Good news
Bicyclists take heart
According to City Manager Tom Aspell’s weekly memo, bicyclists are going to get more room to ride on several city streets.
Tom writes, “As part of this year’s street-repaving projects on Clinton Street, Pleasant Street and North Main Street, new pavement markings have been designed to allow wider shoulder areas to better accommodate bicycle travel. New bicycle lane markings have also been introduced along Clinton Street, between South Spring Street and South Fruit Street, to keep vehicles using right-turn lanes separated from, and to the right of, the bicycle lanes. Similar markings will also be provided at the newly-reconfigured intersection of Fisherville Road and Sewalls Falls Road.” Well that was awfully nice, wasn’t it?
Tom adds that the improvements are thanks to a collaboration between Engineering Services and General Services “to use street repaving projects as an opportunity to reconfigure pavement marking lines to better facilitate bicycle travel.”
Two-wheeled travelers surely appreciate the effort. Thanks, Engineering and General Services!
Lane changes
This sounds important
Take note, readers, of some changes at three downtown intersections. Tom writes that lanes changes have been made “to better facilitate traffic volumes that have grown over the years.” Wow, is Concord popular or what?
He adds, “Changes include revised pavement markings, signs and select signal faces.”
Here are the affected intersections:
South Main/Storrs/Perley Street intersection: The Storrs Street approach to the traffic signal at South Main Street will be revised to allow left turns onto South Main Street to be made from either the left or right lane on Storrs Street.
North Main/I-393/Bouton Street intersection: The North Main Street northbound approach to the traffic signal at Interstate 393 and Bouton Street will be revised to provide two right turn only lanes onto I-393. The left-most of the three northbound approach lanes will be for traffic bearing left onto Bouton Street (U.S. Route 3 North) or continuing straight onto Old North Main Street.
North Main/Washington Street: The Washington Street approach to North Main Street will be revised to allow left turns to be made onto North Main Street from either the left or right lane on Washington Street.
Duly noted. We will do our best not to cause a traffic pileup next time we’re downtown.
Fire prevention
Extended hours
Somehow it escaped our notice that Concord has a Fire Prevention Bureau, but Tom was nice enough to set us straight on that when he wrote that the bureau (which we didn’t know existed) is extending its hours.
“The Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau has increased the number of hours that it is open to the public by 30 percent,” proclaims Tom. “The office is now open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The extended hours will permit residents to obtain car seat safety checks, have their wood or pellet stoves inspected, or consult in person or by phone with the fire prevention staff at hours more convenient to them.”
Ahhh! Okay, we get it.
“The extended hours were made possible through schedule changes, without the need for additional personnel or overtime.” says Tom, proudly. “Please call 225-8651 to make an appointment or to inquire about fire prevention services.”
Okay, so now this item in the weekly memo makes a lot more sense: “During the week of Nov. 1, fire prevention staff presented two public education programs, delivered two fire extinguisher training classes, installed three car seats, performed one fire drill, performed 18 field inspections and completed four fire protection consults.” Way to go, Fire Prevention! Please do not come look at the fire hazard that is our cubicle. We promise to move the stacks of papers! Pinky swear!
Award time
At the library
The Concord Public Library held a reception to honor the two winners of this year’s Elizabeth Yates Award: Cris Sokol and Autumn Van Sice.
We’ll let Tom gush about the deserving honorees:
“For 16 years, Cris Sokol has worked as the Concord Public Library’s children’s librarian. During her tenure, she has delighted countless Concord children with her storytelling and songs. She has inspired creativity with crafts and puppetry and presented children’s programs with imagination and enthusiasm. Autumn Van Sice has been an advocate of children’s literature in creating and sustaining the Concord Public Library Foundation’s Books for Babies program. She has also volunteered her time at children’s programs and has supported the library as a board member of the Library Foundation.”
And some background, courtesy of Tom: “The Elizabeth Yates Award was begun in 1994 to honor an inpidual in the greater Concord area who is actively engaged in inspiring young people to read. As this year’s winners, Sokol and Van Sice will each have the opportunity to help select $500 worth of books to add to the children’s room collection. Their names will be placed on bookplates in each book and will be inscribed on the Elizabeth Yates Award plaque, which hangs in the children’s room.”
We’re so proud, Cris and Autumn. And we so want autographs next time we see you – we’re going to list them on eBay in 10 years. You’ll both be famous by then – we’re sure of it!
Welcome!
New hire at SPCA
In other news, the Concord-Merrimack County SPCA board of directors appointed Heather Faria as the new executive director of the SPCA.
According to the release from the SPCA, Faria was formerly the director of marketing and brand management for Daniel Webster College in Nashua. She lives in Warner with her husband, their three children and Sophia, their rescue dog. (Is having pets a perquisite for working at the SPCA?)
“Her new responsibilities will include management of the shelter and its staff, as well as the development of a strategic plan, in conjunction with the board of directors, to build a new shelter on the SPCA’s recently purchased property on Clinton Street and Silk Farm Road in Concord. She brings to her new position extensive experience in marketing and development garnered from work with creative marketing, nonprofit and sales organizations.”
Welcome to Concord, Heather! We’re happy to have you. And cute dog.
