Two-Way Stop at Eliot and Fruit

The Ashland Department of Public Works (DPW) in August installed traffic stop signs at the intersection of Eliot and Fruit streets. The DPW and the Traffic Safety Committee created plans for this intersection through the Complete Streets Program (www.mass.gov/complete-streets-funding-program).

Stage 2 Water Ban in Effect

The Town of Ashland, in mid-August, entered into a Stage 2 water restriction and issued guidelines, which prohibited the following outdoor water use: unattended watering using municipally-supplied water; car or vehicle washing using municipally-supplied water; washing of structures including but not limited to buildings, houses, sheds, driveways, sidewalks, decks, fences, or patios using municipally supplied water; filling and topping off of swimming pools larger than 300 gallons using municipally-supplied water; and handheld watering using municipally-supplied water. For more information, visit the town’s website, https://bit.ly/31KKrCi.

 FEMA Grant Awarded

The Ashland Fire Department announced in August that it has been awarded a $350,000 Regional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant. The regional grant awarded to the Ashland and Hopkinton fire departments will be used to replace obsolete portable radios. This grant will allow both organizations to improve safety and provide better service to communities.

The Riverwalk, Mill Pond Park Now Open

The Riverwalk Trail, consisting of Mill Pond Park at Pine Hill Road, a large-span pedestrian bridge, walking paths, and benches, is now open for passive recreation, thanks to grants from the National Parks Service, the Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the town’s Community Preservation Act. A $1.2 million project, The Riverwalk Trail runs along the Sudbury River and the north side of Mill Pond, connecting downtown with Ponderosa Road and the nearby train station. The bridge across the Mill Pond provides direct access to the Bay Circuit Trail (www.baycircuit.org), a 200-mile regional trail extending from Duxbury to Kingston.

EPA Announces Final Cleanup Plan for Nyanza Superfund Site

On July 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with the State of Massachusetts, selected a plan to cleanup groundwater contamination at the Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump Superfund Site, Operable Unit 2, located in Ashland.

The announcement said, the selected remedy is intended to reduce the concentration of contaminants in groundwater to levels that will be protective of human health for exposure to indoor air, such that the existing vapor mitigation systems are no longer needed, and to minimize the need for controls to protect construction workers during excavation activities. Read full press release here: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/01/647898.pdf.

Summer and Fall Recreation

Summer at the Ashland Recreation Department looked a lot different this year. In spite of the pandemic, Director Kelly Rund was able to create a summer camp for Ashland’s youth. “When we first went into shut down back in March, we weren’t really sure what was going to happen this summer. . . . It’s definitely not the summers we are used to around here, but we were able to create a fun program for these kids. They had a great time, and a safe time, which is the most important thing” Rund said.

The summer program ran at half capacity, hosting 60 children. They broke into groups of 10, and only interacted within their own group. This setup created opportunities for ample social distancing and kept each cohort safe and contained. Handwashing stations and tents were installed outside, helping each group to stay safe. The children enjoyed tie-dye day, craft time, walks in the nearby state park, visits from an ice cream truck, and an inflatable water slide to stay cool. 

Rund hopes to work with the school this fall to offer programming for children in some capacity.