Saturday, August 23 ~ 3:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Classic Cruise Night
Join us for a Nostalgic Celebration of Classic Cars and Music!
Step back in time and enjoy an evening filled with vintage vibes, featuring classic cars, live music, and great food and drinks. Groove to the timeless tunes of The Reminisants and the Fred Ellsworth Band as they bring back the hits you know and love.
Delicious Food
Beer & Wine
Live Bands
Classic Cars on Display
Bring your lawn chairs, your dancing shoes, and your love for all things retro. This is a celebration you won't want to miss!
$15 per person
Tickets at https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=19583&action=ticket&action_ticket=32583
At Winchendon Community Park, 86 Ingleside Drive
Presented by Winchendon Parks & Recreation
This Week's Winchendon News
New Veterinary Clinic Proposed for Property Next to Lickity Splitz
Molly Velasco (left) and Dr. Christy Cox (right) speaking to the ZBA
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon
Concept drawing of what the clinic may look like
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon
On Wednesday, August 20, Dr. Christy Cox, a licensed veterinarian currently practicing at Gardner Animal Care Center in Gardner, appeared before the Winchendon Zoning Board of Appeals seeking a Special Permit to build a new veterinary clinic on the undeveloped property at 0 Sibley Road. This property is on the corner of Sibley Road and Main Street (Rte 202), just north of Lickity Splitz. Dr. Cox has established the entity QC Unlimited LLC for this project--QC Unlimited was organized on July 8, 2025 and states a purpose "that includes, but is not limited to, veterinary services." The clinic will be named Tranquility Veterinary Care.
Dr. Cox appeared before the ZBA because according to the Zoning Bylaws, a veterinary clinic is an allowed use "by special permit" in the two zones (C2 and R80) the property straddles. This will be Dr. Cox's first step toward constructing the clinic.
Dr. Cox explained that Tranquility will be a "small animal and exotics clinic"--that is, they will treat cats, dogs, and small exotic pets, no large animals or livestock. The building will be one story with a basement, 6,000 square feet with a wrap-around porch, with 21 parking spaces and 2 handicap-accessible spaces. The practice will begin with one doctor, but may expand to include more. Dr. Cox plans to start out opening Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from approximately 8:00 a.m. to, at the latest, 8:00 p.m., and possibly one Saturday morning a month. There will be no overnight hours, and no emergency care at the clinic--it will be restricted to those times. There will also be no boarding at the clinic. Dr. Cox estimated that the clinic would average about 40 appointments per day.
The Board discussed the parameters around signage and exterior lighting, given that part of the property is a residential zone. Town Engineer and DPW Director Pat Wood would review the plans as they evolve, looking at details such as driveways, how much of the lot needed to be cleared of trees, and so on. Dr. Cox would prefer to keep as many trees on the wooded lot in place as possible, but factors such as line of sight might come into play.
Two abuttors who had been notified of the hearing came forward. They were largely positive about the project, but expressed some concerns about the condition of Sibley Road and the amount of traffic on it, especially school buses during the school year. They were surprised that the entrance to the clinic parking lots would be from Sibley and not Main Street. Land Use Coordinator Nicole Roberts explained that Dr. Cox doesn't own the strip along Main Street, it belongs to Lickity Splitz. The ground is also very wet, with a culvert, and traffic is even faster and busier on Main Street.
Most of the specific questions about site design don't fall under the purview of the ZBA--their decision was whether to issue a special permit for the use of the property for a clinic. Everyone present agreed that both a new business in town, and a veterinary clinic specifically, was a great idea.
Ms. Roberts, who is also the executive director of Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue, said, "There's a need, period, for a veterinarian, a lot of people that own animals and not enough veterinarians to service them. So yeah, it definitely is a big need. Great asset to the town absolutely, and it's nice to have a nice new business coming into town too. That's very exciting."
Resident Molly Velasco came forward to say, "Dr. Christy is my vet, so she has taken care of my pets for many, many, many years, and I have quite the feisty little kitty that does not like the vet, and she's the only vet, out of eight vets, that hasn't fired us. So I just wanted to say I know Christy, personally and professionally. She always goes above and beyond. When I found a stray rat that was injured in town, I was able to bring it to her current practice, and she took care of it...also just putting in the kindness and consideration, my mom is currently house bound, diagnosed with ALS, and Dr Cox has offered to come do home visits so she can be still part of her dog's care. She treats our special needs blind dog, Javier, who has exceeding needs and is so troublesome, and she always picks up the phone, always fits him in. And so I can really see the asset to having that in town. I'm very involved in the community, and it aligns with our town plan of getting more small businesses into the area, creating potential job opportunities for the future and growth. So really, just here to speak on the fact that Christy is not only an amazing vet, but also just an incredible person with strong moral values and kindness and consideration. So we'd be very lucky to have her."
Ms. Velasco said Dr. Cox had talked to her about having a "tranquility garden" on the property, where animals would feel more comfortable than in a clinical office.
Ms. Roberts said, "Christy and I have been working together for quite a few months with going back and forth with different things. She's put a lot of thought and a lot of time into finding that perfect spot for her practice."
Dr. Cox told the Board that she is a resident of Winchendon.
The Board voted to approve the special permit for Tranquility Veterinary Care, with stipulations as discussed about controlling noise, hours of operation, exterior lighting and so on.
According to her bio on the Gardner Animal Care Center website, Dr. Cox, who is listed as Medical Director, "is originally from CT and joined Gardner Animal Care Center in 2022 when she added exotic companion animal species to our list of patients. She received her undergraduate degree from Boston University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from North Carolina State University. Dr. Cox works with dogs and cats as well as a wide variety of exotic species including reptiles, birds, and small mammals.
She is experienced in husbandry, handling, medicine, and surgery of all exotic species.
"Dr. Cox shares her home with her husband and their 'Island of Misfit Toys,' which includes two dogs, a one-eyed cat, a guinea pig, and three pet store-reject Budgies.
"Her special interests include backyard poultry, soft tissue surgery, and wildlife medicine. Outside of veterinary medicine, she enjoys playing pool as well as hiking and kayaking."
First Back to School Bazaar Draws Families and Organizations For Meet and Greet Opportunities in G.A.R. Park
Families explore the programs offered by the Winchendon Fire Department, PPAL, ParentChild+ and The Child and Family Wellness Center
Photo by Inanna Arthen
Professionals from Thumbs Up Barbershop give free back-to-school haircuts
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The Winchendon Public Schools hosted what they hope will be an annual event, the first "Back to School Bazaar" on Thursday afternoon, August 21. From the event start time of 3:00 p.m, families crowded around the gazebo at G.A.R. Park, talking to representatives from the schools and organizations that had set up tables around the gazebo. Perhaps the fully extended Fire Department ladder and bucket truck, visible for blocks around, helped attract the curious--at one point Town Manager Bill McKinney was seen stepping off the bucket. School staff who helped organize the event were wearing cheerful blue t-shirts. The Murdock High School football team tossed a ball across the open lawn nearby.
Organizations with tables, most of them covered with colorful brochures and flyers (and some with candy and "swag") included Murdock Middle School, Growing Places Inc. with information about home delivery of fresh produce, Memorial Elementary School with free children's books, ABA Centers of America, Heywood Health Care with information about the Handle With Care Initiative, L.U.K., Beals Memorial Library, Toy Town Elementary with supplies lists for each grade, Winchendon Fire Department, PPAL, ParentChild+ and the Child & Family Wellness Center. Thumbs Up Barbershop was offering free back-to-school haircuts with a line that ran down the walk from the gazebo to Murdock Avenue. A table filled with free school supplies such as binders and notebooks was quickly emptied.
Amidst all the busy bustle, the Courier caught Kelsey Garcia, Director of Special Education for Winchendon Public Schools and chief organizer of the whole event, for some comments.
Asked how the school administration came up with this idea, Ms. Garcia said, "Mrs. King, our new superintendent, and I had had many conversations, because there's so many great resources in our community. And I think the consistent feedback was that the school and the community really need to link up and partner to move forward together. So we just started thinking of all the community partners we had, and what great resources they are for our families. And then we had reached out, and people started jumping at the opportunity, so we wanted to run with it."
She went on, "The Town Manager, we have police and fire representatives, a lot of our community partners. So our health center that we actually have based out of the High School is here. We have Handle With Care, our family resource center. Thumbs up Barbershop has been great. They're donating the free haircuts. They're doing some back to school body art and giving out free resources, so it's been great. Our table of free school supplies got cleaned out. So we're excited. It's a great event."
Asked how they connected with Thumbs Up Barbershop, Ms. Garcia said, "we had had the idea--they do great social media advertising, and I see that they're very involved in their community. So with the new shop in Winchendon, I had reached out and they instantly wanted to partner to come with us."
Asked if this event would continue, Ms. Garcia said, "I keep saying it's our 'first annual' because we just want to build and grow and continue to do this. It's really what our community needs. So we're excited for this to be the first one and see what the years to come have to bring."
School begins on August 27. Drive carefully!
Beals Memorial Library technician Patti Stanko (left) and Library Director Manuel King host the library's info table
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The Winchendon Fire Department demos its ladder and bucket truck
Photo by Inanna Arthen
MassDOT Hosting Virtual Public Hearing on Improvements to Blair Square
On Wednesday, September 10, at 6:00 p.m., A Virtual Design Public Hearing will be hosted on the MassDOT website to present the design for the proposed project in Winchendon, MA.
The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed project. All views and comments submitted in response to the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.
The proposed consists of 11-foot travel lanes, delineated turn lanes, 5-foot sidewalk adjacent to a 5.5-foot unidirectional bicycle lane. A 4-foot buffer is proposed on both sides of Front Street (Route 12/202) throughout most of the project limits. The project includes pavement resurfacing within limits of work. It also includes the installation of Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at midblock crosswalks as well as construction of ADA/AAB compliant pedestrian curb ramps at these crossings. Pedestrian facilities are proposed on both sides of Front Street and Central Street and north side of Spring Street.
A secure right-of-way is necessary for this project. Acquisitions in fee and permanent or temporary easements may be required. The town is responsible for acquiring all needed rights in private or public lands. MassDOT's policy concerning land acquisitions will be presented in the hearing.
Project inquiries, written statements and other exhibits regarding the proposed undertaking may be submitted to Carrie E. Lavallee, P.E., Chief Engineer, via e-mail to MassDOTProjectManagement@dot.state.ma.us or via US Mail to Suite 7550, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Project Management, Project File No. 612771. Statements and exhibits intended for inclusion in the hearing transcript must be emailed or postmarked no later than ten (10) business days (14 calendar days) after the hearing is hosted.
This hearing is accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (e.g interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, live captioning, videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT's Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (857-368-8580), TTD/TTY at (857) 266-0603, fax (857) 368-0602 or by email (MassDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible and prior to the hearing, and for more difficult to arrange services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten business days before the hearing.
This hearing will be hosted, or a cancellation announcement posted, on the MassDOT website at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/highway-division/events?_page=1.
The flyer for the event may be viewed at https://www.mass.gov/doc/massdot-hearing-flyer-winchendon-91025/download
Explore the Marchmont Castle Property with Mount Grace on August 22
image courtesy of Mount Grace
On Friday, August 22, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., join Mount Grace and the Winchendon Historical Society to explore the newly conserved Marchmont Castle property! We'll take a one-hour up-and-back walk on old roads to find the site of the former Marchmont Castle, built by the White family and demolished in 1955. After the hike, we'll stop for an ice cream at Murdock Dairy Bar on the way down to the Winchendon Historical Society at 151 Front Street. The Historical Society's Guy Corbosiero will be our guide to fascinating exhibits related to the Marchmont property, including the White family and their castle, the Winchendon mills, and the photographs and stories of child laborers who worked in Winchendon.
Walk is free to all, RSVP is encouraged. Walkers will meet at the trailhead* at Elmwood Road and Memorial Drive (not the schools' Memorial Drive, the other one--see below). Please reach out with questions and to RSVP to Caitie at 978-541-1779 or dwyer-huppert@mountgrace.org. https://www.mountgrace.org/get-involved/events/event/marchmont-historical-walk
*The trailhead is on Elmwood Road approximately halfway between the Murdock Dairy Bar and the junction of Elmwood Road and Glenallen Street/Rt 202.
Here's the trailhead, on Elmwood Road
Photo by Inanna Arthen
Where the trailhead is, if you've never been there
Image by Google Satellite
A Special Message from the Beals Memorial Library
After wrapping up their annual Summer Reading Club, the Beals Memorial Library is extending their heartfelt thanks to everyone in the Winchendon community who participated this year! Together, participating readers contributed to a grand total of 10,839 hours of reading over the course of this year's eight-week program. Here are this year's top readers in each category: Annabelle White (Preschool) with a total of 140 hours, Walden Reedy (Elementary) with a total of 131 hours, Anthony Correa (Teen) with a total of 107 hours, Rick Mccomsey (Adult) with a total of 383 hours, and Kayla Charlonne (Staff/Trustees) with a total of 202 hours.
The library would also like to thank everyone in the community who came to any of this summer's programs and events.
Finally, the library's staff and trustees are also thankful to all of this year's community sponsors, including the Friends of the Beals Library, the Winchendon CFCE, the Winchendon Cultural Council, the Winchendon Public Schools and the See Beyond the Spectrum Initiative, all of whom partnered with them to bring our community this year's programs and events.
Historical Piano Concerts Celebrate 40th Season in Ashburnham
violinist Pamela Liu
Photo courtesy of Historical Piano Concerts, Inc.
pianist Hwaen Ch'uqi
Photo courtesy of Historical Piano Concerts, Inc.
Ashburnham, MA - Sunday, September 7 marks the opening of Historical Piano Concerts' fortieth fall season, with violin and piano works by composers Franz Schubert and Felix Mendelssohn, and piano solos by Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. Pianist Hwaen Ch'uqi makes his third appearance in the concert series; violinist Pamela Liu, her first. The musicians' title, "Duo Mìlǔ" salutes their two cultures - Pamela, originally from Taiwan, and Hwaen, an Inca Indian - since Mìlǔ is Mandarin for "Perú". For this program, Hwaen Ch'uqi will play the ca. 1830 piano by Tröndlin of Leipzig from The Frederick Historical Piano Collection. Pamela Liu's violin was made by George Craske (1795-1888) Birmingham, England. Her bow is by François Lotte (1889-1970), Mirecourt, France.
This fall's seven concerts will continue every Sunday at 3:00, September 7th - October 19th at New Dawn Arts Center/Ashburnham Community Church, 84 Main Street (Rte. 12) Ashburnham, at Chapel Street. Enter at the rear of the building, from Chapel Street. The building is wheelchair accessible. The concerts will offer a variety of programs: solo piano, piano with voice, and with violin and cello. Admission is $20.00 per adult, children and students, free. A $100.00 season pass entitles the holder to attend all seven fall concerts for the price of five, and includes one guest pass. For details about programs and musicians, please visit the website, www.FrederickCollection.org.
The Historical Piano Concerts, begun in 1985, are built around the Frederick Collection of European grand pianos by leading makers, about 1790 - 1928. Each pianist chooses a piano from the collection, matching their musical selections to the time and place of the piano. Located in Ashburnham's former Stevens Library building, the piano collection is open by appointment for guided tours, with musical samples played on pianos of different periods. Guests are invited to play the pianos (with some supervision by the owners, Edmund and Patricia Frederick of Ashburnham). Visitors have come from across the US and around the world.
Contact: Patricia Frederick, concert manager: (piano.fred@juno.com) or by phone, (978) 827-6232.
Historical Piano Concerts, Inc. is a publicly supported nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. Donations are fully tax-deductible.
