Each week, City Manager Tom Aspell puts on his dancin’ shoes and a Ted Danson mask and just goes to town tapdancing. He dances himself into a frenzy before he passes out. We hover over him and record every word he mumbles in his sleep. The result: this city memo!
Cool it, skaters
Ice needed to ice skate
Due to the warmer weather, the Parks and Recreation Department has closed all outdoor skating areas until colder weather settles back in, Aspell writes. The ski trails at Beaver Meadow Golf Course are also closed until we receive more snow, or until we receive less snow and it’s just golf season.
red light, redder light
Super techno beacons
New traffic control beacons installed in front of the central fire station on North State Street became operational this week, Aspell writes.
Constructed as part of the Route 3 Corridor Improvement Project, the beacon alerts and stops traffic along North State Street so that emergency responders can leave the fire station safely and with minimal delay. Sadly, a proposal for a human beacon dressed as a giant orange road cone with “stop” and “go” flags was passed up in favor of an electronic one.
The new hybrid display is a fairly recent innovation nationally, and quite new to New Hampshire. It has been shown to be much more effective in getting the attention of through-street traffic than the traditional flashing yellow/red lights that were formerly suspended over the street. Still not as cool as a real live beacon, though.
The signal displays in the beacon will generally remain dark at all times. When the emergency sequence is initiated, drivers approaching will first see a flashing yellow signal alerting them that the emergency vehicle sequence has been initiated. This will be followed by a steady yellow and then a steady red signal indicating that traffic is to stop. Following this is an extended period of alternating flashing red signals during which emergency vehicles are free to exit the fire station and turn onto North State Street. If all this occurred with an Usher song playing and you had a $21 mojito, you’d just be at a club.
Drivers facing the flashing red signals are required to stop and then proceed subject to the rules for making a stop at a stop sign (provided there are no more exiting emergency vehicles and it is safe to do so). Do not pass go and do not collect $200.
The signal displays turn dark again when the sequence is over. And, fade to black.
Hot dame
Getting all gussied up
Last week the city closed on the acquisition of the former Dame School, Aspell writes. Moving forward, the city will be undertaking minor renovations to the building in order to prepare it for use by the public.
Renovations will be primarily related to making restrooms and doorways compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If they remain non-compliant, they will be punished accordingly and sent to timeout.
Signage will also be ordered for the property. In addition, the building will be cleaned, with some rooms getting a fresh coat of paint, or paintage.
Batter up
Is it baseball time already?
The Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with the Concord Babe Ruth League to handle its registrations, Aspell writes. Now that’s pitching in and teamwork and other baseball puns!
The baseball league is open to children ages 13, 14, and 15 years of age, but is not open to Babe Ruth, who is 117 and deceased.
For more information, please visit the Parks and Recreation department website at concordnh.gov/recreation.
