Thanks to the UV Rugby Club!

Posted on August 16, 2018 by | Leave a comment

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Wonderful to have the youthful energy of the UV Rugby Club applied to the MRG pocket park today. They planted, composted and mulched, sowed grass seed, and applied more wood chips under the picnic tables. They put the finishing touches on the park. A big thank you goes out to this good-humored and energetic group.  Thanks also to Cindy Heath who designed and spearheaded this pocket park landscaping project!  It is accomplished and it looks great!

 

 

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Update:  The U.V. Rugby Club has voted unanimously to adopt the pocket park.  They will help provide maintenance, including frequent watering of the new shrubs and trees. Thank you U.V. Rugby Club!

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Posted in Good News!, Mascoma River Greenway Updates, Thank you!

Let’s Connect the MRG to the Northern Rail Trail!

Posted on August 16, 2018 by | Leave a comment
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Downtown Tunnel – Hanover St. Overhead

A Community Conversation: Lebanon Mall Tunnel Alternatives

The City of Lebanon invites you to learn about the potential future of the tunnel located under the Lebanon Mall at a Community Conversation meeting on Wednesday, August 22, 2018, at 6:30pm in City Hall Council Chambers. Representatives from Lebanon Public Works as well as Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) will be in attendance to present plans and address questions.

Background

On July 11, 2018, VHB made a presentation to Lebanon City Council outlining several alternatives for the tunnel located under the Lebanon Mall. The Council moved to present Alternative #1 (Complete Deck Replacement), Alternative #2 (Deck Replacement with Opening; keeps tunnel open), and Alternative #4A (Deck Removal, Partial Fill, and New Parking Area; With Connectivity) for review and recommendations prior to rendering a decision on the future use of the tunnel.

Related Resources

Contact

Questions should be directed to the City Manager’s Office at 603-448-4220 or manager@lebanonnh.gov.

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Posted in Events, Mascoma River Greenway Updates, Next Steps, Uncategorized

Thanks to a Great Volunteer Team: Upper Valley Rugby Club!

Posted on August 1, 2018 by | Leave a comment

 

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Former Lebanon Recreation and Park Director, Cindy Heath, has been the main mover on the enhanced landscaping of the MRG pocket park by the tunnel in downtown Lebanon. She and a team from Upper Valley Rugby Club did great work in the park Wednesday evening.

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Here’s Cindy’s report on this energetic team of volunteers:

“Members of the Men’s and Women’s teams of the Upper Valley Rugby Club put forth an amazing effort on Tuesday night and moved the MRG Pocket Park closer to completion. President Brian Frampton and his club mates dug out sod, applied mulch to flower beds, and did some serious digging to install wood chips under the picnic tables. 

This is work that needs a strong back and stamina, and the club members were definitely up for the task. It’s amazing how much was accomplished in just two hours by this community service minded group! 

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Several members of the club will be back next week to put the finishing touches on a new flower bed in preparation for a final planting of perennials donated by Gardener’s Supply. All are welcome to participate in the final work session on Tuesday, August 7 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the park. Bring work gloves, a shovel, and wheelbarrow if you have one!”  Update: Tuesday’s work was postponed on account of rain.  Next work day is Tuesday, August 14 at 5:30.

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Posted in Events, Good News!, Next Steps, Progress!, Thank you!, Work Day

Test your Wildflower IQ

Posted on July 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

The following are a few of the wildflower plants seen on the MRG on Saturday at the Opening Day Celebration.  How many can you identify?

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#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#5

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#6

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#7

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#8

Hint: the possibilities are:

Jewelweed, Celandine, False Solomon’s Seal, Enchanter’s Nightshade, Dog Baneberry, Garlic Mustard, Dames Rocket, Goldenrod,

 

Update:  The Answers

#1  Garlic Mustard
#2 Goldenrod
#3 Dames Rocket
#4 Enchanters Nighshade
#5 False Solomon’s Seal
#6 Celandine
#7 Jewelweed
#8 Dog Baneberry

 

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Posted in Plant Life of the MRG

MRG Official Opening – a Joyful Day!

Posted on July 22, 2018 by | 8 comments

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They came,  listened to a bit of history and the Mayor’s proclamation (honoring MRG Co-Chairs Paul Coats and Frank Gould) . . . and then headed to the MRG and strolled, biked, roller bladed, scooted, ate ice cream, listened to music, viewed the newly installed sculptures, and scattered wildflower seeds along the trail. The day was perfect and the spirit was joyful!

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Omer & Bob’s did bike safety checks and fixed minor problems.

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A good-humored Lebanon Police Officer, Lt. Matt Isham, delivered ice cream treats along the trail.

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Lebanon’s Rollerblade had a van-load of rollerblades for folks to test drive.

 

 

 

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So many families with young bike riders, scooters, strollers, some with dogs . . . and a host of others enjoying this beautiful day. Thanks goes to APD for hosting this event and for their donation of a permanent parking area for the MRG. Thanks also to Omer and Bob’s for the bike safety station, to Rollerblade for the test drives of their rollerblades, and to the pop-up musicians who addded grace notes to our day. We greatly appreciate the organizing efforts of MRG Campaign Committee Chair Rainie Kelly and APD’s Kelly Pippin for this event. And we would not have been here but for the hundreds of volunteers and generous donors who have made the MRG a reality!


							

	
			

				
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						Posted in Events, Good News!, Thank you!					

															

		


		
	


	
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Official MRG Opening – Saturday, 9-Noon!

				

				
Grand Opening scheduleWhere?   On the lawn of the Homestead at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital on Mascoma Street in Lebanon.  Parking at the APD lot on Mascoma Street.


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						Posted on July 18, 2018 by   in Events, Good News!					

				
				
							

		



	


			

			
Access to River Views


			

				Posted on July 10, 2018 by  | Leave a comment
			


				

				
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Lebanon is graced with the beautiful, winding Mascoma River . . .  but there are very few places where one can actually appreciate that beauty.  The MRG is one of those places. Above is a view from the western end (behind the movie theaters) looking east.


Have you seen the western end now that it has been paved?  Smooth sailing for bikes, skate boards, roller blades, baby strollers and many other modes of non-motorized transport.


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Western end (behind movie theaters) looking west

							

	
			

				
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						Posted in Mascoma River Greenway Updates, Progress!					

															

		


		
	


			

			
City Council to Discuss Downtown Tunnel


			

				Posted on July 9, 2018 by  | Leave a comment
			


				

				
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Downtown Tunnel


Wednesday, July 11th, the Lebanon City Council will discuss the downtown tunnel. The new cost estimates show that closing the tunnel is a $1M proposition, and fixing and re-opening it will cost $2.2M .  If the tunnel is closed, there will be no separated pathway linking the MRG to downtown and the Northern Rail Trail. Bike Ped Committee will be there as will be Paul Coats, Frank Gould, and other advocates for tunnel repair.  The more who attend to advocate for the tunnel the better – hope to see you there!

							

	
			

				
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						Posted in Events, Mascoma River Greenway Updates, Next Steps					

															

		


		
	


			

			
Change in MRG Paving Schedule


			

				Posted on June 29, 2018 by  | Leave a comment
			


				

				
The City of Lebanon Mascoma River Greenway (MRG) will be paved during normal working hours on Friday, June 29th, Thursday July 5, and Friday July 6. Please stay off the trail during these days, and plan on attending the GRAND OPENING Celebration on Saturday, July 21 from 9am to noon, beginning at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital. Please contact the Recreation and Parks Department at 603-448-5121 if you have questions.

							

	
			

				
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						Posted in Uncategorized					

															

		


		
	


			

			
Planting Day in the Pocket Park


			

				Posted on June 28, 2018 by  | 1 comment
			


				

				
A project like this pocket park on the MRG makes one aware of the generosity of this community.  So many beautiful plants were dug and donated from gardens around town and farther afield. Folks donated their time and energy, and it is gratifying to know that many local businesses grant volunteer time to employees during the work day. (The MRG has benefited greatly for a number of years by these volunteers.)


On Wednesday, donors and volunteers showed up at the pocket park with carloads of beautiful plants. Among the volunteers was Jake Jasinski and his Mom Linda. Jake was the Eagle Scout who had envisioned this pocket park and worked with others to build the picnic tables and benches.


The group laid out the plants in a pleasing design and then went to work digging, planting, watering.  In a matter of a few hours the park was transformed.


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Cindy Heath in the foreground, Jackson, Henry, and Linda in back, digging and planting.


Cindy is the organizer and energy behind this extension of last year’s pollinator garden into what will be a fully landscaped park. The many hostas, flowering shrubs and trees, and ground covers will also be a boon for pollinators.


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Henry Homeyer, the Upper Valley’s “Gardening Guy”, donated his time and expertise to the project. Here he is planting a beautiful little Japanese maple.


 


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The planting day team: Cindy, Paula, Henry, Linda, Jake, Jackson, Pat


 


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Before


 


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After

							

	
			

				
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						Posted in Good News!, Progress!, Work Day