It's beginning to look a lot like...
TOY TOWN!
This magnificent display can not only be seen on Prospect Street in Winchendon, but clear across the Millers River all the way to Front Street and beyond with its brilliant illumination.
Photo by Keith Kent
Found along the western end of Front Street, this home proves that even the Grinch can get along and play nice with both Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman and more, to the delight of many children living in the neighborhood.
Photo by Keith Kent
Seen in these photos and always an anticipated treat for both its residents, locals and travelers, the Broadview Assisted Living Center illuminates the night sky at the intersection of Central and North Central Streets with its always phenomenal nighttime lighting holiday extravaganza.
Photos by Keith Kent
Clark YMCA Continues Providing Expanding Programs and Options Through Growth and Community Dedication
If passing the test of time through positive impacts on both its home community and its surroundings, continual growth, and a multitude of athletic options for people of all ages and their interests is any measure of success, then look no further than your local Clark Memorial YMCA for all of the above and far more with a focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development for over 60 years.
HOME OF THE CLARK SHARKS! Seen in this photo, a full size indoor heated swimming pool elegantly graces the facilities of the Clark Memorial YMCA. This heated indoor pool, has been home to many talented members of the Clark Sharks competitive swim team, as well as the Conant Public High School program, providing a setting where both talented competitive swimmers, and average membership owners can enjoy the water and all the pool has to offer.
Photo by Keith Kent
Just for starters, in the original Clark complex there is an indoor heated swimming pool for both recreational and competitive swimming, serving as the home of the talented Clark Sharks competitive swim team coached by Aquatics Department Head, Julie Whittemore. Upstairs is a basketball court which can be divided into more than one court if needed. Also available on the lower level are a weight training room and a cardio equipment room with everything from treadmills and stationary bikes to elliptical equipment. The facility hosts Aerobic classes, Yoga, Silver Sneakers for seniors with classic, circuit, and cardio options, along with other available health and fitness class opportunities.
Enjoyed by the many people who love the game of Basketball, this indoor Basketball Court has been the site of countless games both pickup and league, as well as tournaments for over decades.
Photo by Keith Kent
In the rear of the facility is its newest and third large building, a state-of-the-art Youth Center also donated by the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation. A Gymnastics center where parents can bring even their very young children along with older ones, those participating learn the many various forms, arts, balance, and even the mental and physical strength and confidence of what gymnastics has to offer. Its ample square footage provides not only plenty of space and separation, but positive age orientated and design instruction for those taking part in its teachings. Under the same roof in the Youth Center is a modern certified day care facility, providing a safe and healthy environment for even our youngest age groups, offering both School Age Child Care programs for students in grades K-5, and Child Watch, available for parents and guardians while working out at the Clark YMCA complex. Information can be found online at https://www.theclarkymca.org/programs/child-care.
This state of the art youth gymnastics facility has proudly been the site of dreams coming true for many young children who learn the art of gymnastics, as well as balance and fitness. Seen in the rear of the facility, are key items of apparatus such as balance beams, uneven bars, pommel horse, and much more!
Photo by Keith Kent
If you're looking to rent space for Special Events or even Birthday parties, look no further. The Robinson Broadhurst Field House, Pool facility, and Gymnastics facility are all available to rent, with terms and conditions found on their website at https://www.theclarkymca.org/programs/parties-rentals
As the Christmas holiday is fast approaching, the YMCA will be offering a "Christmastime Pre School Playground" on Wednesday, December 15, for any child aged 5 and under wanting to attend, during the hour of 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Gymnastics facility. Children will be able to hear a Christmas story from the staff and bring home a special treat. The event is free to the general public with membership not necessary. If inclement weather causes a cancellation, a makeup date has been reserved for Wednesday, December 22. The YMCA would like parents and guardians to know that due to the pandemic, masks must be worn by children and adults at the event in the facility.
Kyle Scrivines is both a former Winchendon resident and Senior Program Director at the Clark YMCA. Scrivines knows personally just how important the local YMCA is to both the community and its members. Scrivines said, "As we all know like many places, COVID hit and we had to scale down. Now we are bouncing back with a target of full level of availability. In terms of mainstays, our child care program never stopped as we kept it going for the families of emergency responders during the most restrictive times of the pandemic. Now it's going from 6:30 a.m. in the morning until 6:00 p.m. at night. Childcare has a flat fee regardless of membership status. We are now running a full slate of gymnastics, aquatics, and also youth basketball season. We are open to ideas, and if a person or group of people have suggestions on something they would like to see us add, we are all ears for considerations regarding possibly getting it going and always looking for input. We believe in the motto of 'something for everyone' and if there is interest in a proposal, we will try to roll with it."
When asked what the new Youth Center provided by Robinson Broadhurst has allowed in other positive measurements, Scrivines explained, "On the child care side, we were previously running our programs up at Toy Town Elementary, and the logistics of that as you can imagine were a little bit tough. To now have our own space that we can make our own, and allow the children to make their own is extremely beneficial. From the Gymnastics side of it, we used to have to run that up in the main building gymnasium. Now again, just like in the child care facility, both the staff and children can make it their own which has also been extremely beneficial, while also freeing up the Basketball Court as well where some of those activities were held at the Winchendon School. So there have been benefits realized in the other buildings and programs because of this newer addition, allowing all activities to now be self contained making huge improvements."
In closing Scrivines wanted all to know, "We at the YMCA work hard to be a good community partner. We are based in this town and we are involved in this town. We have staff and volunteers who are on town boards and committees. We really try to make sure that we are giving back to the town everything that the town is giving to us. In terms of our programs and membership, nobody is turned away due to inability to pay. Income or situation, we will work with anybody in our community. We are very proud of that as it is something very unique in the business world these days. We realize everything the community has given to us, so we look to do our share as well. On a program level, we like to say we have something for everyone, youth, adults, and seniors. In the end, we just want to provide a place where people can build healthy habits and live a healthy life style."
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Clark Memorial YMCA, it can be reached by phone at (978) 297-9622, or visit it on the internet at www.theclarkymca.org.
Winchendon School Committee Announces Finalists for Superintendant of Schools Position
On the SCHOOLS page
BOS Discusses Water Rate Study Company Selection Process
Town Manager Justin Sultzbach updated the Board of Selectmen regarding the current water rate study selection process during their meeting on Monday, November 22. The discussion followed up on the November 8 Fall Special Town Meeting where monies were approved under various articles to help offset budget deficits in both the water and sewer departments, buying the town the time as it continues underground pipe video investigations to establish where leaks are located throughout its system.
Sultzbach stated, "One of the top priorities since coming to town was to try to identify solutions to the financial and physical issues facing our water and sewer programs in town, and there is a five piece process identified as the following."
- Update the Capital Plan for the water and waste water plants.
- Survey of all subterranean infrastructure throughout town.
- Reducing Inflow and Infiltration issues. "Things being tied in to sewer user systems the town should not be paying to treat."
- Replacing all rate user water meters near of beyond life expectancy to provide accurate usage readings.
- Conducting an overall water rate study.
Selectman Danielle LaPointe, referring the current contracted vendor for the water and wastewater plants, Veolia International, stated, "There is a violations record very easily found. In just fifteen minutes you can find the parent company with 59 records of environmental related offenses, for a total of over $3.9 million, 32 records of safety related offenses for a total of $528,000, five employee related offenses for a total of $238,000, and it goes on and on. So when we talk about five year financial plans and we talk about revenue recovery and we talk about customer impact, this plays more than a little role to me on the stuff this has an impact on in our community."
Sultzbach replied, "As far as we have seen to date nobody has brought any complaints and no instances of that kind of stuff happening in Winchenodon and it is overseen by the state. The important takeaway just in terms of setting expectations is that this is primarily a financial review. Thankfully I haven't seen environmental issues or quality complaints here that we do keep an eye on, but this study would cover a full financial review."
Selectman Barbara Anderson, who has been asking for rate studies for the last one and half years, followed with, "I need to see in the study also what the cost was when we used to do it in house, versus outsourcing on our waste water. Cost was never really why we outsourced. We were never really told we were going to save money, but we assumed we would. We need to know what would it cost the town if we were to go back to keeping the wastewater plant in house and under the DPW like it used to be."
Sultzbach replied, "Absolutely, and it is mentioned in the report that an analysis of what it would cost to bring it back in house would be included in the study."
DPW Superintendent Brian Croteau also updated the BOS, saying that of the water meters needing replacement out of the 1,100 in use, the Town Manager has said it's possible for their replacement to be funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at a cost of $240,000, not be placed on the backs of the water ratepayers, and still allow the town to bring in more income and increased financial stability. "We just finished up the water meter reading for the last quarter, and there are a lot of dead meters out there and we are not accounting for all the water used out there. We have bills going out for just $3 and $5 dollars, and I can tell you none of us have bills that low," Croteau emphasized.
Sultzbach informed the board that the town identified about $116 million in capital needs, and the government provided about $3.6 million in ARPA funding in total, of which just under $2.5 million is still in hand and the town legally has three years to spend the funds. After a short discussion, it was agreed to hold off the possible spending of the funds for water meters until the next BOS meeting in December.
After discussion was over, Anderson made a motion that, "The BOS authorize the Town Manager to use up to but not exceeding $25,000 in ARPA Funds 'American Rescue Plan Act' received by the town to execute a contract with the lowest cost and qualified firm under Chapter 30B MA Procurement Laws for the purposes of conducting a comprehensive water rate study." The motion was seconded by LaPointe, and passed 4-0 with the Selectmen present--LaPointe, Anderson, Vice Chair Rick Ward, and Amy Salter--voting yes.
Winchendon COVID Viral Positivity Down Slightly, Regional Cluster on Significant Rise!
After being ranked the highest in Worcester County municipal viral testing for the last 3 weeks, the Town of Winchendon's viral positivity has dropped slightly, from 10.26 to 8.95 percent, with almost all surrounding towns increasing in an ongoing Mass Department of Public Health recognized regional cluster.
In a continuing state border trend, in all but five towns along the Massachusetts and New Hampshire state line, only 5 towns had a positivity rate under 5 percent from the Town of Salisbury on the Atlantic coast, to the Commonwealth's most Northwest corner in the Vermont / New York /Mass Tri-state area. For the rest of Commonwealth's northern border, positivity rates range from above 5 percent, all the way to 25 percent with many over 9 and 10 percent as trends continue. The State of New Hampshire to date is the lowest vaccinated state in New England, which according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control is just under 65 percent.
To this date, the Mass DPH confirms the near total majority of hospital viral necessary beds are being used by those who chose not to become vaccinated based on DPH mandated hospital reporting. While vaccinations were never designed or claimed to be totally fool-proof, they are continuing to do what they were designed to do, and keep the majority of those vaccinated out of required hospital stays for treatment as they were specifically designed to lower the chances of getting COVID-19, but greatly increase the chance of if one becomes infected to keep you out of the hospital and lessen the symptoms.
In our area, almost all municipality numbers are up. While Ashburnham to the east is currently at 5.01 percent and its school district partner town of Westminster is 7.70, Ashby on Ashburnham's eastern border just two towns away from Winchendon has skyrocketed to 15.93 percent. The trend in that direction continues with Townsend at 10.93, Pepperell 9.36, and Dunstable at 10.42.
On Winchendon's southern border, the City of Gardner is now up to 9.11 percent based on 2,350 molecular tests. To the west of Winchendon on its border, the town of Royalston has jumped to 13.89 percent, with its fellow school district town of Athol also increasing to 8.89 percent positivity. To Athol's west, the bordering town of Orange is now up to 11.35 percent. The towns of Templeton and Phillipston in the Narrangansett Regional School District to Winchendon's south and southwest are 6.76 and 5.48 respectively.
In nearby more populated areas, the City of Fitchburg has finally realized a spike in cases at 8.31 percent positivity, and Twin City neighbor, City of Leominster registered at 5.97 percent, a number many once thought high but which many towns would sadly now welcome.
On a positive note, the Town of Winchendon current vaccination rates have slightly increased. Identified on line 3,026 of the county wide vaccination report for Worcester County municipalities, Winchendon is now listed as having 5,517 of its 10,765 residents full vaccinated for 51 percent of its population, up from 49 percent a few weeks prior. Winchendon residents with at least one dose of a vaccine register at 6,308 persons for 59 percent of its population as public school students begin to become vaccinated. While still far behind the Worcester County average, this is a welcome development and good news to local health care professionals.
The numbers tell the story, and do not lie. If you take the local ten towns of Ashburnham, Ashby, Westminster, Winchendon, Royalston, Athol, Templeton, Phillipston, Hubbardston, and City of Gardner within a simple two town radius depending on routes traveled, our regional average is now a public health documented 8.8 percent average! This is not even including other towns nearby just outside of the two town limitation such as Orange and Townsend, both well over 10 percent.
In closing, Winchendon's area of North Worcester County is not only a regional cluster, but now a significant one. If you are not yet vaccinated, as Chair of the Board of Health only, I ask you to please STRONGLY CONSIDER getting vaccinated. Again, we have a ten town area average now up to 8.8 percent with the official start of winter still over two weeks away.
Keith Kent
Chair
Board of Health
Town of Winchendon
To schedule a free COVID-19 vaccination at any time, go to www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.
The Knights of the Inferno Motorcycle Club Ironsides Chapter presented a check to the Winchendon school district's Special Olympics program for $2,620. The money was raised back in August at the club's Special Olympics poker run.
Photos courtesy of Mark Desmarais
