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Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Sounding off on Wellesley pickleball noise

January 3, 2023 by Bob Brown 12 Comments

The increased popularity of pickleball in Wellesley has prompted various town bodies (Recreation, Natural Resources Commission, School Committee) to respond by making more court time available indoors and by carving out places to play on existing outdoor sports courts, such as at Sprague Fields and Perrin Park.

The rise of pickleball has presented territorial challenges, as the pickleball players share space previously used only for tennis or basketball, and the town has attempted to manage this situation by using an online reservation system.

The latest pickleball issue to get the Recreation Commission’s attention is the noise generated by the hard plastic balls smacking against the paddles, in addition to the players’ voices.

Neighbors of the pickleball courts at the Sprague Fields brought their concerns to the Wellesley Recreation Commission at its Oct. 13 meeting (about 4 minutes into the Wellesley Media recording). Neighbor John Maccini described the pickleball noise as being “very loud, it’s annoying, it’s intrusive, I can hear it in every room in my house. I’m sitting out on my new porch trying to read something and I really can’t concentrate.” He surveyed neighbors, including those the nearby townhouses, and found that the noise is also bothering them. “I don’t think anybody on those boards [Recreation, School Committee] had any idea how noisy pickleball is,” he said, adding his wish that the pickleball courts be moved to the Hunnewell tennis courts along Washington Street.

Recreation Commission Chair Paul Cramer said during the meeting the Wellesley High Athletic Department is against converting any Hunnewell courts for pickleball use, though notes this could be revisited.

Maccini also questioned why the pickleball courts were marked off on the southerly end of the courts area, closest to the homes, again suggesting that town bodies hadn’t really considered the potential for noise.

sprague pickleball
Pickleball on far court, tennis on near court at Sprague Fields

 

While this is yet another case where observers have said “You live near X, you should expect noise, traffic, or whatever,” it’s also true that pickleball has only emerged in recent years, long after some residents moved in. Some Sprague Fields neighbors feel under siege of late, with plans for a lacrosse rebound wall also generating opposition (though proponents claim the noise from this will be surprisingly unobtrusive).

The Recreation Commission picked up the pickleball noise issue at its Nov. 29 meeting (just before the 26-minute mark of the Wellesley Media recording) and said part of its response could involve restricting playing times, including using its online reservation system to make Sprague courts available only after others are filled.

But it also discussed possible use of a noise mitigation panels that could be hung from the fencing around a section of the courts. This has been used in Burlington, Mass., where the Recreation & Parks department told Cramer the noise abatement effort has worked pretty well. According to the vendor, the noise protection would work better for those on the same level as the courts as opposed to those uphill from them. The panels could cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“It does seem that pickleball in some way is here to stay,” said Cramer, suggesting longer-term plans should be developed. This could involve finding a spot for dedicated courts away from homes and maybe even exploring covered courts.

Recreation Director Matt Chin suggested another public hearing on this issue is likely to get input from neighbors and pickleball players.

Separately, Department of Public Works Director Dave Cohen mentioned during the Board of Public Works meeting on Dec. 13 that it is deferring by a year work to resurface the Hunnewell tennis courts as part of budget planning (in in light of rising costs to do the job). Related to that, Cohen said there has been discussion to repurpose the practice wall at the Hunnewell tennis courts as a separate pickleball court, but that no final decision had been made on this.

Here, by the way, is what Weston has planned on the pickleball court front.


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Filed Under: Neighbors, Sports

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Chanukah celebration at Wellesley Town Hall has it all: Parachuting menorahs, daring candle lighting & community spirit

December 22, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Rabbi Moshe Bleich told the crowd gathered at the Grand Menorah Lighting at Wellesley Town Hall that the Chanukah story is very old, but also current.

“The truth is the story of Chanukah continues, and it continues with us here tonight, tomorrow, every day,” the Wellesley Weston Chabad leader said, standing in a pickup truck bed with a giant menorah behind him. “We are those people, we are here to light up the world and make the world a better place. It takes each and every one of us to continue our Chanukah story…”

Moshe Bleich menorah lighting
Rabbi Bleich: “We are the menorahs, we are Chanukah”

 

The event took place on Wednesday, the fourth night of the Jewish festival of lights—the Menorah Mobile hit Weston for a similar celebration the night before.

What Bleich hopes will become an annual event included songs in English and Hebrew, jelly doughnuts and light-up menorah necklaces up for grabs, plus the lighting of the grand menorah by local dignitaries. This included Police Chief Jack Pilecki, Fire Chief Rick DeLorie, and Select Board member Beth Sullivan Woods scaling the truck via a combination of a step ladder and chairs in a manner not for the faint of heart that would make Cirque du Soleil performers jealous (the Select Board member did double duty in helping to light the town hall menorah and grabbing a burnt-out bulb that she later planned to run over to Green’s Hardware for replacement).

Chanukah celebration at #Wellesley Town Hall has it all: Parachuting menorahs, daring candle lighting & community spirit https://t.co/hPhfwjvHgB #happychanukah pic.twitter.com/WWFCwJk5R9

— swellesley (@swellesley) December 22, 2022

Bleich himself followed the Grand Menorah Lighting by bouncing to the top of a fire engine, where he began tossing miniature menorahs attached to bright orange parachutes into the air, with kids (and maybe an adult or 2) scrambling to catch them. That was followed by a spectacular chocolate gelt drop, with Bleich throwing the shiny prizes high into the dark sky and sparking a frenzy below.

As an attendee said upon her departure: “This is what community is all about.”

grand menorah lighting
Select Board member Beth Sullivan Woods lighting the menorah
grand menorah lighting
Up goes the gelt…

 

grand menorah lighting
Kids scramble for gelt

 

grand menorah lighting
Deputy Police Chief Scott Whittemore, Rabbi Moshe Bleich, Police Chief Jack Pilecki

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Filed Under: Holidays, Neighbors, Religion

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley
Wellesley Lacrosse

Wellesley Select Board, community take strong stand against anti-Semitism

November 16, 2022 by Bob Brown

The Wellesley Select Board at its meeting on Tuesday night approved a statement denouncing anti-Semitism amidst rising incidents both locally and across the country and state (see Wellesley Media recording of the meeting at about the 37-minute mark). Several residents, including those whose parents were Holocaust survivors, spoke in support of the Board’s action.

The town also shared resources (including contact information for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Wellesley Police Department and Wellesley Freedom Team) for those who experience anti-Semitism, or any form of bias or discrimination.


antisemitism statement


The town’s actions were sparked locally by an editorial recently published by the Wellesley College student newspaper, The Wellesley News, that expressed support for a project that maps organizations identified as being supportive of the Jewish community for the purpose of dismantling or disrupting them. The college and the Wellesley Police Department are on that list. College President Dr. Paula Johnson condemned the project, and the student paper later rescinded its endorsement.

The very mention of The Mapping Project is controversial, with some against it not wanting to give it any more exposure by uttering its name, and others saying it needs to be named. “It is repugnant. The Mapping Project deserves to be called out in this statement, because it is clearly a call to incite violence against people who are Jewish, and organizations and individuals…” Board Member Tom Ulfelder said.

Residents, including local rabbis, approached the Board about addressing the overall issue.

During the Select Board meeting, resident Mark Benjamin cited ADL research showing a new high in anti-Semitic incidents throughout New England, with a dramatic rise over the past 6 years. “One of the quandaries of anti-Semitism is trying to figure out how to respond as a community,” he said, emphasizing that doing so at the local level is necessary.

Resident Neal Glick also spoke, and expressed his gratitude for the town’s attention to this issue. He had previously shared a letter with the Board signed by several fellow residents on the topic as well as suggested edits to the town’s statement.

“I don’t want to be here, I never thought that in 2022 in the town of Wellesley that I’d be speaking on the topic of anti-Semitic threats,” he said. “But I feel like I have to be here. I’m the son and nephew of Jewish World War II veterans…When they came home and saw and realized the full horror of the Holocaust they had a mantra and it was drummed into me at a very young age, and it was ‘Never again. Never let this happen to Jews again, especially in America.'”

Glick said he felt like he needed to speak out after seeing support for the mapping project in a publication bearing the town’s name. He felt like the town should get more specific about the incident in its statement, not that he didn’t support the college leadership’s response. Glick said he sees this as “a call for dialogue” within the community, and a learning experience that would involve Wellesley College.

Select Board members acknowledged his concerns and said they appreciated his suggested edits, though decided a slightly less specific message would stand up better over time.

Resident Fern Wirth, who identified herself as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, thanked the Board for its supportive stance and for reaffirming its anti-bias and anti-hate position relating to Jewish people following such “a clear message of hate” from members of the community.

“It shakes me to my core to hear of these events in our own community, in my own backyard,” she said. “It’s fitting that tonight’s meeting is close to Kristallnacht, which was the Night of Broken Glass, where Jewish businesses were ransacked and the unofficial start to the Holocaust began with that event.”


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Filed Under: Government, Neighbors, Religion

Sara Campbell, Wellesley

Wellesley Neighbors group offers caring, community, and connection

November 10, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley Neighbors, a membership organization for local residents age 60 and older, will hold an informational and welcoming meeting on Wednesday, November 16, 3:30 pm, at the Wellesley Free Library Main Branch, Room 102. Hear about what Wellesley Neighbors offers, and get answers to your questions.

If you are an older single or couple who’s committed to remaining active and engaged in your community, Wellesley Neighbors should be part of your plans. A nonprofit, membership organization for persons 60 and above, it offers social and educational activities and member-to-member support such as rides. Having fun and helping each other leads to caring, connection and community.

Wellesley Neighbors
Wellesley residents Ralph Adler (left) and Peter Offenhartz enjoy a complimentary lunch at Ken’s Steakhouse in Framingham as part of the October 2022 Wellesley Neighbors Annual Meeting.

Members live in Dover, Natick, Needham, Wellesley, and Weston, with a few from Framingham and Holliston.

MORE

Wellesley charitable and community action groups

Restaurants in Wellesley, MA—more than 50 dining options

Wellesley Square Merchants Directory


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Filed Under: Clubs, Entertainment, Neighbors

Cappy Birthday! Wellesley’s Captain Keith Marden turns 100

October 13, 2022 by Bob Brown 3 Comments

Has there ever been a better advertisement for making seafood a key part of your diet than Capt. Keith Marden celebrating his 100th birthday today at the Wellesley restaurant bearing his family name? Though on this day, a special birthday cake for the Captain courtesy of Select Board member Beth Sullivan Woods was the food of choice (well, and the chowder and shrimp cocktail also offered to guests).

captain marden 100
Capt. Keith Marden flanked by family

 

Marden, seated next to his wife of 69 years, Shirley, blew out all of the less-than-100 candles, and was serenaded with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Saluting Marden’s years in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War as a submarine periscope specialist, “Anchors Aweigh” also played. Marden was surrounded by family—including all the way from his home province of Nova Scotia—and friends, including town officials and fellow business people.

Everyone piled in for photo opps.

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I had a chance to chat with the Captain and asked him what job he might have done if he hadn’t gone into the seafood business. The longtime Wellesley resident mentioned having attended trade school to train as a machinist. As a member of the media, it warmed my heart to find he had a paper route as a kid.

Ceremony emcee Royall Switzler of the Wellesley Celebrations Committee called Keith Marden his hero for this reason: “He was behind the counter until 2 years ago!” That point was re-emphasized in the proclamation read by Sullivan Woods, which notes he was behind the counter as recently as 2020 “selecting the perfect seafood for his customers.”

In speaking to one of Capt. Marden’s granddaughters, I learned that in fact there is no blood oath within the family to work for the business, now on its fourth generation. It’s true: Some members of the family work in fields ranging from finance to politics and from insurance to education.

But plenty do work for the business, which includes the familiar seafood shop and restaurant on Linden Street, as well as the wholesale business in Westwood.

Captain Marden’s fish market got its start in 1945 in West Newton by Master Mariner Capt. Roy Marden, Keith’s dad. Keith opened a second location on Forest Street in Wellesley in 1959, then in 1972 moved it to the former Linden Street railroad station building and expanded. The Captain’s Takeaway Restaurant, initially a takeout operation, opened in 1975 adjacent to the fish market. The wholesale division operating out of the Wellesley store outgrew that space and moved to Westwood. And then there’s the Cod Squad mobile food truck, which began wheeling around in 2012. In recent years, Capt. Marden’s has agilely navigated the pandemic, as members of the family explained in a 2020 Wellesley Public Media video.

The Marden family has been celebrated in town not just for the signature business, but for contributions to Wellesley, its youth organizations and local charities. Keith Marden was a Little League coach, a local bank director, a longtime Wellesley Club member, and a town assessor. The Wellesley Historical Society recognized Captain Marden and family at its 2015 Spring Celebration.

captain marden 100
Cutting the cake

 

captain marden 100
Shirley Marden checks out a personalized gift for her husband Keith…

 

captain marden 100
Beth Sullivan Woods readies to read proclamation

 

captain marden 100

Meanwhile, at the adjacent seafood market, it was business as usual, though customers broke into smiles when told Capt. Marden was celebrating his 100th birthday next door.

captain marden 100


swellesley ad health

Filed Under: Business, Neighbors

Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

9/11 observances in Wellesley

September 8, 2022 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

9/11 observances

Filed Under: Fire, Government, Neighbors, Police

Slow day at Wellesley RDF

August 24, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Bill Caryl, a former Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility volunteer, gives one of the chairs at give-and-take area a test drive. Looks like it works.

Priscilla Messing, who shared the photo (with Bill’s OK), says it was an excruciatingly hot day.

bill at rdf
Photo courtesy of Priscilla Messing

More: Wellesley public works taking fresh look at RDF give-and-take area

Filed Under: Neighbors

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