Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Fall Edition of your Friends of Albemarle newsletter! We hope this finds you reflective of the season and thankful for the community we have. We certainly are. Thanks for being a good friend in 2024!
Our hard work together has paid off. After an incredible season for the new $10 million renovation of Gath Pool, with record numbers of visitors, an unparalleled staff of hardworking leaders and lifeguards, and expanded hours even as some construction was actually ongoing (!), we’re now looking at the next phase of work at Albemarle.
Fields, Lights, and Pathways, Oh My!
After a successful bidding phase, we are on the path to a multimillion rebuild of Albemarle, with new lights, fields, courts, spectator options, and lit pathways. The lighting is all dark-sky approved. The project also makes room for new plantings and rain gardens. It will even improve water quality and flooding in our neighborhood. This will be Phase 1 of a rework of Albemarle on a beautiful, user-friendly design that benefited from a huge amount of community input. Construction could start as early as March! Questions for now can go to the exceptionally skilled project lead, our hero, Parks Director Luis Perez Demorizi: lpdemorizi -at- newtonma.gov
On Foot in the Red ZoneNewton’s 2024 Traffic Calming Report makes clear both that a.) We have work to do on Newton becoming a safe place to live, work, walk, bike, and get to school and b.) That pedestrians are in the same place where the most crashes are and that place is….drumroll, please…north of the Pike. The #1 most problematic areas are ALL connected to Crafts St. As we always say, if Albemarle isn’t safe to get to, then it can’t truly succeed as a community resource.
Read more here: https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2024/11/16/on-foot-in-the-red-zone
The great news is that Albemarle is absolutely benefitting from the speed bumps and flex posts that were installed by DPW. And we still celebrate the new speed limit.
(Oh, and did I mention back-in parking yet? IT IS STILL WORKING!!)
Bike Lanes Getting More Bike Lane-y
Speaking of safety and access… we were excited to see the installation of the visuals in the bike lane on Albemarle. And even new sharrows painted on the road as it approaches the river! Thanks Newton Transportation and DPW!
#Albemarlefall
A tuft of milkweed….layers of leaves….splashes of orange and crimson….
well, it’s all been replaced by stick season now.
But! we took pictures so you can relive it.
Hugs,
Cedar at Friends of Albemarle
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Friends of Albemarle 
Thanks for all of your thoughtful hard work! Today I noticed that the speed bumps are gone. I’m guessing it’s seasonal in case we get snow…
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