runs in front of Amvets Post 79 to bask in the glory of a project that keeps moving forward. (The crowd thanks your bathrooms for their service, Amvets)

The CRT is a multi-use trail that runs from Saxonville in Framingham to Natick Center. The Natick segment officially opened in late September and currently terminates at Whitney Field at the Navy Yard. But it’s not done yet. The next step is to extend the trail from the Navy Yard to the MBTA commuter rail station in Natick Center.

At the celebration, sponsored by the Solomon Foundation, several organizations set up along the trail, and there was a brief speaking program.

Here are some pics:

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick
It’s not a party without ice cream. Matthew Gioia from Wally’s Ice Cream, based in Auburndale, brought the fun. He says Pumpkin Oreo is a big seller right now. But our money was no good on the trail—the treats were all on Matthew.

 

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick
Members of Save Lake Cochituate (SOLA), a group dedicated to the renewal and revitalization of Cochituate State Park. From left: Carole Berkowitz; Brian McPherson; Carolyn McPherson

 

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick
Natick Trails supporters, from left, Town of Natick Conservation Agent and Open Space Planner Claire Rundelli; President of Friends of Natick Trails, Gary Pease; Chair of CRT Advisory and a precinct 6 Town Meeting Member, Josh Ostroff.

 

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick
Metrowest Free Medical Program provides medical care to uninsured and underinsured patients in the MetroWest area. From left, interpreter Natalia, and nurse practitioner Sandra.

 

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick
The old Wonder Bread factory may have closed in the late 1990s, but I can still smell the bread baking.

 

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick
If there was a best-dressed award at the event, these two would have won, hands down.

Happy trails to you

If you haven’t checked out the Cochituate Rail Trail yet, a nice access point is the parking lot at Navy Yard Field, 41 Washington Ave., Natick. Parking is also available at or near Home Depot on Route 30.

Here’s a map of the trail.

MORE:

Zipping over Route 30 on the Cochituate Rail Trail

Cochituate Trail ribbon cutting

 

Natick Halloween happenings 2021

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Somethin’ Bout a Pumpkin

Join the Bacon Free Library on Wednesday, October 20, at 5pm on the library lawn for a harvest-themed interactive musical show. Elijah T. Grasshopper & Friends are a children’s music group featuring Emma “Go-Go Green” Bean and their puppet pals, Willa the Worm and Weatherbee Frog. Today they will bring a special guest — the Orange Farmer — to perform her interactive dance song, Somethin’ Bout a Pumpkin. This program is best suited for children ages 2 through 8, but can be enjoyed by all ages.

*This show is sponsored in part by a grant from the Natick Cultural Council.

Morse Institute Library, Great Pumpkin Walk

Halloween, Morse Institute Library, Natick

Bring your family and join the Morse Institute Library for The Great Pumpkin Walk. Pick up a pumpkin at the library children’s desk, take it home to carve and/or decorate. Return it to the library and come to the event on Friday, October 29, on the library lawn. Stroll the grounds in your costume (or not, your choice!), share some (slightly) scary songs, play a little, and take home a treat.

Natick, Halloween

Halloween Wicked Fun Run

Brown Elementary School will hold a Wicked Fun Run on October 31, 9am, at 1 Jean Burke Dr. Sign up to run, or just come out in costume for this collaboration with Memorial School that includes a 2 mile run plus a DJ, balloon animals, pumpkin painting, and a 50m Monster Dash.

Register here: https://racewire.com/register.php?id=12501

Brown School fun run Natick

Eliot Church Jack O’Lantern Contest

Eliot Church is once more “building community, one pumpkin at a time” at its annual Jack O’Lantern Contest.

Here are the contest rules & tips:

1. Email info@theeliotchurch.org to let them know you’re coming (and so they can reach you in case weather causes a change of plans).
2. Carved Jack O’Lanterns should be dropped off on the ramp leading to the side church door (45 Eliot St.) on October 30, before 5:15pm.
3. Include a candle with your masterpiece
4. Write your name and phone number in permanent ink on the back of your Jack O’Lantern.
5. The Jack O’Lanterns will be lit and on display from 5:15-6:30pm
6. Pickup and awards at 6:30pm on October 30. First, second, and third place ribbons will be awarded.
7. You take your pumpkin home to use on Halloween the next night.
8. The best place to park is in front of the Bacon Free Library, or behind the office buildings. (The town doesn’t allow parking by the church after 4pm.)

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Reminder: Natick Town Meeting starts Tuesday

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Natick Fall Annual Town Meeting kicks off Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 7:30pm with members who definitely won’t have 1 eye on the Red Sox playoff game that night mulling some portion of 39 warrant articles.

The online-only meeting (via Zoom and VVoter software) can be viewed live by the public via Natick Pegasus. Town Meeting members will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays until they get the job done. More details via the Natick Finance Committee.

As usual, the warrant features lots of obligatory budgeting and appropriation articles, plus proposed zoning and bylaw changes.

Among the newer material:

  • Article 19: Creating and funding a chief diversity officer (or similar title) position.
  • Article 22: South Natick Dam Mitigation Alternatives. A citizen petition “to fund an investigation into any feasible alternative mitigation solutions for the South Natick dam, beyond the two proposed (removal of trees on earthen dam, or breach of spillway).”
  • Article 23: Revisiting the town’s options for the site of the former Eliot Elementary School.
  • Article 25: Hire a consultant to come up with a fresh Golden Triangle plan.
  • Article 36: “To hear a progress report from the Town Seal Review Committee, and to see what sum the Town will appropriate for design and associated services for a new Town Seal, or otherwise act thereon.”

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