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Mayors' Fitness Challenge 2018 Kicks Off on Saturdays

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Mayors' Fitness Challenge kicks off on Saturday with demonstrations and activities.

Mayor Thomas Bernard will lead off North Adams' kick off at Terra Nova Church's The Green, 87 Main St., from 11 to 1. For Pittsfield, the kick off runs from 9 to 1 at the Common, with Mayor Linda Tyer leading off the challenge 10:55 a.m.
 
The 8-week fitness challenge pits the county's two mayors in a competition to see which one can get the higher percentage of his or her residents engaged in wellness activities.
 
People can sign up as individuals or teams on the website and track their water and healthy food intake and physical activities to rack up points. Participants can also take part in bonus activities for mote points. The website also offers lists of activity resources and guides for each community. Sign up for either community challenge here
 
The challenge, now in its fourth year (fifth for North Adams), is designed to encourage and motivate the community to move more, be mindful of what they eat, and work to make behavior changes that improve overall health by connecting health to local events and community gatherings, growing personal health to create community health.
 
The kick off will feature offerings and demonstrations from local health and wellness practitioners such reiki, massage, yoga demos, free giveaways, information/education, music and healthy food samples at both locations. 
 
North Adams had hoped to include BikeFest, an outgrowth of the popular Downtown Bike Around from last year. Unfortunately, the weather has canceled the BikeFest and moved the fitness kick off indoors instead of on historic Eagle Street. 
 
Pittsfield's celebration is being held in conjunction with the Downtown Farmers Market and Zion Lutheran Church of Pittsfield's annual plant sale. Check for updates on Pittsfield's event to see if that, too, has to be moved. 
 
Find out more at the North Adams Facebook page and the Pittsfield Facebook page.
 
On your mark, get set, get healthy!

Tags: fitness challenge,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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