Wild Oats to Celebrate Earth Day

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WILLIAMSTOWN — Wild Oats Market will host an outdoor celebration in honor of Earth Day on Saturday, April 26, from noon to 5.

Local farmers, organizations and businesses will be on hand to share their knowledge and offer practical ways to respond to environmental problems at the local level.

Williamstown's COOL (CO2 Lowering Committee) will demonstrate how the town is addressing climate change issues, and to invite attendees to participate in the COOL Challenge. The Berkshire Bike Path Council will provide the latest information about the bike path that is being built between Williamstown and North Adams.

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, which has installed more than 130 photovoltaic systems in New England and New York since 1985, will answer questions on PV installation and how the systems work. Other businesses and organizations that will be participating include Shima, a new natural parenting boutique located in North Adams, and Berkshire Grown, an organization that promotes local farmers and locally grown food.


Representatives from farms in the area, including Cricket Creek, Wildstone, Sidehill, and Mighty Food, will also participate. Food demonstrations and music will round out the day.

"Local production, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility are core values for Wild Oats," said general manager Michael Faber. "Earth Day, which promotes cooperative, active participation in the care of the environment, embodies values that are central to our co-op."

Wild Oats Market is a member-owned, cooperative-based whole foods market that buys extensively from local and regional natural and organic food producers. One need not be a member to shop at Wild Oats, although membership offers several benefits. The market carries a wide selection of organic and naturally-made products; healthful supplements and body care products, and environmentally-friendly household supplies.
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Pittsfield ConCom OKs Wahconah Park Demo, Ice Rink

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Conservation Commission has OKed the demolition of Wahconah Park and and the installation of a temporary ice rink on the property. 

The property at 105 Wahconah St. has drawn attention for several years after the grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022. Planners have determined that starting from square one is the best option, and the park's front lawn is seen as a great place to site the new pop-up ice skating rink while baseball is paused. 

"From a higher level, the project's really two phases, and our goal is that phase one is this demolition phase, and we have a few goals that we want to meet as part of this step, and then the second step is to rehabilitate the park and to build new a new grandstand," James Scalise of SK Design explained on behalf of the city. 

"But we'd like these two phases to happen in series one immediately after the other." 

On Thursday, the ConCom issued orders of conditions for both city projects. 

Mayor Peter Marchetti received a final report from the Wahconah Park Restoration Committee last year recommending a $28.4 million rebuild of the grandstand and parking lot. In July, the Parks Commission voted to demolish the historic, crumbling grandstand and have the project team consider how to retain the electrical elements so that baseball can continue to be played. 

Last year, there was $18 million committed between grant funding and capital borrowing. 

This application approved only the demolition of the more than 100-year-old structure. Scalise explained that it establishes the reuse of the approved flood storage and storage created by the demolition, corrects the elevation benchmark, and corrects the wetland boundary. 

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