AMHERST — New parklets where people can dine on the downtown streets, in settings that are more natural and permanent than what has existed for the past two summers, are in place.
The Amherst Business Improvement District recently received an $80,750 grant from the Regional Economic Development Organization that paid for the materials, labor and insurance for the parklets. One is on South Pleasant Street in front of Fresh Side, and the other is on Amity Street at Amherst Coffee.
Keiter Corp. of Florence handled the work, making each parklet as wide as two parallel parking spaces and at the same level as the sidewalk. Evan Jones from W.D. Cowls assisted the BID to procure the materials at a reduced cost. And while the BID is managing the program, Amherst Planning Department staff have also supported the parklet installaton.
BID Executive Director Gabrielle Gould said the parklets are a next step in what had been temporary measures of keeping businesses afloat during the pandemic.
Town Planner Maureen Pollock said the parklets are a useful facet of streetscape design downtown.
“The main goal of this project is to help activate the downtown streetscape by providing extended sidewalks to serve as outdoor dining spaces, to attract residents and visitors and support local businesses,” Pollock said.
The grant came through the Massachusetts Office of Business Development and is being administered by the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council.
A ribbon-cutting for the parklets will be held at 4 p.m. Monday.
A representative from the campaign supporting the Fair Share Amendment ballot question, and state Rep. Mindy Domb, will speak at the next meeting of the Amherst Democratic Town Committeeon June 9 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. via Zoom.
The Fair Share Amendment, which will appear on the November 2022 ballot, would create a surtax of 4% on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million, dedicating money raised to transportation and public education.
Following the Fair Share discussion, Domb will provide Amherst Democrats with a legislative update, including how state legislators are preparing for the possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Anyone interested in attending the meeting can send email to AmherstMADemocrats@gmail.com for instructions.
Ela Gezen, associate professor of German and director of German and Scandinavian Studies, has been named a 2022-23 Berlin Prize fellow by the American Academy in Berlin.
Gezen is one of 20 scholars to receive the award providing recipients with the time and resources to advance their scholarly and artistic work. It is given annually to U.S.-based scholars and artists who represent the highest standards of excellence in their fields of humanities, social sciences and arts.
As a fellow, Gezen will spend the spring 2023 semester in Berlin, working to complete her second book, “Cultures in Migration: Turkish Artistic Practices and Interventions in West Berlin.” The book examines cultural practices by Turkish artists during the late 1970s and early 1980s as an early manifestation of Turkish self-presentation in West Germany.
“I am very much looking forward to becoming a member of the intellectual community formed around the American Academy in Berlin,” Gezen said in a statement.
Saturday at 1 p.m., Bob Drinkwater will host a walking tour of West Cemetery in Amherst with John Hanscom to view graves of Amherst’s founding families, including the Boltwoods, Kelloggs, Mattoons and Strongs.
Drinkwater recommends that those interested in attending should view his video tours, presented to the Amherst Historical Society, beforehand.
Send email to to anduruna@hotmail.com to RSVP.
“The Haverston Mills Town Meeting,” a comedy in one act, will be performed at the Hadley Senior Center, 46 Middle St., on June 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Written and directed by Steve Henderson, the free performance, open to the public, focuses on the town’s residents as they face an important decision on a topic on which everyone has an opinion.
The program is supported, in part, by the Hadley Cultural Council. To reserve a seat, call 586-4023.
MONDAY: Elementary School Building Committee, 8:30 a.m.; African Heritage Reparation Assembly and Local Historic District Commission, both at 3 p.m.; and Town Council, 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY: Jones Library Building Committee, 3 p.m.; and Amherst Cultural Council, 5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Governance, Organization and Legislation Committee, 9 a.m.
THURSDAY: Zoning Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m.