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The tree was put up Thursday morning with a crane from L.P. Adams.
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The tree lighting is on Dec. 1.

Pittsfield Places Annual Christmas Tree in Park Square

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The spruce was donated to the city by Teena Guenther and Paul Askew.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's Christmas tree has arrived.
 
City workers, with help from L.P. Adams, installed the 35-foot donated tree Thursday morning.
 
Weighing just about one ton, the tree was donated by Broadway Street residents Teena Guenther and her husband, Paul Askew. 
 
Jim Sullivan owned the home prior and said he had planted the tree 30 years ago.
 
"I planted that tree around 30 years ago, my daughter brought a blue spruce twig home from school (Capeless Elementary) and I stuck it in the ground in the front yard," Sullivan wrote on iBerkshires' Facebook post about the installation.
 
The city cut down and loaded the tree onto a flatbed truck Thursday morning, transported it down First Street, and over to Park Square. There L.P. Adams had a crane waiting to lift it and set it down on the tree stand. 
 
The tree will be lit on Friday, Dec. 1, at 6 p.m. The Taconic High School chorus will be singing carols and Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive to meet with children. There will be free hot chocolate available, donated by Patrick's Pub. 
 
Those planning to attend the ceremony are asked to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Christian Center’s food pantry.


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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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