The Leeds Civic Association and the Bay State Village Association are co-sponsoring a public forum Tuesday Jan 8, at 7PM at the Little Theater at NHS to review proposed zoning changes. The Planning Board has recommended significant reductions in frontage and lot size requirements which will allow additional housing in most neighborhoods in the city.
Senior planner Carolyn Misch will illustrate these changes using existing lots and buildings in Bay State Village and will answer questions and record comments. While examples to illustrate the changes will come primarily from Bay State Village the proposed changes will impact all neighborhoods, and everyone is welcome to attend the forum. For more detailed information please visit the city’s website: www.northamptonma.gov/opd. Under “HOT TOPICS” click on “Proposed Residential District Changes. Look particularly at “Excerpts from The ZRC “ (Zoning Revisions Committee) and the dimensional changes to the URB (Urban Residential B). Almost all of Bay State is zoned URB. For information on the forum contact: Alex Ghiselin at: aghiselin@comcast.net.
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2013-01-01 11:35:142013-01-01 11:35:14Proposed Zoning Changes in Bay State Village
A woman walked up to her stoop cradling in her arms some new purchase. She was overheard saying to her neighbor, “Look at this gourd. Doesn’t it look just like a RAT?” A boy walking home from Leeds School was overheard saying to his buddy, “This is the first year I get to carve!” The anticipation was building for the Great Leeds Pumpkin Contest which was held on the clear moonlit night of October 27th.
The new venue at Upland and Chestnut was ideal for the large gathering of Leeds folk who really know how to get into the spirit of Halloween. Cheering kids followed their pumpkins down the hill to see if theirs crossed the finish line first. Neighbors young and old criss-crossed the roadside pumpkin gallery to take in the creativity on display by our community and vote for their favorites. They saw four pumpkins transformed into a punk rock band, a space alien, a discoteque, a Las Vegas Elvis Presley, a gorilla face, a Good Night Moon Mouse House that offered a view through the window to a fully furnished room with a happy mouse family munching on
gummy bears and enjoying the glow of a working fireplace! One pumpkin was turned into a gorgeous full lipped lady with an autumn leaf hairdo, another an upside down pig face, five carved pumpkins stacked became a totem pole while eight in a row spelled out “Frankenstorm.” Pumpkin party revellers enjoyed homemade soups, baked potatoes with the fixins’ and other treats while listening to Shawn Gundersen’s line up of spooky tunes and comic banter.
Jim Montgomery of Grove Avenue won first prize for his delightful mousehouse and went home with the coveted rosemary apple pie baked by Ananda Lennox. The adorable trick-or-treating ghost with glowing eyes and mouth, and carrying a tiny pumpkin filled with candy corn was made by Anna Rosen and won first prize in the youth contest. Each and every pumpkin carved, decorated and displayed was ooohed and ahhhed over…including the RAT!
Thanks to the many helping hands and pumpkin carvers for making this event so fun!
A complete list of pumpkin winners and photographs can be viewed here.
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-10-31 18:02:142012-10-31 18:02:14Carving up a Storm…The Great Leeds Pumpkin Contest
On the last weekend of August 1950, Leeds held a gala celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the naming the village. The old bell was rung – the same bell that summoned the workers to their tasks at the Nonotuck Silk Mill (now the Leeds Village Apartments), once an important contributor to the giant silk industry which made the area famous.
As the harsh tones of the old bell spread over the little village, followed the Mill River for a distance, crept up the hill toward the schoolhouse and was lost against the forests on Bear Hill (VA Hospital), memories flooded back for many. This old bell had announced to the fa
thers, mothers and grandparents of those present at the celebration each day with unrelenting regularity and in clear cold tones that another work day had begun. It also sent out the message that life was real, made up of hard work and very little fun, and if they wanted a pay envelope at the end of the week they had better be up and to work.
Among the crowd were those who had lived in Leeds all their lives as had their parents before them. These men and women were proud of their little community and had instilled a love for the place by passing on to their children the tales of its past glories and events. They knew their history went back a long way and that the village of Leeds had played an important part in the economy of Massachusetts and New England. Many tales were told and retold that day.
Watch for second installment!
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http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-10-06 22:35:052012-10-06 22:35:05Intro to the Gazette Series about Leeds, by Alice Manning, 1975
September 9th Block Party. Badminton, ping pong, hula hooping and limbo kept the young at heart entertained. New neighbors made new friends, kids had their faces painted, and people caught up on neighborhood news.
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-10-05 21:59:252012-10-05 21:59:25Beautiful Skies Over Fun Block Party
On a hot Friday, August 3rd, when most people should be at work, fifty one folks from Leeds, the VA, Northampton Country Club, and as far away as Burgy, Bay State, and Florence headed up in a cool air-conditioned bus to Saratoga Springs’ Civil War era horse racing track. With high hopes of winning cash, the 2 1/2 hour bus trip zipped by as riders chatted through the miles.
A quick side trip to a casino near the race track took just an hour and was a hit for most. The group arrived at the race track at noon for a 1:30 post time (10 races in all). You might have thought you were at Look Park with the natural and casual setting, beach chairs, picnic ta
bles, coolers all allowed. Red and white striped tents, umbrellas and petunias prevailed and then of course there were the horses – the best of the best! Their beauty, strength and grace something to note, not to mention the pageantry of it all: fancily dressed owners, jockeys in their silks, and the excitement as the horses galloped to the finish line.
The bus headed back to Leeds after the final 6:00 race. We didn’t hear about a lot of winners, but most wanted to reserve a seat for next year. Saratoga day trips have a lot of charm. Next year the LCA hopes to have a trip in late July and late August.
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-09-25 22:27:182012-09-25 22:27:18A Day at the Races – Saratoga, NY
Come and share your ideas! September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.
The fun event will continue, but at a new location. The previous 18 years were hosted by Robin Forsyth and Jim Mias and held at the end of Grove Avenue. Many neighbors offered helping hands with set up, clean up, snacks and baked goods. The pre-Halloween event has been so popular that some years close to 100 carved pumpkins were entered. A big thank you to
Jim and Robin for beginning this incredibly fun Halloween tradition. Stay tuned for upcoming details about the 2012 Pumpkin Carving Contest. Posters will be tacked up and details will be posted on the LCA website, www.LeedsCivic.org. We look forward to seeing this year’s frightful, hilarious, and clever pumpkin entries glowing in the late October darkness. What will you carve?
September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.
zp8497586rq
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-08-27 09:45:322012-08-27 09:45:32Pumpkin Contest Planning Open to All
This fall, Leonard and Front streets will be getting new signage and pavement markings as part of the DPW’s traffic calming efforts. These improvements are in response to safety concerns expressed by neighborhood residents and will be paid for out of the $50,000 for traffic mitigation paid to the city by the developers of the Beaver Brook project. The signs will mark curves and indicate recommended speeds, while the double yellow center line and white shoulder lines will serve to visually narrow these streets. According to Laura Hanson, the DPW engineer who met with Leeds residents at a traffic-calming forum held at the Leeds School in February, visually narrowing a roadway has been shown to be effective in slowing down traffic. Additional traffic calming efforts in the Yankee Hill neighborhood will occur as determined after further discussions between neighbors and the DPW.
Invite your Leeds neighbors and friends and join us on the Village Green for a fun filled late afternoon barbeque. There will be free burgers and hotdogs, music an
d games! If you can, bring a side dish or dessert to share, and a chair for relaxing. Soak up the neighborhood vibe while eating, gossiping, limboing, and laughing.
zp8497586rq
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-08-06 09:42:512012-08-06 09:42:51See you at the Leeds Block Party
Julie Akeret of Grove Avenue, an independent producer/director of Akeret Films, was awarded a Regional Emmy in the Outstanding Cultural/Historical Program category for her work on the documentary “Theatre on the Edge: Growing Art and Community at Double Edge Theatre.” The award was presented on June 2 at the 35th Annual Boston/New England Emmy Awards Ceremony from the Boston/New England Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).
Congratulations Julie and thanks for bringing a little piece of Hollywood to Leeds!
http://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.png00justinhttp://www.leedscivic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LCAlogotrans2.pngjustin2012-08-01 18:47:062012-08-01 18:47:06Emmy Award for Leeds Neighbor
Proposed Zoning Changes in Bay State Village
The Leeds Civic Association and the Bay State Village Association are co-sponsoring a public forum Tuesday Jan 8, at 7PM at the Little Theater at NHS to review proposed zoning changes. The Planning Board has recommended significant reductions in frontage and lot size requirements which will allow additional housing in most neighborhoods in the city.
Senior planner Carolyn Misch will illustrate these changes using existing lots and buildings in Bay State Village and will answer questions and record comments. While examples to illustrate the changes will come primarily from Bay State Village the proposed changes will impact all neighborhoods, and everyone is welcome to attend the forum. For more detailed information please visit the city’s website: www.northamptonma.gov/opd. Under “HOT TOPICS” click on “Proposed Residential District Changes. Look particularly at “Excerpts from The ZRC “ (Zoning Revisions Committee) and the dimensional changes to the URB (Urban Residential B). Almost all of Bay State is zoned URB. For information on the forum contact: Alex Ghiselin at: aghiselin@comcast.net.
Carving up a Storm…The Great Leeds Pumpkin Contest
The new venue at Upland and Chestnut was ideal for the large gathering of Leeds folk who really know how to get into the spirit of Halloween. Cheering kids followed their pumpkins down the hill to see if theirs crossed the finish line first. Neighbors young and old criss-crossed the roadside pumpkin gallery to take in the creativity on display by our community and vote for their favorites. They saw four pumpkins transformed into a punk rock band, a space alien, a discoteque, a Las Vegas Elvis Presley, a gorilla face, a Good Night Moon Mouse House that offered a view through the window to a fully furnished room with a happy mouse family munching on
gummy bears and enjoying the glow of a working fireplace! One pumpkin was turned into a gorgeous full lipped lady with an autumn leaf hairdo, another an upside down pig face, five carved pumpkins stacked became a totem pole while eight in a row spelled out “Frankenstorm.” Pumpkin party revellers enjoyed homemade soups, baked potatoes with the fixins’ and other treats while listening to Shawn Gundersen’s line up of spooky tunes and comic banter.
Jim Montgomery of Grove Avenue won first prize for his delightful mousehouse and went home with the coveted rosemary apple pie baked by Ananda Lennox. The adorable trick-or-treating ghost with glowing eyes and mouth, and carrying a tiny pumpkin filled with candy corn was made by Anna Rosen and won first prize in the youth contest. Each and every pumpkin carved, decorated and displayed was ooohed and ahhhed over…including the RAT!
Thanks to the many helping hands and pumpkin carvers for making this event so fun!
A complete list of pumpkin winners and photographs can be viewed here.
Photo galleries of this event can be found here.
Intro to the Gazette Series about Leeds, by Alice Manning, 1975
As the harsh tones of the old bell spread over the little village, followed the Mill River for a distance, crept up the hill toward the schoolhouse and was lost against the forests on Bear Hill (VA Hospital), memories flooded back for many. This old bell had announced to the fa
thers, mothers and grandparents of those present at the celebration each day with unrelenting regularity and in clear cold tones that another work day had begun. It also sent out the message that life was real, made up of hard work and very little fun, and if they wanted a pay envelope at the end of the week they had better be up and to work.
Among the crowd were those who had lived in Leeds all their lives as had their parents before them. These men and women were proud of their little community and had instilled a love for the place by passing on to their children the tales of its past glories and events. They knew their history went back a long way and that the village of Leeds had played an important part in the economy of Massachusetts and New England. Many tales were told and retold that day.
Watch for second installment!
Beautiful Skies Over Fun Block Party
September 9th Block Party. Badminton, ping pong, hula hooping and limbo kept the young at heart entertained. New neighbors made new friends, kids had their faces painted, and people caught up on neighborhood news.
See the event photo gallery here.
A Day at the Races – Saratoga, NY
On a hot Friday, August 3rd, when most people should be at work, fifty one folks from Leeds, the VA, Northampton Country Club, and as far away as Burgy, Bay State, and Florence headed up in a cool air-conditioned bus to Saratoga Springs’ Civil War era horse racing track. With high hopes of winning cash, the 2 1/2 hour bus trip zipped by as riders chatted through the miles.
A quick side trip to a casino near the race track took just an hour and was a hit for most. The group arrived at the race track at noon for a 1:30 post time (10 races in all). You might have thought you were at Look Park with the natural and casual setting, beach chairs, picnic ta
bles, coolers all allowed. Red and white striped tents, umbrellas and petunias prevailed and then of course there were the horses – the best of the best! Their beauty, strength and grace something to note, not to mention the pageantry of it all: fancily dressed owners, jockeys in their silks, and the excitement as the horses galloped to the finish line.
The bus headed back to Leeds after the final 6:00 race. We didn’t hear about a lot of winners, but most wanted to reserve a seat for next year. Saratoga day trips have a lot of charm. Next year the LCA hopes to have a trip in late July and late August.
See the photo gallery here.
Pumpkin Contest Planning Open to All
Come and share your ideas! September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.
The fun event will continue, but at a new location. The previous 18 years were hosted by Robin Forsyth and Jim Mias and held at the end of Grove Avenue. Many neighbors offered helping hands with set up, clean up, snacks and baked goods. The pre-Halloween event has been so popular that some years close to 100 carved pumpkins were entered. A big thank you to
Jim and Robin for beginning this incredibly fun Halloween tradition. Stay tuned for upcoming details about the 2012 Pumpkin Carving Contest. Posters will be tacked up and details will be posted on the LCA website, www.LeedsCivic.org. We look forward to seeing this year’s frightful, hilarious, and clever pumpkin entries glowing in the late October darkness. What will you carve?
September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Update
This fall, Leonard and Front streets will be getting new signage and pavement markings as part of the DPW’s traffic calming efforts. These improvements are in response to safety concerns expressed by neighborhood residents and will be paid for out of the $50,000 for traffic mitigation paid to the city by the developers of the Beaver Brook project. The signs will mark curves and indicate recommended speeds, while the double yellow center line and white shoulder lines will serve to visually narrow these streets. According to Laura Hanson, the DPW engineer who met with Leeds residents at a traffic-calming forum held at the Leeds School in February, visually narrowing a roadway has been shown to be effective in slowing down traffic. Additional traffic calming efforts in the Yankee Hill neighborhood will occur as determined after further discussions between neighbors and the DPW.
View map here.
Movie Update
We’re looking forward to watching a special holiday film during early October!!! Keep your eye out around the ‘hood for the specific advertisements.
See you at the Leeds Block Party
Invite your Leeds neighbors and friends and join us on the Village Green for a fun filled late afternoon barbeque. There will be free burgers and hotdogs, music an
d games! If you can, bring a side dish or dessert to share, and a chair for relaxing. Soak up the neighborhood vibe while eating, gossiping, limboing, and laughing.
Emmy Award for Leeds Neighbor
Congratulations Julie and thanks for bringing a little piece of Hollywood to Leeds!