Somerville Open Studios This Weekend
It's a happening weekend all over Somerville with Somerville Open Studios with some special stuff is happening right here in Union Square.
Right in the neighborhood you can visit 19 different locations to check out the work and studios of the creative folks active here.
Over at It's a Gift, Outside the Lines Studio is joining with Walnut Street Center to host Creative Union. The party is a fundraiser with a puppet show, balloon twisting, custom silkscreening, Outsider Art, and live music. Their event is happening both May 1st and 2nd from 1 pm until 8 pm at It's a Gift, 29A Union Square.You can see the bands that are participating in the event on their Facebook page. Read more in the Somerville News. This weekend is also Free Comics Day at Hub Comics. Stop by to pick up the free offerings and see the latest in graphic novels, super hero action and more.
The image here is by Jess Demora. Visit her studio at 76 Columbus Ave. |
|
Sponsor a Chair
Seats and Treats This Saturday
The Chair Project for Union Square is hosting "Seats and Treats" on Saturday to show how great having some movable chairs on the Union Square plaza could be.
Local can-do gal Samantha Kattan is working with Union Square Main Streets, to bring 20 light-weight, stackable chairs that would be left outside on the plaza for everyone to use. The goal is to promote the plaza as a destination for eating, conversation and enjoying the outdoors, animating our public space. These chairs will be in a single design and color - the polished aluminium and teak chair in this photo -- to give a cohesive look to the area.
On Saturday, to formally launch the fundraising effort for the chairs, join Samantha and friends on the plaza. There will be live music, free rootbeer floats and some temporary chairs to demonstate the idea.
 City-Wide Clean Up Day
On Saturday May 8 is the annual City-wide Clean Up Day. Teams will be gathering across the city at 10 am. Union Square folks will gather in front of the SCAT building at 90 Union Square before heading off to their assignments. Immediately following from noon to 2 pm is a community barbeque on Nunziato Field on Summer Street with the SomerGreen festival happening alongside at the Community Growing Center. The SomerGreen event brings together dozens of "green" businesses, community groups, educational institutions and city departments to share how they and you can create a more sustainable Somerville.
|
 B2Green On Thursday, May 6 from 4 to 6 pm at the Holiday Inn check out the annual showcase of businesses and initiatives on all things Green. From green energy to LEED-certified design, fuel efficient vehicles, recycling and composting to innovative consumer products. The exhibit takes place from 4 to 6 pm and immediately followed by the monthly Business After Hours Networking Event.
RSVP with name(s) & affiliation(s) to the Somerville Chamber of Commerce. |
Design Professionals Needed
STEP and the Green Line Community Corridor Planning Project invites you to put your creative design/planning skills to work on the long awaited Green Line extension through Somerville at a series of Community Station Design. There will be workshops on May 21 from 6 to 8:30 pm (light supper will be provided), May 22 from 1 to 5pm and on June 2 from 6 to 8pm. All workshops will be held in the Cafetorium of Prospect Hill Academy which is also the St. Benedict Church Hall at 17 Franklin St., East Somerville. Accessible by # 89 Bus, Orange Line (Sullivan Station). Parking available next to building.
Are you an Urban Designer, Land Use Planner, Landscape Architect or Transportation Planner? Got similar professional expertise that would be helpful for the design of the future Green Line stations? The Green Line Community Corridor Planning Project of Somerville is seeking you to be a part of design teams to work with community members this spring to develop sustainable attractive, easy to access light-rail stations and station-area designs for the new stations on the Green Line extension through Cambridge, Somerville and Medford.
Volunteers from the professional design and planning communities will work with community residents in station-area design workshops for the Union Square, Washington Street/Brickbottom, Gilman Square, Lowell Street, Ball Square, College Avenue, and Route 16 stations. Professionals will provide creative design and strategic input; community residents will provide critical local knowledge and vision. The Community Corridor Project will provide maps, schematics, art materials, flip charts, easels and a coordinating professional urban designer.
If you are interested in using your expertise and participating in the station-area design workshops contact Ellin Reisner at reisnere51@gmail.com or 617-776-1987 or Wig Zamore at wigzamore@rcn.com or 617-625-5630. Let us know if you have a preference for working on a particular station area.
|
|
|
|
|
Return to the Garden
 The new season at the Community Growing Center opens with Spring Garden Day and World Labyrinth Day tomorrow, May 1. From 9 am to noon exchange seeds, seedlings, plants and more. Red Herring Morris and Pipe Dream dancers lead all into spring and through the maypole dance. At 12:15 celebrate World Labyrinth Day with people from all over the planet who embrace the labyrinth as a symbol, a tool, a passion or a practice.For more information on World Labyrinth Day. There's two fun events this month with Sethapalooza, a Birthday Party and Community Fundraiser Extravaganza on Saturday, May 8 from 4 to 9 pm. Somerville business owner Seth Itzkan is celebrating his 50th birthday by hosting a music party and community fundraiser, bringing attention to the organizations and causes dear to him. Donations are encouraged. It's a potluck and the family friend evening with dancing and live music. On May 16 come by for Jeff Jams Childrens Sing Song Show from 12:30-1:30 pm. Bring the kids and settle in for a fun time with Somerville Community Access TV kids show host for singing, moving and general good times. After the City of Somerville's Annual Spring Cleanup stop over for the SomerGreen Festival from noon to 2 pm. Learn about local businesses, non-profits and city agencies working on a greener, more sustainable. Hosted by Groundwork Somerville. The garden is now open every Saturday through October from 9 am to noon for "Open Garden Saturdays." Starting May 15, they invite Somerville Seniors to do some gardening during "Senior Saturdays." The weekly event is in collaboration with Somerville Cambridge Elder Services. SCM Community Transportation has free transportation. If interested in transportation assistance, you must call by noon on Friday the day before you need a ride. Contact sponsor SCM Community Transportation at 617-625-1191 or www.scmtransportation.org to arrange for Door2Door service. The Somerville Community Growing Center is at 22 Vinal Ave, just off Summer Street on the edge of Union Square. |
|
Winter Farmers Market for Somerville?
Since the summer farmers markets are such a big hit in Somerville and more and more people are participating in CSAs, a team of folks in the City, including Union Square Main Streets, are exploring the possibility of bringing a Winter Farmers Market to our community. Even with snow on the ground, local farmers could bring their cold cellar stores of root crops and sweet onions, their honey, eggs, meat, bread, cheese, greens and more. We're trying to develop our business plan for the project and to gauge local interest. Help us out by taking this survey.
|
|
Ward 2 News
Alderman Maryann Heuston has begun again her Ward 2 Neighborhood Walks. Get some exercise, meet with your neighbors, and see a neighborhood in detail. The walks provide an opportunity to identify day-to-day issues in an area and discuss possible solutions and actions. This year the walks will constitute a bona fide activity of the City's Shape Up Somerville Program and all participants will receive a "thank you" gift for joining in the walk. She'll be out on Saturday, May 1 leaving at 10 am from Conway Park where the group will explore Somerville Ave. On? Friday, May 14 at 6:00 pm meet at Brickbottom Condominiums to explore that neighborhood including Poplar and Chestnut Streets. On Thursday, May 20 meet at 6 pm to explore the Lincoln Park neighborhood with the start at the playground baseball diamond. Maryann reports on the Quincy Street Park. She says, "With so little open space in Somerville, it is very important to develop and preserve those few open spaces we have. Over the course of the years, Ward 2 has seen the revitalization and rebuilding of much open space, including Perry Park, two community gardens, Palmacci Park, Conway Park, the soccer field at Lincoln Park, and the greening of Concord Square/Placa Portuguese." She continues, "There are a few remaining official open spaces on which we can rebuild that qualify for Federal CDBG funds. The small open space on Quincy Street is next on the list. " Information on the planning for the park can be found here. |
|
|
|
|
