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Traffic calming plans are revealed for village

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TRAFFIC calming measures are to be installed in an East Staffordshire village in a bid to create a safer environment for pedestrians.

Councillors in Barton under Needwood have revealed plans for a shared space scheme in the centre of the village which they hope will bring an end to its traffic problems.

A public consultation will be held at the village’s John Taylor High School next month, where people can have their say on plans and raise any concerns about the scheme, dubbed ‘Better Barton’, which will aim to slow down and reduce the amount of traffic in Station Road and Main Street.

Chiefs have enlisted the services of urban design firm Node, which has transformed town centres across the Midlands.

Shared space schemes have been implemented in various parts of the country and typically see a town or village centre become more pedestrianised, with kerbs and road markings often removed.

Details about what measures could be installed have yet to be revealed, but councillors said they hoped the plans would not include bollards or road humps.

Siobhan Rumsby, clerk at Barton under Needwood Parish Council, said: “We have had a lot of traffic problems in the village and have been working with Node to come up with landscaping ideas such as changes to road surfacing to make traffic more cautious as it approaches the village.

“We have seen what has happened in other towns that have done it.”

Bosses have been attempting to find a solution to its traffic woes for years, while they have also taken into consideration a 130-home development off Efflinch Lane, on which work is expected to start in the spring.

Mrs Rumsby said: “We have been looking at it for a while, with new housing developments proposed we have been looking at ways of making the traffic situation better. We want to make traffic aware that it is a very busy centre.”

The plans will be displayed at two public workshops at the John Taylor High School on February 1, at 10am and 2pm.

To book a place email Betterbarton@gmail.com or call the parish council on 01283 716059.

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Draper closes in on school’s final details: San Mateo to get progress report …

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San Mateo city officials are assessing the status of the entrepreneurial Draper University of Heroes project and working with its officials to complete agreed upon aesthetic property improvements required to finalize permits for the downtown campus centered in the former Benjamin Franklin Hotel.

The university needs to complete the pedestrian walkway adjacent to the Third Avenue entrance, finalize the pop-up retail spaces and make landscape enhancements among other things, said Rory Walsh, director of the Community Development Department. Once the university completes these outstanding improvements, it will be issued finalized permits and the project will be considered complete, Walsh said.

“A lot of it probably had to do with them getting things going for the school. But these items had just probably not become their top priority,” Walsh said.

Launching the unique business incubator amidst restoring three downtown properties has been an exhausting process; but the school is keeping up the momentum and excited to finalize its properties, said Draper’s Director of Development Ken Jillson.

“We’re locked and loaded. We’re really just dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s. … It was an enormous project and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Jillson said.

The university is opening its doors to a fourth batch of business hungry boarding students and launching another online program today, Jillson said.

To allow the university to welcome in its first class of entrepreneurial students last year, the city issued temporary certificates of occupancy, which are typically acceptable for 90 days, according to a staff report. The permits were issued in April and August. As the year came to a close, city staff began to receive complaints about the university’s exterior so they decided to approach the council for direction. Since the matter was agendized, Draper has become responsive and cooperative, Walsh said.

“The had received temporary certificates of occupancy for a variety of their building permits, but some things were taking a little bit of time and we wanted to get some direction from [the City Council] on how to proceed. … Since we’ve agendized it, they’re working diligently,” Walsh said.

When well-known venture capitalist Tim Draper acquired the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, Collective building and a former bank building in downtown San Mateo in 2011, the city was thrilled to welcome the innovative university for young entrepreneurs into its midst, Walsh said.

“I think it’s been very positive for the community. I think it’s brought more activity to the downtown and it’s brought the young age group of folks that are going to the school. So I think it’s been absolutely positive for San Mateo,” Walsh said.

As the notable and progressive short-term boarding school chose to make San Mateo its home, the city recognized considerable community benefits and issued the temporary permits in good faith, according to the report.

Permit in hand, Draper was able to begin redeveloping the previously underutilized property to welcome a fresh batch of eager students and celebrate its grand opening in October, according to the report.

The opening went off with a bang and overall the university has done a good job preserving the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, Walsh said. But part of the holdup was its grand ideas of landscaping and installing a “living wall” turned out to not be compatible with the historic building, Jillson said. Having the opportunity tomorrow to collaborate with the city and receive guidance from the council will help the university progress through the trials, Jillson said.

The university will continue to partner with the city and work with city’s arborist to resolve any outstanding obligations. Once the gritty details have been smoothed over, Draper University of Heroes will be ready for a final walkthrough, Jillson said.

“We love San Mateo, we really do,” Jillson said. “From our standpoint, being able to build this campus and just the opportunity to build that kind of ecosphere has just been awesome.”

Tomorrow’s study session begins 5:45 p.m. at City Hall, 330 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo.

 

Samantha@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106

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CBD vision needs your input

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VISITORS and residents can look forward to a revitalised and refreshed CBD over the next 20 years.

  • “I envisage there will be areas that are activated. Whether you come by foot, bicycle, car or public transport, it’s easy to get around,” Town Centre Master Plan Sub-Committee chairman, Cr Geoff Hawkins

VISITORS and residents can look forward to a revitalised and refreshed CBD over the next 20 years.

Picture new landscaping, better pedestrian networks, improved links between the Town Beach area and town centre, and a re-designed Glasshouse forecourt.

They are among the key issues highlighted in a Town Centre Master Plan review.

The document guides the town centre vision.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council wants to hear the community’s thoughts as part of the review. Town Centre Master Plan Sub- Committee chair Cr Geoff Hawkins said under the review there would not be radical changes but the town centre would be modernised and made more functional, not that it wasn’t modern and functional already.

The town centre would be easy to access for residents and tourists, and a really attractive place so people loved going to the CBD into the future, he said.

“I envisage there will be areas that are activated,” Cr Hawkins said.

“Whether you come by foot, bicycle, car or public transport, it’s easy to get around.”

The council is seeking feedback on a suite of documents in a review of the Town Centre Master Plan.

The review builds on the town’s strengths and will inject new energy and ideas into the planning process to ensure the town centre continues to thrive and develop in a way that contributes positively to social, economic and environmental health of Port Macquarie, the project overview said.

The master plan covers town centre streets, foreshores, parklands and open spaces with a boundary defined by the Town Green to the north, Kooloonbung Creek to the west, Gordon Street to the south, and to the east a series of boundaries along both Murray Street and Munster Street.

Cr Hawkins said Port Macquarie was the envy of regional Australia with a CBD flowing to the beautiful foreshore, and the Town Centre Master Plan funding model was also the envy of regional Australia, with CBD landowners funding the majority of the work.

Projects have gone ahead in stages since the 1990s.

About $12 million in work in the Town Centre Master Plan is done, with an estimated $15 million in work remaining.

Key opportunities identified in the review fall under six themes -– town centre networks and arteries, the Town Green, Kooloonbung Creek, the breakwater and Town Beach, town centre public realm and gateways into the town centre.

Cr Hawkins encourages people to have their say.

The Town Centre Master Plan Sub-Committee – a combination of community, CBD landholders, Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce, CBD traders and council staff – will recommend priorities to the council.

A report will go before the council after the exhibition period. The Town Green forms part of the review but is not on exhibition as more intensive community consultation will go ahead about the much-loved community space.

People can access the documents and make a submission at www.pmhclistening.com.au until February 3.

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Parklet proposed for Eighth, Penn avenues in Downtown Pittsburgh – Tribune

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Downtown Pittsburgh may get another parklet to augment its mixture of parks, pocket parks and plazas that dot the Golden Triangle.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust intends to brief the city Planning Commission about the idea on Tuesday.

The trust wants to turn a grassy corner it owns at Eighth and Penn avenues into a parklet by paving it and installing metal benches, a water fountain, a bottle filler for water and carbonated water, and landscaping along Penn that would end at a parking garage.

The estimated $250,000 project would include a section for parking bicycles. Bike lanes are among the ideas Mayor Bill Peduto has suggested for remaking the city’s transportation network.

People seem to like the idea.

“It would be nice to have something like that. It does not look attractive now,� said Sarah Patridge of Uniontown, who was Downtown on Sunday to see the musical “Wicked� at the Benedum Center.

Ali Chain, a sophomore at Point Park University, says she’s always happy to see a park.

“I’m always for parks. There’s really nothing better than seeing a green space in the middle of a city, even if it’s small,â€� she said.

Downtown has three large parks — Point State Park, Mellon Square Park and the park built by PNC Bank opposite its operations center along First Avenue.

Other green spaces and plazas exist. PNC had a hand in making Triangle Park at Fifth and Liberty avenues, opposite its PNC Plaza 2, home of the Fairmont Hotel.

One early plaza is located at Sixth Street and Liberty Avenue, next to Heinz Hall. Another is at the EQT Tower on Liberty Avenue.

On Penn Avenue, next to the O’Reilly Theater, is Agnes R. Katz Plaza, which features sculptures.

Across Seventh Street, a small corner park contains sculptures that look like magnolia trees in bloom.

Recently, Point Park University, as part of its Academic Village, established a small plaza at Wood Street and Boulevard of the Allies.

Sam Spatter is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7843 or sspatter@tribweb.com. Staff writer Rick Wills contributed to this report.

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Haregate residents have put forward their ideas as part of a consultation into …

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COMMUNITY groups have had their say on how they want to see their estate improved.

New housing developments are being built at Haregate Road, Tittesworth Avenue, Horsecroft Farm, Haregate Hall and O’Hare Place, all in Haregate, Leek, along with a new community centre in Queens Drive to replace the current venue in Haregate Road.

The development is being carried out by Ascent, a joint venture between Your Housing Group and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to build 400 affordable homes across the district by 2016.

The centre is due to be completed by June, while the homes are set to be finished by February 2015.

As part of the redevelopment, Ascent is providing funding to improve the estate’s open spaces and play areas.

A consultation was held at Haregate Community Centre to gauge residents’ ideas for how they want to see the estate’s play areas and open spaces improved.

Carl Grannell, director of John McCall Architects, which has drawn up the plans for the estate, said: “When approval was secured for the housing development, a point was made that housing is not the ‘be all and end all’. There will be additional benefits in terms of the environment and improvements with a new community centre and urban open space.

“Before we made any definitive plans we wanted feedback from residents about the good and bad points about the existing open spaces.

“We got ideas about what people want to see, specifically whether it’s adventure play, or traditional play, equipment, furniture, play space and seating; it’s not just about the kids, but also the supervising adults.

“This is the first step in establishing the basic criteria which in the next six months will be put together into a definitive plan.

“Tied in with that we are looking at how the sites can additionally benefit by things like wildflower planting and any other empty sites which can be used to help wildlife in the area, and we have invited Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to join in this consultation with that aim.”

Amin Hashdi, new business manager for Ascent, added: “We are also interested in what people are saying about The Waste at the top of the estate.

“We’ve got money from the landscape budget for things such as landscaping by the community centre, screening, improving the roundabout in Queens Drive, and we may be able to give some to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Your Housing, to fund some community groups.”

Zan Jackson, wildlife gardening officer for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, is leading the Haregate Community Garden and Cultivation Community Project. She said: “We have funding from the Big Lottery Fund to run 36 sessions over 12 months to get people interested in growing wild flowers, fruit and vegetables.

“I’ve been gathering ideas of what people want to see in the community garden at the centre and I’m hoping to work with Ascent on this.

“I want to be involved in supporting wildlife areas across the estate and see if we could get little places planted to create a wildlife corridor to encourage wildlife and get residents growing more in their gardens as well.”

Zan has been working with groups and organisations using the centre and St Paul’s Church in Novi Lane to find out what they would like to see.

He added: “It’s surprising how many young people have said they want things to improve the environment and encourage wildlife and nature.”

Some of the things community groups in Haregate would like to see:

St Paul’s Youth Group

Climbing frame

Climbing wall/abseiling

Rope swing

Statue

Greenhouse

Pond with frogs and lilies

Creatures – fish aquarium, bees, butterflies, caterpillars

Vegetable patch

Flowers – poppies, buttercups, daffodils, tulip, daisies, roses, lavender

Stroke club at Haregate Community Centre

Bird table

Cauliflower, kohl rabbi

Bird bath

Buddlia for butterflies

Bird feeders

Windmills

Bird scarers

White flowers

Hot tub

Bug hotel/bug houses

Sensory area

Herb garden

Zan Jackson, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Wildlife Gardening Officer

Areas to grow fruit and vegetables

Wildflower areas

Bug hotel

Willow tunnel/arch

Greenhouse or poly-tunnel

Bird tables, feeders, bird bath

Daffodil paths/flower paths

Flower logo for centre

Shed for tool swap/storage

Compost area

Herb garden

Families group at Haregate Community Centre

Sand pit

Veg patch

Wild flowers

Wind chimes

Herb garden

Lots of different shells

Fitted play area for kids

Wooden shelter

Seating area

Anything to do with frogs

Den

Barefoot trail/texture tiles

Tyre flowers beds/pots

Wooden windchimes

Aslan – Autism group at Haregate Community Centre

Sand pit

Chives/lemon balm/herbs

Crystals – to make rainbows

Strawberries, raspberries

Spinning colourful toys

Flowers

Bees

Apple tree

Pirate ship

Logs

Bluebells

Youth Group at Haregate Community Centre

Basket swing, swings

Big slide

Beach

Slide with tunnel

Water feature/play area

Swing boats

Apple tree

Cucumber

Holly

Bird of paradise

Herbs

A lot of different roses

Ponds

Garden with bench and path

Thursday Gardening Group at Haregate Community Centre

Storage/shed

Shared tools

Seats and a bench

Shaded area

Solar water feature

Greenhouse for seedlings etc

Picnic bench and table

A place to escape hustle and bustle and create calm

Compost heap

Wildflower patch

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Missoula County course offers business tips to prospective farmers

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When Bryce Christiaens and his partner began Native Ideals Seed Company in the Jocko Valley, the duo planned to sell native wildflower seed for large-scale restoration projects.

Six years later, they grow a variety of flowers and harvest the seeds mainly for retail sale to people interested in water-wise landscaping. To do so, they had to change their business plan and perfect the way they grow and harvest through a series of modifications, Christiaens told participants in an Envisioning Your Farm class at the Montana State University Extension’s Missoula office.

Today, Native Ideals seeds can be found in about 80 retail locations across the state in packets that a grant helped fund and produce, he said.

Tapping into other state resources, such as Made in Montana, also helped boost sales and connections, he added.

Saturday’s class was the first in a four-part series of Planning for On-Farm Success courses offered by the Community Food Agriculture Coalition of Missoula County, which partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and several other groups to put on the series.

Christiaens’ presentation highlighted what class participants should consider when setting goals for their own operations and for coming up with a plan that will help them secure financing, said Annie Heuscher, the organization’s program manager.

The CFAC’s mission is to increase local food in the food system, which means helping new farmers be successful, Heuscher said.

Doing so is especially important considering that the average age of Montana farmers is 57 to 59 years old, Heuscher said, and most of the agricultural land across the state is expected to change hands in the next 20 years.

*****

People are interested in picking up the torch. However, many don’t realize the resources that are available or how to access them, she said. “It’s hard for people to know where to start.”

Knowing that there’s interest in starting farms, the CFAC is offering the classes for the first time to help get people connected to resources they need and to keep agriculture as a viable part of the economy, she said.

Top hurdles for new farmers – whether they are young, middle-aged or old – are acquiring land and financing, Heuscher said.

Many new farmers don’t have the benefit of generational land and they need to find their own, which can be a difficult process because of development pressures, she said.

More than 60 beginning farmers are signed up for the CFAC’s Land Link program, which connects beginning farmers with land that’s available, showing there is interest from people who don’t currently own land and want to farm, she added.

Financing also is tough for beginning farmers to secure, and one of the classes will focus on different resources for better understanding finances so farmers can do more with smaller budgets, Heuscher said.

The first class was helpful to Hunter Lydon, who decided after a year-and-a-half of working through World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms that farming is his calling.

Hearing from another farmer who’s successful and being told about resources bolstered his plans to start a farm in the Potomac area, where he and his partners plan to grow medicinal herbs, mushrooms, ginseng and more.

“I really want to grow my own food, know where it comes from,” the

37-year-old Missoula newcomer said.

While his heart is dedicated to the work, his brain is not as strong as it could be on the business side of things, he said, and the class was helpful in giving him resources.

“If anything, it’s made me think about more things,” he said, adding he hopes to begin growing this year.

*****

Mary Bricker and Noah Jackson already are growing mixed vegetables and have laying hens and feeder hens, but are pursuing their dream of a pick-your-own berry operation.

The young couple decided after growing their own food last year at their H-Brace Farm that they should expand their operation to make the time and effort more worthwhile. Both are biologists, but said they would like to become full-time farmers.

In order to expand, they needed more land, but couldn’t find any they could afford in Missoula because of the development-driven prices. Recently, they purchased a spread in Hamilton and are transitioning.

“It’s a long-term game,” Jackson said, but one they’re willing to play for the community connection and environmental impact they can make.

The class enabled them to think more constructively about different pieces of the business canvass, such as what their market would be and managing risks, Bricker said.

“Getting some good tools and framework to put that all together,” she added.

Joe Naiman-Sessions dreams of starting his own farm on 10 acres in the Helena area and came to the class to learn more about tapping into financing from both traditional and non-traditional sources.

Other than backyard experimenting, he doesn’t have an ag background.

“But I have a passion for food and growing,” the 28-year-old said.

Ideally, he would have an orchard, poultry and a market garden that would keep him busy full time.

Completing worksheets on goal setting and information from the class will be helpful, he said. “I took pages and pages of notes.”

People can still register for upcoming classes, which include marketing your products, Feb. 8; planning for financial success, March 1; managing risks and assets, March 22.

To help facilitate people’s participation, the classes are offered in person and online, Heuscher said, adding she’s pleased by the turnout so far.

Participation in the classes will provide people with a network and support in between sessions to flesh out their ideas, she added. “What we’re hoping will come out of it is to really build a partnership between all the people who will be presenting.”

For class costs and more detailed information, go to www.missoulacfac.org/planning-for-on-farm-success.html or contact Heuscher at annie@missoulacfac.org or 406-763-6862.

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EPA webinar highlights Norman for environmental accomplishments

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NORMAN —
When people know their jobs count, they can make a difference. Starting in 2005, the city set a course to implement green strategies, in part by energizing employees in every department to look for ways to conserve energy, reduce waste, and make Norman more environmentally friendly.

The city’s Green Team is made up of city employees from every department, and nowhere have results been more successful than in the utility division.

On Thursday, Norman’s efforts were recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as the city was featured in a nationwide webinar.

“It’s a huge honor. There are thousands of wastewater treatment plants just in Oklahoma alone,” said Utilities Director Ken Komiske. “For them to pick us is an acknowledgment that Norman is proactive. We have the support of council and our customers. We couldn’t do it without them.”

The webinar highlighted Norman’s energy efficiency accomplishments and green initiatives which resulted in the reduction of an average monthly electric bill from $43,00 to $30,000.

Water Reclamation Facility Superintendent Steven D. Hardeman told webinar viewers that city green initiatives in 2007 caused utility employees to look at the energy management at the southside water reclamation facility — the city’s sewer plant.

Power is one of the highest expenditures at the plant which uses advanced secondary biological treatment of wastewater. Employees who work in the plant and have daily experience made some of the first power saving suggestions, then the city’s partnership with Garver Engineers resulted in more ideas and more savings.

Hardeman said that 63 percent of the operations and maintenance cost at the wastewater treatment plant is utility cost, and 85 percent of the electric used is spent at the aeration basin.

Microbes clean Norman’s wastewater, eating harmful bacteria and other waste products so that the reclaimed water can be released into the river where nature finishes off the job of cleaning and filtering the water. Just like human beings, those microbes need oxygen to survive and the more they work, the more oxygen they use.

The aeration basin is infused with dissolved oxygen to meet the varying demand of the microbes. The city learned that savings are produced by taking the system operations off auto mode, where it goes full force all the time, and putting it onto manual.

The city saved more than $24,000 per year just by changing procedure. Then, in 2009, it partnered with Garver and found a long term solution by reducing overall aeration energy usage and peak demand. By managing use to avoid peak hours and take advantage of a lower kilowatt cost, even more money was saved.

A grant from the Department of Energy for $1.1 million along with an investment by the city of $1.2 million paid to replace the heat exchangers to bio-efficient heat exchangers in additional to all of the electrical work at the aeration basin.

Hardeman said the mission to go green resulted in utility employees gaining a new understanding of how the system works. The city reduced its peak demand charges and saved in electric costs, but the process also opened their eyes to look at other equipment that had a peak demand they had not known about. They can now operate according to peak demand charges and reduce the kilowatt price tag.

Environmental Services Coordinator Debbie Smith reported on the city’s many green initiatives during the webinar. The Environmental Citizen Advisory Board was appointed to study possible improvements in the city’s environmental policies in 2006. In 2007, ECAB made several recommendations.

Goals include reduction of emissions, adoption and enforcement of land use policies, increased transportation options, increased use of clean, alternative energy, sustainable building, fuel efficiency, water conservation and more.

As a result, Norman increased its fleet of CNG vehicles and opened a CNG fueling station, adopted a native planting policy for city landscaping, hosted rain barrel workshops, created a water quality protection zone to buffer the Lake Thunderbird watershed, and adopted a fertilizer ordinance.

One of the most remarkable accomplishments was the gray water ordinance. Norman was the first city in the state to adopt a gray water ordinance to allow residential water reuse from showers, tubs and washing machines for irrigation purposes. Now, the city is working on an educational campaign to teach plumbers and others how to run piping for gray water use.

This month, the city approved year-round odd/even watering as a water conservation measure.

Water reuse continues to be at the top of the city’s agenda. Currently, the University of Oklahoma golf course uses reclaimed water for irrigation and reclaimed water is used at the southside water reclamation facility, but Norman wants to use reclaimed water in more applications, including on its compost.

Public education initiatives include Water Wise workshops, poster contests in coordination with local elementary schools, tips in the newspaper and more.

Recycling initiatives and hazardous waste collection events help residents live a more environmentally friendly lifestyles.

A new lighting ordinance saves energy and reduces commercial light pollution while the city’s installation of LED traffic signals and street lights is racking up even more savings. Two brand new LEED certified fire stations are more energy efficient, and the greenbelt commission and tree board work to protect green spaces and trees within Norman, while the Bicycle Advisory Board has increased the number of bike lanes and is updating the Bicycle Master Plan. Norman has been recognized as a tree friendly and bicycle friendly city.

Coming soon, the Southside Water Reclamation facility will be upgraded as it enters the Phase II design which will add UV disinfection, odor control, and replacement of equipment that has been in operation since 1965.

Komiske said UV disinfection will use more power, but the cleaner discharge will be better for the environment. A public hearing on the proposed Phase II upgrades of the Water Reclamation Facility is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday at city hall, 201 W. Gray.

Joy Hampton

366-3544

jhampton@

normantranscript.com

 

Breaking news, severe weather alerts, AMBER alerts, sports scores from The Norman Transcript are available as text messages right to your phone or mobile device. You decide which type of alerts you want to receive. Find out more or to signup, click here.

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10 for the Road

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Getting outside

CONNECTICUT The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s “No Child Left Inside” Winter Festival is Feb. 1, with ice fishing, snowshoeing, wildlife tracking, a bonfire, and more, at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington. Free. www.ct.gov/ncli/site/default.asp

‘Male Intellect’?

DELAWARE From Jan. 23-26, Delaware Theater Company presents Robert Dubac’s The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron? It’s a one-man, multi-character show that tackles the battle of the sexes with precision and wit. delawaretheatre.org

Community winterfest

MAINE Celebrate winter with ice and snow carvings, music, hot food, family crafts, and winter fun at the annual Camden Winterfest, Feb. 1, at Camden Public Library and Amphitheatre. www.librarycamden.org/news/

Jews in the Civil War

MARYLAND Learn how the Civil War was a crucible for American Jewish identity, and how it laid the groundwork for Jews’ integration and Americanization. “Passages through the Fire: Jews and the Civil War” is at the Jewish Museum of Maryland in Baltimore through Feb. 28. jewishmuseummd.org/

Winter birding

MASSACHUSETTS Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend in Gloucester is Jan. 31-Feb. 2. See loons, grebes, gannets, sea ducks, alcids, and gulls gather. Join experts on a tour of Cape Ann’s birding hot spots – including a sea trip on a whale-watch boat. capeannchamber.com

Art and football

NEW JERSEY Just in time for the Super Bowl, the Barsky Gallery in Hoboken showcases “Art’s Salute to Football”, an exhibit of football sculptures: Full-size footballs reimagined by artists. Jan. 25-Feb. 8. www.barskygallery.com

Winter carnival

NEW YORK The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, begun in 1897, is Jan. 31-Feb. 9 in the Adirondacks. Enjoy winter sports, live music, craft shows, a wide array of food, a parade, and fireworks. This winter destination village sits in two upstate counties, Essex and Franklin. www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com/schedule

Quilts on display

PENNSYLVANIA At Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, handmade quilts are competing for more than $1,500 in prizes in eight categories: traditional, applique, creative, Amish, quilted clothing, student, kids only, and potluck. All quilt entries are displayed in the Village Gazebo. www.peddlersvillage.com/

Boat show

RHODE ISLAND The 21st annual Providence Boat Show is Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. It showcases boats for every pocketbook. www.providenceboatshow.com/

Home and garden

VIRGINIA Enjoy three days full of ideas for your home and gardening needs Feb. 7-9 at the Greater Richmond Home and Garden Show. See remodeling solutions, landscaping ideas, the latest in interior design trends, furnishings, and how to make your home more environmentally friendly! www.richmondcenter.com/

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Vision of University Heights Library renovations begins to take shape

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-ef438b4e6ad9da17.jpgUniversity Heights Library Director Nancy Levin makes a point to residents who attended a visioning session to discuss ideas for the library’s upcoming renovation project.Chanda Neely, NEOMG

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – University
Heights Library patrons met with library officials Thursday night to share
renovation ideas.

Thirteen people attended the
event – dubbed as a visioning session by library officials – in which they talked
about what changes they would like to see in an upcoming renovation project.

Following are the top five
issues brought up at the meeting.

1. Residents want the building to have a back door
accessible from the parking lot.

Access to the library’s
parking lot is off Fenwick Drive and parking spaces are located at the rear of
the building. The library’s entrance is at the front of the
building off Cedar Road. Patrons who park their cars in the lot must walk
around the building to enter the library and do the same when returning to
their cars. Those at the meeting said they would like to have a second entrance
at the rear of the library, directly off the parking lot.

2. Residents want restrooms on the first floor.

The library has two levels. The only two restrooms – one for men and one for
women – are located on the lower level.

Patrons must go down a set of
stairs or use a lift to access the restrooms. There is no elevator.

3. Residents want a bigger parking lot.

The library lot has 37
parking spaces and on-street parking is available along Fenwick Road. When those
spaces are filled, patrons must park across the street from the library in a
shopping center lot on Cedar Road.

4. Residents want to see nicer landscaping.

One resident said the
library’s landscaping needs to be better maintained. Library Director Nancy
Levin said some of the flowerbeds will be replaced with grass that will be mowed and is easier to maintain.

5. Residents want the library to maintain its cozy,
intimate feel.

Some said the library is
small and intimate compared to libraries in other communities. While they welcome
renovations, they don’t want the library to become too large and cold.

“Our customers had great
ideas about how to improve the branch, and it was clear from their enthusiasm
how much they care about their library,” library spokeswoman Sheryl
Banks said.

The library was built in 1952. The last renovation project
was in 1997 and included updates to the heating system, the addition of air
conditioning on the lower level and display areas, as well as rewiring of the entire
building.

Library officials say goals
for the next remodel include better access for library visitors of all ages,
more efficient and sustainable energy updates and a comfortable environment
with enduring aesthetics.

This was the first of five
visioning sessions set at various locations in University Heights. The
remaining sessions will be at:

• 7 p.m. Tuesday at Gearity
Professional Development School, 2323 Wrenford Road;

• 2 p.m. Jan. 29 at Whole
Foods Market at Cedar Center, 13998 Cedar Road;

• 7 p.m. Feb. 4 in Donahue
Auditorium at the Dolan Center for Science and Technology at John Carroll
University, 1 John Carroll Blvd.; and

• 2 p.m. Feb. 13 during
Senior Happenings at the University Heights library.

All sessions are open to the
public, and registration is not required. There also will be online and paper
surveys for those who cannot attend the sessions.

“We can’t wait to hear what other residents
and customers have to say at our next four sessions and hope we’ll get some big
turnouts,” Banks said.

Call the library at
216-932-3600 for more information.

Filed Under: landscaping ideas

City and county commission to meet Tuesday

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City Commission meets Tuesday

The Garden City Commission will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the City Administrative Center, 301 N. Eighth St.

Items on the agenda include:

* Consideration and approval of distributing 2014 AFAC funds and 2014 Community Grant funds as recommended by the Alcohol Fund Advisory Committee.

* Resolutions authorizing the removal of nuisance conditions from property at 411 N. First St., and motor vehicle nuisances from property at 505 Bancroft and 711 N. First St.

* An ordinance regulating front yard setbacks in commercial and industrial districts. Current zoning regulations require a 30-foot setback. A proposed change would allow a 15-foot setback under certain conditions.

* Discussion of submitting a project request to the Kansas Department of Transportation using federal Transportation Alternative funds. Last November, the commission approved an application for landscaping on U.S. Highway 50/400 from the bypass east to Farmland Road.

County meeting delayed one day

Due to Monday’s Martin Luther King holiday, the Finney County Commission will meet at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the county administrative center, 310 N. Ninth St.

Items on the agenda include monthly reports from the health department and Emergency Management and Emergency Medical Services; discussion of fees and policies for the fairgrounds; a review of an employee assistance program; recommendations for grant funding from the Alcohol Fund Advisory Committee; an annual board reorganization; an closed session with the county counselor; and a closed session concerning non-elected personnel.

Filed Under: landscaping ideas
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