Take Charge to Host Energy Saving Workshop Series

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North Adams - A workshop series will be held at the public libraries to educate residents on saving energy and money in their homes. Take Charge: The North Adams Campaign to Save Energy is stepping up efforts to help our community with the upcoming winter heating crisis. 

These workshops will inform the community about ways to save money and energy in their homes during the approaching winter months and beyond. Everyone is feeling the affect of rising oil and gas prices and the cost of heating homes increasing exponentially. This series of free workshops will give residents the tools and information they need to battle their bills.

The first workshop, "Home Energy Use," is scheduled for September 18th at 6:30 at the North Adams Library. Mike Tillou will explore energy used in the home and educate residents on ways to save money on their home energy bills. The workshop will explore different areas of homes that use energy and ways to make this energy use most efficient.

"Insulation and Heating" will be held at the North Adams Library on October 2nd at 6:30. Bruce Harley, Technical Director for Conservation Services group, author and home energy expert will explain the importance of insulating your home. He will examine the trouble spots in homes where energy is lost and educate participants on ways to improve the insulation in their homes.

"Solar Power Options" with Chris Kilfoyle and Craig Robertson will be held on October 22nd at 6:30 at the Williamstown Library. This workshop will inform residents about solar power and the different options that are available with both solar electric and solar hot water systems. Kilfoyle, of Berkshire Photo Voltaic, installs solar electric systems across the Berkshires. Robertson, of Heliocentrix, works mostly with solar hot water and solar thermal.
 
The last workshop in this series,"Lowering Your Electric Bill," will be held at the Williamstown Library on October 29th at 6:30. Nancy Nylen from CET will help residents dissect their electric bill to finds ways they can save money. 

All are welcome to attend and light refreshments will be served. For more information, visit the Take Charge website at www.takechargenorthadams.org

Take Charge: The North Adams Campaign to Save Energy is committed to helping improve North Adams quality of life by making our homes and communities more energy independent. The campaign has distributed information to over 400 residents, handed out free energy saving light bulbs, and inspired the city to be more ambitious in its energy saving efforts.


Workshop Schedule:

Home Energy Use with Mike Tillou.
Thur. Sept. 18th 6:30 - North Adams Library

Insulation and Heating with Bruce Harley
Thur. Oct. 2nd, 6:30 - North Adams Library

Solar Power Options with Chris Kilfoyle and Craig Robertson
Wed. Oct. 22nd, 6:30 - Williamstown Library

Lowering Your Electric Bill With Nancy Nylen
Wed. Oct 29th 6:30 - Williamstown Library
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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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