There was no shortage of rain this summer, but the Hoosic River Watershed Association is holding a workshop on rain-catching techniques on Saturday, September 16. HooRWA’s Director, Eileen Fielding, explains that despite all the recent rain, “This isn’t a crazy idea. When it rains, we throw water away by sending it down storm drains into streams and rivers.
If we get more of it into the ground, we can improve our groundwater supply and keep pollutants out of the river.†There is another reason for the workshop, too: “Rain-catching leads to beautiful garden projects and saves money on city water use.†The workshop provides both information and hands-on practice in using rain barrels, establishing rain gardens, and other techniques for catching and storing rainwater.
Beginners and experienced gardeners are all welcome. The workshop will be held from 10AM to noon at Sheep Hill, courtesy of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, which is about 2 miles south of Williamstown on Rte 7 (near bridge construction). Some supplies and equipment for home projects will be available at cost.
There is no charge for the workshop itself but pre-registration is requested by calling HooRWA and leaving a message at 413-458-2742. This workshop is supported in part by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust and the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
