Certificate of Honor Presented to Hawley’s Student Conservation Association by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Hawley – State Senator Benjamin B. Downing (D-Pittsfield) announced today that the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) has chosen the Student Conservation Association (SCA) of Hawley as a Certificate of Honor winner in the Secretary’s Awards for Excellence in Environmental Education.
SCA’s MA Parks AmeriCorps Program will receive their award from the Secretary at a State House ceremony this morning. At that time, SCA will also be presented with an official Senate Citation from Downing in recognition of their accomplishment.
“We cannot ignore the impact that human hands have on our environment,†said Downing. “The Student Conservation Association’s efforts provide a solid example of how our hands can be put to good use. The students who dedicate themselves to our environment through SCA’s programs make lasting positive impacts on our precious natural resources.â€
Annually the state Environmental Secretary presents his Environmental Education Awards to acknowledge and honor schools, teachers, students and non-profits across the Commonwealth who have distinguished themselves in environmental education initiatives.
The SCA Mass Parks AmeriCorps is an AmeriCorps program with two distinctive parts to their curriculum. The first part of program runs from January – March and takes place in the school classroom. In the classroom, science-based programming is provided to supplement the regular science curriculum. Topics and activities covered in the classroom include principles of forestry education, special science projects, and the planting of school gardens. The second part of the program runs from April – August and takes the students out of the school and into nature’s classroom. With hands-on activities such as forest and trail-cleanup, tree planting, and examining the environment in its natural setting, students gain a deeper appreciation for the delicate state of our environment and learn how to become better stewards of the environment.
This August marks the SCA Mass Parks AmeriCorps’ 10th anniversary of educating and highlighting the importance of environmental awareness and action.
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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.
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