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EDUCATION & LIBRARY | AROUND TOWN
Local Business
Sudbury Espresso
Subway, at 95 Main Street next to CVS, is gone – although the sign still remains – and has been resurrected as Sudbury Expresso.Man ish Sharma, owner of the Subway franchise, decided he could serve the community better and keep the same reasonable prices by going out on his own. The menu looks similar with subs and wraps, and Manish is planning on an espresso bar opening soon. Manish believes everyone deserves good food at reasonable prices; he even has subs discounted on the weekends from 12-3 where a complete meal is $10. He’s closed on Christmas but otherwise open seven days a week and excited to have you come in for his good food and wonderful hospitality.
Community Voices
Window at Open Table
by Denise Shea
Priscilla Alpaugh Cotter, representing ArtSpace Maynard, painted Open Table’s window display for the Holidays. Known for her adorable critters, Priscilla created a scene of a badger, rabbit, fox, raccoon, otter, deer and duck heading toward Open Table for a feast, and pulling a banner that appropriately says, “Food, Love, Joy.”
Since ArtSpace relocated to Maynard’s downtown area, the organization has been making a concerted effort to participate in community events and happenings whenever possible. When they learned that the window display at Open Table was one way of giving back, they asked Maynard’s beloved illustrator if she would be willing to do it and she didn’t hesitate. ArtSpace also participated in the Food Pantry’s Thanksgiving basket program, and collected enough food from their studio artists for two baskets.
This is not Priscilla’s first time donating her time to beautify Maynard. If you head downtown you will find the wooden elves that are adorning the downtown triangle and a few other places around town. In the fall decorations, she created a couple of scarecrows that stand like sentinels to the alleyway between the Outdoor Store and Art Signals.
The display in the Open Table windows will be up through the end of January, weather permitting, so be sure to take a look. And if you see Priscilla around town, let her know how much you appreciate her efforts both in beautifying the community and in helping people connect with ArtSpace Maynard.
Green Maynard Compost
by Abbie Barrett
Green Maynard is a volunteer-led community group that aims to protect, preserve, and celebrate our connection to the natural environment. To learn more, visit Green Maynard at greenmaynard.org or on Facebook and Instagram. In this second part of its series on waste reduction, Green Maynard shares more on composting.
Massachusetts is running out of waste capacity, and the Commonwealth has vowed to reduce its waste 30 percent by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050. In the meantime, Maynard’s current trash contract will expire in June 2025, and the Maynard Solid Waste and Recycling Task Force is writing a new contract that will focus on ways to meet the need, to minimize increased prices, and to reflect residents’ amount of trash by offering different collection options. This a very good time for households to review their current trash practices and look for ways to reduce the amount that must be collected each week.
One great way to reduce your trash by more than 30 percent is by composting. There are two ways of composting: backyard compost bins and curbside pickup. The town sells rodent-resistant home composting bins for $65, and residents can fill the bins with yard waste and some food scraps. There are limitations, however; you cannot compost meat or dairy because they attract pests like rodents and flies and can carry harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella, which could contaminate your compost and plants. The EPA has an excellent website on safe and effective home composting at epa.gov/recycle/composting-home.
Another option is to use a curbside compost collection company. At present, 230 Maynard households use Black Earth Compost, which accepts a range of food scraps, including meat and dairy, as well as other materials. Black Earth provides secure 4- or 13-gallon bins and offers curbside collection weekly or every other week. If 70 more Maynard households sign up (bringing the total to 300), Black Earth will reduce the cost by 25 percent. Many residents who already use Black Earth have found it saves them significant money because it reduces the amount of trash to be collected by more than 30 percent. The locking feature keeps the bins closed tightly, so they can be kept outside regardless of weather and local wildlife. And by putting food scraps into your Black Earth bin, your trash won’t contain the odors that attract pests, presenting an opportunity to schedule trash collection to every other week.
Most residents are also pleased by the number of materials that Black Earth accepts in the bin in addition to meat and dairy, including coffee grounds and filters; paper napkins and paper towels; toilet and paper towel rolls; and pet waste from rabbits, chickens, guinea pigs, hamsters, and birds (but no dog or cat waste). It all adds up to a lot of weight and mass diverted from the trash. And every spring, each household receives a voucher for a free cubic-foot bag of nutrient-rich compost.
When you sign up for Black Earth, you buy the bin as well as 30 compostable bin liners for $39.50. You have your choice between six months of weekly collection for $80.99 or every other week for $63.99. Black Earth weekly collection currently costs approximately $3.12, less than a single $4 trash sticker.
Green Maynard strongly urges every household in town to consider adding backyard or curbside composting to their solid waste routines. It will save residents money and reduce Maynard’s volume of trash each week.
Events
Maynard Cultural District’s Winter Celebration
The Winter Celebration in the Maynard Cultural District is brought to you by the MBA and Maynard Cultural District Committee. Enjoy winter-themed activities, including a live ice sculpture carving and more! Join the event on Facebook for info and updates!
The Ammo Dump: A Taking of Heritage (The Backstory to the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge)
Saturday, December 211:00 PM
What if you received a knock on your door tonight and were told you had to leave? You had no more than a month to do so, and you could only take what was not nailed down? Eighty Massachusetts families faced that predicament on March 25, 1942. This book tells their story. Learn the backstory to the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge. Copies of the Ammo Dump book will be available for signing.
The History of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) with David Mark
Saturday, January 41:00 PM
Maynard author and historian David Mark will speak about the rise and fall of Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, a 41-year arc that started in 1957 with Kenneth “Ken” Olsen and Harlan Anderson renting space in the mill buildings. Digital peaked in size and sales in 1990 with the mill complex being the world headquarters of a 125,000 employee empire, making Maynard the “Minicomputer Capital of the World.”
The Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center presents……
The Kids Collective
The Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center is excited to announce the new Kids Collective that will take place every 1st , 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month starting in January.
Mister Vic & Company will provide morning music…. smiles and joy for families with children of all ages. Join sing-alongs, interactive songs and rhythm-making
ArtSpace will provide fun creative painting, building, weaving and more.
LevelUp Gymnastics will introduce kids to rhythmic gymnastics, through balance, flexibility and creative movement.
The major sponsors for this program are Hera Law Group, Family Law Attorneys and Crandall Group, Real Estate Group that helps young families buy and sell homes.
For more information check out www.sanctuarymaynard.com
Around Town
Level Up Gymnastics Shines at the Joy Cup
*Hyde Park, Boston, MA* – Level Up Gymnastics from Maynard proudly participated in their first rhythmic gymnastics competition, the “Joy Cup,” showcasing the incredible talent of young gymnasts aged 5-10 years old. Under the expert guidance of head coach and owner Mayya Mashatina, a Master of Sport, and assistant coach Yelyzaveta Trutayeva, the team achieved remarkable success, dominating the podium by securing all 1st and 2nd places.
The competition was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the athletes, who not only excelled in their performances but also earned special prizes for their outstanding efforts. The coaches expressed immense pride in their students’
achievements and commitment to the sport. As the team looks forward to their next challenge, they are preparing for the upcoming competition on February 15th. With their recent success, the gymnasts are more motivated than ever to continue their journey in rhythmic gymnastics.
Historic Watering Trough
From the Maynard Historical Commission
You may have noticed the large crane in front of the old firehouse last Friday. With a generous grant from the Community Preservation Committee, the Historical Commission was able to relocate this watering trough to the corner of Memorial Park. This is one of several watering troughs that you see across town, the purpose of which was to provide a drink for the horses who brought their passengers into the downtown Maynard business district. It was originally donated to the town in 1891 and used to sit in the triangle at Main and Nason. When the road was widened, it was moved to the end of Walnut Street and ultimately stored in the DPW yard until it was brought back to life in 1969. At that time, it was placed in front of the old fire station.
Accessible to the public, we are proud to display this piece of history in a more prominent location in town. Whether you have a horse or not, swing by and take a look next time you’re downtown.
Special thanks to Ellen Duggan of MHC for her hard work and dedication to this effort.
