Each week, City Manager Tom Aspell slides on his cowboy boots, walks to the center of town at high noon, spurs a-janglin’, reaches for his holsters and fires off a city memo. Right between the eyes!
it starts in our parks
Fitness and fun
The Parks and Recreation Department has begun an initiative called “It Starts in Our Parks,” Aspell writes. The program will allow people to take part in fitness classes at no cost while enjoying some of Concord’s great parks. Scheduled to take place the second and third Thursday of each month, May 12 through Aug. 18, participants will meet at several different parks around the City to take part in organized classes and fitness walks. The program began last week with a gentle yoga class at Rollins Park. This class will be offered again on May 19 at 3:30 p.m., next to the gazebo at Rollins Park.
It Starts in Our Parks is a collaboration of the Concord Parks and Recreation Department; 8 Limbs Holistic Health LLC; the Concord Hospital Center for Health Promotion; the Penacook Community Center; and Tai Chi instructor Bill Halacy. For more information, visit concordnh.gov/recreation or call 225-8690.
library landscapers
Thanks from Tom
On May 7 the Concord Public Library Friends organized a spring cleanup of the Library's landscaping, Aspell writes. About 10 volunteers spent the morning pruning bushes, weeding and raking. The Concord School District donated two flower barrels from Kimball School to the library, and the Concord Public Library Friends planted them with flowers. The library now has a bright new look for spring! Thank you, CPL Friends, Concord School District and volunteers, Aspell writes.
sweep me off my feet
Parking ban
Citizens are reminded, Aspell writes, that from May 15 through May 28 there will be an onstreet parking ban between of midnight and 7 a.m. for the city to conduct street sweeping. Vehicles parked on city streets during this timeframe will be ticketed and towed. survey says? Downtown data Main Street Concord, working closely with city staff, has developed a comprehensive survey designed to gauge demand for “market rate” downtown housing.
It is the hope of all involved, Aspell writes, that the data collected by this effort will better inform developers about the demand for this type of housing and, hopefully give them more confidence about pursuing such projects in the downtown central business district. The release of this survey complements other recent efforts to encourage downtown “market rate” housing, including the permanent repeal of the overnight parking ban as well as ongoing efforts to create a lending pool for such projects with local bankers.
The survey can be taken by logging on to mainstreetconcord.com. Survey participants that provide their email address will be entered into a drawing for $50 in “downtown dollars.” Main Street Concord hopes to get at least 300 respondents, Aspell writes.
modern woodsmen
Arbor Day event
Members of the Modern Woodmen of America sponsored an Arbor Day tree planting event. Three maple trees were planted at the corner of Hills Avenue and Storrs Street, Aspell writes. One tree was donated by the Modern Woodmen of America, one by Cole Gardens, and a third was purchased by the Conservation Commission. The YMCA Child Development Center helped to plant the trees. Special thanks to the General Services Department Tree Crew for preparing the site and planting the tree, and to the Planning Division for their help in organizing the event, Aspell writes.
Well, reckon you can poke your head up out of that barrel now or open up those bat-wing saloon doors. Seems like Tom’s ridden on for greener pastures-until next week.
