Two New Members Join Adams Parks Commission

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

ADAMS, Mass. — The Parks Commission, which has recently dealt with several vacancies, held its first meeting with two newly appointed members, Mary Ciuk and Aimee Sinopoli. 

 

Ciuk and Sinopoli, both Adams natives, will fill the commission's two vacancies until the town's May elections. Both plan to run for the next term after the end of their appointments. 

 

The commission has had to operate with several vacancies in recent months. Former member Scott Tolmach left the board ahead of the commission's October 2021 meeting, and former Commission Chair Anthony Nowicki resigned in January for personal reasons.  

 

Sinopoli, who previously served on the commission, said she is happy to be back on board. 

 

"I just felt like it was time to come back on and wanted to give back to the community and help out with the town of Adams and all the parks," she said. 

 

Ciuk said she returned to Adams after living elsewhere for several years and is looking forward to being a part of the commission. 

 

"I've been back here for a couple of years and following the parks meetings," she said. "And it seemed that there was always wavering on the numbers of park commissioners. So I figured it was natural because I was always involved in athletics and sports with the town. I'm excited to see how things have grown and, hopefully, continue."

 

Board co-Chair James Fassell thanked Sinopoli and Ciuk for filling the commission's vacancies. He said he hopes both of them consider the time commitment being on the commission entails.

 

"It is a commitment. Being here suddenly for seventy percent of the job, so make sure you decide you can do it," he said. "Because there's going to be other people that want you. They're going to say, 'Well, why don't you come up for this meeting? Or this committee, or that committee?' ... Be sure you've made a commitment to be here." 

 

In other business, the board approved a field use application from the Hoosac Valley High School Booster Club to host two baseball games at Renfrew Field on April 28 and May 9. Carrie Kondel, who represented the boosters at the meeting, said she hopes the games will help raise money for the booster club. 

 

"The last two years, with COVID, there really hasn't been any fundraisers. So when we got the booster club handed over to us this year, the funds were pretty much depleted," she said. "So we're trying to come up with ways to raise money, and we thought with the local games, it would draw more of a crowd if it was [at Renfrew]."


Tags: parks commission,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

After More Than a Century, Heating Failure Puts Adams Turners' Future at Risk

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — For more than a century, generations have gathered for dances, community gatherings and bowling at Turn Hall, but that longtime tradition is now in jeopardy after the building's aging heating system failed.
 
The Adams community is known for rallying behind local people and organizations in times of need, and now Adams Turners is asking for that same support said Gail Burda, the group's financial secretary.  
 
The boiler, referred to as "the Beast" by board members, is as old as the building itself, which was constructed in 1902. It started out burning coal, was later switched to oil and then to gas President Virginia Fuller said. 
 
For several years, the nonprofit social club, a 501(c)7, has struggled with the aging system, with members periodically checking on it throughout the day during the winter to ensure it was still operating, she said. 
 
Now, "the Beast" has reached the end of its life but the Adams Turners don't have the funding to replace it, prompting them to establish a GoFundMe. 
 
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe has raised $1,750 and members have donated more than $2,500 toward the $30,000 needed to secure an additional $25,000 grant and $25,000 loan from American Turners, the national organization under which the club operates.
 
The nonprofit hopes to hire a contractor to install a multi-zone hydronic system, a project estimated to cost $81,443. The work would include new heating systems for the apartment, bar area, gym and bowling alley, along with new baseboards, gas lines, permits and other necessary fittings.
 
View Full Story

More Adams Stories