The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Wellesley Business Buzz: iCode heads to Wellesley Square; Mattress Firm bounces from Linden Square; Scal returns

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Here’s a round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Wellesley becomes coding country

iCode of WellesleyiCode at 73 Central Street in Wellesley Square is set to open in June with summer camps designed to foster an interest in tech and computer science. It moves into the space previously occupied by a real estate company that relocated next door.

The company says, “We enrich their educational experiences through an interactive, hands-on approach in coding, design and STEM learning.” Kids can get exposure to coding, virtual reality, robotics, drones, game design, and more.

It joins Linden Square’s Code Ninjas and assorted camps in offering technology-loving kids an imaginative, critical thinking and problem solving experience.

icode wellesley square

Mattress Firm bounces from Linden Square

Mattress Firm, the mattress shop that was snuggled in between Neena’s Lighting and Talbots in Linden Square, has bounced out of town. But we’ll always have the memory…foam.

Mattress Firm took over the space from Sleepy’s mattresses at the end of 2016, after buying out that firm. Sleepy’s had been in the space since 2014.

We’re actually surprised the mattress firms bedded down in Linden Square for as long as they did, especially after property manager Federal Realty indicated plans for gussying up the area into a livelier retail and restaurants destination. But departure of Mattress Firm does open the way for a less sleepy business to move in.

mattress firm space linden square wellesley
Mattress Firms departure leaves an opening between Neena’s and Talbots

 

Ex-Celts player Scal returns to LINX camp

Ex-Boston Celtics player Brian Scalabrine will return as a guest coach at this summer’s LINX Basketball camp during the weeks of July 8 and Aug 5 at the Dana Hall Campus in Wellesley.

Scalabrine will coach 2nd – 8th grade basketball campers, whose days typically includes 3 daily periods of the sport, lunch, swim, a bonus camp activity, and traditional camp-wide activities. Scal will also coach LINX’s LX basketball campers, 4th – 8th grade, who have more periods of the sport built into their day.

More info:  http://www.linxcamps.com/SportsCamps/Basketball or call 781-235-3210.

Scalabrine

MORE: Wellesley Business Buzz

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Town Clerk’s office closed on Friday, February 22

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From Town Hall:

The Wellesley Town Clerk’s Office will be closed all day on Friday, Feb. 22 due to construction in an area on the first floor of Town Hall. The office will return to regular business hours (8am to 5pm) on Monday, Feb. 25. Contact the Town Clerk with questions.

Construction work will also impact the Treasurer/Collector’s Office on Friday, February 22. For now, that office will remain open for regular business hours (8am to 5pm) or will relocate to the Assessor’s Office, which is next to the Juliani Room on the First Floor of Town Hall, to accept any payments from residents.

Payments may also be made using the secure drop-box outside the Washington Street entrance to Town Hall.

Thank you for your patience.

Give blood at Tenacre in Wellesley on Thursday, February 28

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Tenacre Blood Drive, WellesleyThe American Red Cross along with Tenacre Country Day School students and staff are asking for community support for a blood drive on Thursday, February 28. The blood drive is open to the public. Appointments can be made online or by phone at 1-800-REDCROS (733-2767), and walk-ins are welcome.

WHERE:  Tenacre Country Day School, Wells Playhouse, 78 Benvenue Street, Wellesley

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 28, 9am to 2pm

Although Tenacre students are too young to give blood, there are many other ways they are contributing to the blood drive. Fifth and sixth graders will assist with registration, run the canteen, and guide donors to Wells Playhouse. Second graders have made posters, and third and fourth graders will write thank you notes to the donors.

Tenacre Country Day School is a coed, independent elementary school for Pre-kindergarten through Grade 6.

Meet Wellesley candidate for 5-year term on Planning Board, Patricia Mallett

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The Town of Wellesley depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Wellesley has 11 Boards and Committees on the ballot at the Annual Town election each year in March. The 2019 election will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

Contested race for 5-year term: Planning Board

The role of the Planning Board is to make short and long term decisions related to land use in the Town of Wellesley. The Planning Board seeks to realize the vision of Wellesley residents for their community through the judicious use of municipal planning and project review. As a result, the Planning Board is responsible for the maintenance and update of the Town’s Zoning Bylaws and Zoning Map, divisions of land, and the review of large-scale projects with Town-wide impacts.

In the 2019 election, there are two Planning Board races — one race is for a one-year term on the Board; one race is for a 5-term on the Board. Patricia Mallett is running against Thomas Ahern for a 5-year term.

We invited the two candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and their priorities for the Town of Wellesley. Ahern’s answers ran in a post yesterday.

Patricial Mallett, Wellesley Planning Board candidate
Patricia Mallett is running for Wellesley Planning Board.

Patricia Mallett, candidate for Planning Board

The Swellesley Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for this position?

Mallett: I am a registered Civil Engineer in CA and MA and currently work as a Project Manager with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. I have found that many of my job responsibilities have translated to my role as an appointed member of the Planning Board; ranging from reading construction plans/specifications, storm water management plans and traffic and environmental studies. Additionally, my experience leading public meetings for my engineering projects is directly applicable.

Sw: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure on the Planning Board?

Mallett: If I am fortunate enough to retain my position on the Planning Board after the March 5 election, I look forward to implementing the Unified Plan and the Housing Production Plan in order to achieve safe harbor with respect to 40B Comprehensive Permit applications. I am also very interested in pursuing the proposed 40R Overlay Zoning for the Wellesley Office Park.

Sw: What is your hot-button issue?

Mallett: Since my appointment to the Planning Board last summer, I have observed that our residents are most concerned about the impacts of the multiple 40B Comprehensive Permit applications on the Town, specifically the projected increased traffic and population density. I hope to continue working on the Town’s response to these applications to responsibly provide more diverse
housing within Wellesley.

Sw: With the national attention given to the “Impeach Trump” banner at a Wellesley Hills home, can you comment how the bylaws related to that issue should be addressed?

Mallett: Our Zoning Bylaws govern the size and location of signs, etc. but not the content. This is to protect the constitutional right of free speech. I believe the issue regarding the “Impeach Trump” banner relates more to an inconsistent enforcement of the bylaws, which is something the Planning Board and the Town can address moving forward.

Sw: Is there anything else you would like to say that the above questions did not cover?

Mallett: I would just like to ask for everyone’s vote. Thank you!

Sw: How should voters reach you if they want more information?

Mallett: I look forward to providing additional information via my email, [email protected]