Rail Trail News
Even though I am no longer in the employ of Essex Heritage, and simply
serve as many other Commissioners and trustees do as volunteers, I am most
interested in numerous initiatives fostered by the mission of Essex Heritage
particularly as they focus on recreation and the outdoors. In that vein, I follow their work on the
development of rail trails across the region.
I have recently been made aware of a most energetic and enthusiastic
project undertaken as an Eagle Scout project that involved the search for and
the building and installation of benches made of old railroad wheels and other
material. The three benches have been
assembled and installed along the recently completed Danvers Rail Trail. If you are in the vicinity of those resting
places, take a look at the work of Danvers High School Senior, Tim Jordan, as
it is a wonderful addition to the trail.
Speaking of Rail Trail enhancements the leadership of the Newburyport
Rail Trail group have recently received a $50,000.00 grant to install Murals and
other art work along the 1.1 mile Clipper City Rail Trail, The City of Newburyport will add funds to
complete the project.
A wonderful holiday gift
If you are still searching for the perfect gift for someone you might
consider during the Holiday Season………Think about a membership for 2014. The Commission truly provided events for all
seasons. See the following Information.
Your
Support Matters.
The Essex National Heritage Commission Membership program offers unique
opportunities to explore this Heritage Area. Members are the first to hear
about exciting events, receive discounts to attend these events and receive the
quarterly invitation highlighting them. In turn, supporting Essex Heritage
through our membership program means you embrace and champion our mission to
preserve and enhance the historic, cultural and natural resources of the Essex
National Heritage Area. Our power comes from the power of our supporters –
people like you who commit to protecting our region and our resources. We can't
do it without you!
• Become a member
• Check out our "Membership Details"
to learn more about membership and member benefits.
Questions? For more information, email or phone Essex Heritage at
978-740-0444.
Thank
you to our Corporate Members
Essex Heritage is grateful for the generous support of our Corporate
Members! All of our Corporate Members enjoy unique visibility opportunities and
privileges. Learn more about Essex
Heritage's Corporate Membership Program.
·
Become a Member!
·
Membership Details
·
Corporate Membership Program
·
Event Host Opportunities
Essex National Heritage Area • 221 Essex Street, Suite 41, Salem, MA
01970, ph 978-740-0444, f 978-744-6473
Partnership Grant Gifts in My
Name Provided by Local Friends and Associates
I am pleased to learn from the staff at Essex Heritage the memorial
gifts in my name have been contributed by local friends to the Essex Heritage
Partnership Grant Program. Both Essex
Heritage and I are most grateful for their thoughtfulness. These generous donors were were Michael
Morris, Dr. Wayne Burton, Fr. John O’Donnell and Paul Mc Ginley.
Happy New Year
I want to take a moment here to wish any readers of this Blog a most
Happy New Year along with all of our best wishes for continuing good health and
financial success. As it is every year
let us all fervently wish for a level of peace on earth and safety from gun
violence and other ills in our daily
life’s.
Essex County Vocational
Technical School Progressing on Schedule
The New Vocational and Technical School currently under construction in
Danvers is on schedule and under budget even though there are some under
current in the region about costs of the program. A comprehensive schedule of night classes
offered for adults was recently released and there is truly something for
everyone outlined in a recent publication recently mailed to area residents. Also there are some discussions about a new
privately funded indoor skating rink being planned and leased facility adjacent
Soccer Field at the new school facility.
The initial comments about the ice facility expressed that revenues
would be positive from this venture. It
seems to this observer that the location of this proposed venture would be a
welcome addition to the local area provided
the potential problems with some residential neighbors might be
addressed.
Innovative plan for the expansion
of Education programs in Downtown Lynn Canceled
An innovative plan that would house education programs for Cosmetology
and Culinary Arts being moved out of the Essex Aggie location to make room for
the new county wide Vocational and Technical High School currently being built
in Danvers has suffered a setback as the company that had entered into a
prospective deal with Community College has fallen apart. The programs were moving to a location in
downtown Lynn but they are now once again without a home. The two programs that historically produced
students for prospective employment opportunities will be a loss for the
region. The collapse of the proposed
deal has also produced a lawsuit by the present owner of the proposed location
for the two programs.
Potential Power Plant Needs
Debated
As the start-up date of 2016 moves closer and closer the entities from
both camps, both pro and con for the need of the development of a natural gas
powered plant continues to debate the need for such a facility. I would expect that the issue will get more
hotly contested as the START-UP date get closer and closer. Stay tuned for more
facts and figures on the project so vital to the economic future of Salem and
certain communities in the region.
City of Peabody to seek a home
rule petition to offer ten additional liquor licenses In the Leather City
The City Administration with the unanimous support of the Council will
be seeking a home rule petition that would allow the City to offer ten
additional full service liquor licenses to potential establishments in either
the restored downtown and at the retail mall. The new licenses would be used as
an economic development tool in the community.
The Town of Danvers has applied for a couple of extra permissions and
that effort has been successful.
Several local adjacent communities have seen the growth of the
restaurant industry as an excellent economic tool.
The City of Peabody Considering
the Rehabilitation of a an well recognized building in Peabody Square
A development firm is considering the rehabilitation of a historic
building in the city center that would include a new hotel with a restaurant
and meeting space. It is expected that
this plan would prove to be an incentive to visitors to the region.
Wreath Program offered in
Peabody. New Project Honoring Vets in
Danvers
In the recent past several programs in the region have been announced
that will benefit veterans. A very
aggressive program that would place wreaths from the Wreaths Across America on
the graves of Vets has been established in Peabody. A new memorial was recently constructed in
Danvers adjacent to the Thorpe School to honor Vets in that community.
Local Senior Centers in No
Andover and Danvers seeking Volunteers to assist in programs.
The Senior Center in North Andover is seeking volunteers to drive
clients to medical appointments. The
Danver Senior Center currently has an innovative adult non medical Day Care Service,
and that center is seeking qualified volunteer help. The program has been most successful
providing that there is a current and ongoing need for these kinds of programs.
It is very clear that all over this region there are non-profit
organizations that would welcome volunteer help. If you have received help in the past from
one of these regional non-profits consider ‘paying it forward’ with contributed
support.
Public Education vs. Private
colleges
Once overlooked public University Programs and Community Colleges are
stepping ahead of their private college partners in this state. In many cases the public facilities are
experiencing increased funding, improved new state of the arts facilities,
honor programs, affordable tuitions and higher graduation results. Recent reports show publish networks of
public college in the State of Massachusetts are passing many private
educational institutions in their status in the market for quality education
for the costs offered.
Marblehead Town Building built
in 1727 to be updated to insure handicapped accessibility
The Town of Marblehead has completed a half million dollar project that
includes the installation of an elevator to make the building more accessible
to residents of that seaside community.
Salem to enter phase two of City
Hall Improvement Project
Speaking of older historic buildings, the City of Salem is embarking on
the next phase of a major rehabilitation of Salem City Hall. The building was constructed in 1838 and is
on the National Registry of Historic Places and is one of the oldest continuous
operating community city halls in the Country. During the first phase of this 2 million
dollar project a number of accessibility issues were addressed such as the installation
of an elevator, and the final disability matters such as lower customer
counters and wider doorways are being addressed to assist people in
wheelchairs. It is very pleasing for
me to see so many elevators being installed around the region. This is very important to people with disabilities. I am a person with a disability who is
currently involved in a project to make my parish church in Danvers accessible
with the installation of an elevator and that project continues to be one of my
primary concerns.
Local emphasis on Library
improvements countywide
All across the Essex County region local library complexes are
undergoing improvement projects including both federal, state and private
funding, including a unique effort in the Town of Salisbury where private funds
are being sought.
Beverly Retail Improvements
Approval of a Beverly property to be used as a new retail center may
also have an impact on plans of the Cummings Property and may well impact a
future plans on Dunham Road, as conservation issues might cause changes in
plans for that area by the retail giant in Beverly. A final decision on this project will be
decided by a public referendum in a soon to be schedule election.
PERSONAL
OBSERVATIONS
CONGRATULATIONS TO LOCAL WINNERS
This year may mark one of the first times in recent years that no local
community was represented in the year end football Super Bowl competition This
year Bishop Fenwick in Peabody and Central Catholic School in Lawrence won
super Bowl Titles in December 2013 and should be congratulated.
Recent reading
In the most recent weeks I have curtailed my political and patriotic
reading to take some time to read the biography of one the sports icons of this
region that I have witnessed in person over the last couple of decades. I have completed a very short but
entertaining story of the life of Bobby Orr who helped to lead the Boston
Bruins to a couple of Stanley Cup titles.
I have long been a very strong admirer of Orr since I was a local youth
hockey coach in the 1970’s. I had the
wonderful experience of providing a youth team to work with Bobby Orr, and
Nabisco in the making of a film called “Winning Isn’t Everything”. For two days myself and fifteen ten year old
youths worked together with Orr to film drills and game action with commentary
by Orr. During that two day period I
would be hard pressed to find a gentleman who was any more attentive to the
youths we took to Harvard to film the documentary. During the filming, the attention that he
paid to my team and the personal attention he paid to provide tips to the boys
on how they could improve in hockey and to be better contributors in life in
general. Later at a business meeting we
used that occasion to discuss the filming and what that meant to my youngsters.
The book was well prepared and I enjoyed his presentation style and
stories of his life as a professional hockey player starting at a very early
age.
United States Congress making
progress on a compromised budget agreement
The US-Congress may be saving an otherwise non- productive two year
session with the potential passage of a two year federal budget that will
contain several compromises from the two active political parties both sides of
the aisle. Possibly the public messages to the Congress of the low
regard we are holding them I at present may be getting through and this might
be showing a positive sign for the future.
Holiday Food Pantry Needs
One of the Leonard Family favorite charities is the People to People
Food Pantry in Danvers. Early in
December we attended a party for the benefit of the Danvers Pantry. That day a considerable amount of resources
were raised as well as great amounts of food products were donated at the
Holiday Philharmonic Concert that offered a continuing Christmas tradition by St. Richard’s Church in Danvers.
At this time if you can offer help to a number of Food Pantries around
the region, they certainly can use your support at this time of the year when
the need is at its highest point.
Death of a family member
Just a week or so before the Christmas Holiday a venerable and a
greatly admired uncle of mine passed away in a local Rehabilitation
Facility. John Hyland of Rockport
suffered a fall and then passed away from injuries as he approached a century
of living in this region. Jack, the
youngest brother of my mother was the historian of the family and he will be
greatly missed by the remaining family members.
Jack lived for many years lived in the South Salem section of that
city. He served his country during World
War Two as a Navy See Bee, and preformed much needed service in the Pacific
Ocean Theatre of the War, building Air Strips and other facilities on Islands
captured by the Allies. As a youngster
the family and I followed with great interest his travels across the Pacific
Ocean. After the war Jack worked for the
General Electric Company at the River Works Plant in Lynn on the Jet Engine
Program until his retirement.
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