"FRIDAY UPDATES”

Friday, June 26, 2009

 

Jackson’s Landing Open House: On Sunday, July 26, 2009, beginning at 2:00 PM, the Town will host an Open House at the new and improved Jackson’s Landing. The Piscataqua Gundalow Company will be bringing the Gundalow to the landing to celebrate the Oyster River.  There will be music and tours.  All are invited and encouraged to check out the landing and the Gundalow. For more information, please click HERE.

Town Offices Closed for Independence Day

The Town Offices will be closed in observance of the July 4^th holiday on Friday, July 3, 2009. All offices will reopen for regular business hours on Monday, July 5, 2009 at 8:00 AM. There will be NO commercial recycling collection on July 3^rd.  

The Transfer Station and Recycling Center will be CLOSED on Saturday, July 4^th.  

JULY FOURTH CELEBRATION

The Durham-Great Bay Rotary Club and the Town of Durham will be sponsoring a gala Independence Day celebration with fireworks on Saturday, July 4^th with a rain date of Sunday, July 5^th to be held at Cowell Stadium on the UNH campus. Activities will begin at 6:30 PM. In addition to music, activities are also planned for children. The food court will also be open and serve great food throughout the fireworks display. Donations will be accepted at the gate. Fireworks will begin at dusk (9:00-9:15 PM). UNH provides this venue at no cost to the community.

THURSDAY NIGHT PARK PICNIC HOSTED BY DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE
The Parks & Recreation Committee will host a “Thursday Night Park Picnic” for townspeople throughout the summer.  Every other Thursday, a location will be selected where people can bring a picnic and any games, etc., they would like to play or share.  Beautiful Weather welcomed our first Thursday Night Pack Picnic last night!  The waterfront at Wagon Hill was a wonderful setting, with around 30 townspeople hiking down to enjoy picnics, volleyball, football, and socializing. The next location will be along the waterfront at Old Town Landing on July 9. Games will be set up in advance, but feel free to bring your favorites along as well.  It is intended to be a very casual event, with no specified times or requirements beyond getting together after 5:00 PM and meeting more of the members of our great community.  You are encouraged to come individually or in groups and join in the fun. Please contact the Parks & Recreation Committee at durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com with any questions or suggestions for other locations you would like to see utilized for these gatherings. Given the venue, consider the event canceled if it is raining.  Hope to see you there!

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS

Library Closed for Independence Day Holiday The Library Trustees have approved closing the Library on Friday, July 3 and Saturday July 4. The library will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, July 7^th. Best wishes to everyone for a safe and happy holiday.

2009 Summer Reading Program, for ages birth through 18: Registration begins the week of June 22^nd. Read books, (or be read to,) record your titles or minutes read on your reading log, and turn in your logs to win free books!  Write book reviews of your favorite books and be entered in a drawing for even more prizes. The program will run from June 23 through August 1.  DPL Summer Reading Program events and programs flyers are available – fun for kids, teens, and families.  DPL will also have reading lists with suggestions of great books to read if you’re looking for something new and exciting, or just want to keep up on your academic reading list.  Special thanks to the Durham Library Friends of the Library for an excellent selection of Summer Reading Program book prizes. 

Geocaching for Families, Saturday, June 27, 1:00 PM: Geocaching is a fun, high-tech version of a treasure hunt, and is growing in popularity with the development of personal GPS devices and the increase in these devices being installed in cars. Durham resident and Geocaching enthusiast, Larry Vannata, will present a brief power point on several Geocaching trails that are available in the Great Bay area. After the presentation, you are invited to find a walkable geocache to experience what this fun, family-friendly activity is all about.  If you have your own GPS device, you are welcome to bring one. Please call the Library at 868-6699 to RSVP.

New England Center Will Serve Continental Breakfast for Guests Beginning July 7

Beginning July 7, 2009, the New England Center Hotel and Conference Center at the University of New Hampshire will no longer be open for hot breakfast in the restaurant. A continental breakfast will be available for hotel guests in the lobby of the hotel. The center’s dining will continue to be available for lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday brunch from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

MUB Copy Center Closes for July

The MUB Copy Center will be closed for the month of July this summer and will reopen on Monday, August 3. This initiative is in support of the UNH mission to reduce expenses during the current economically-challenging environment. This action will also contribute to UNH’s sustainability efforts in that there will be minimal electrical and air-conditioning requirements for the center during this period. Printing and Mailing Services will be shifting all work to the West Edge facility and expect to maintain the level of service to which the UNH community has grown accustom. Projects may be submitted to the online order site http://www.printing.unh.edu/index.html, emailed to printing.services@unh.edu, dropped off at the West Edge office, or you may call 2-0537 to arrange for the project to be picked up. The West Edge office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

HOME ENERGY ALTERNATIVE TOUR

On Saturday, June 27, 2009, from 9-10:00 AM, the Durham Energy Committee will host a home energy alternative tour to visit four local homes and one apartment building that incorporate energy conservation and alternative home energy measures that include enhanced insulation, photovoltaic and solar thermal systems. Meet at 9:00 AM in the Durham Public Library parking lot for carpooling, or pickup a map at the library and go on your own power, at your own pace. For more information call or email Nat Balch, natster3413@comcast.net, 868-6355. Maps and home tour information sheets available at the library on Friday, June 26^th (library opens at 10:00 AM on Saturday).

THE FARMERS MARKET

A reminder that the Durham Farmers Market is underway for the summer and will continue through October 5, 2009. The market will be in the Pettee Brook parking lot every Monday from 2:30 to 5:30 PM. There will be several farmers selling vegetables and fruit, and residents will also find cut flowers, plants, bread, and more.

DURHAM DAY 2009

Durham Day 2008 has been set for Sunday, September 20, 2009 from 12:30-4:30 PM at Wagon Hill Farm. Residents interested in assisting with this annual event should contact Durham Day Coordinator, Nicole Moore, at 868-6775 or e-mail durhamday3@yahoo.com.

JACKSON’S LANDING WORK SESSION

On Saturday, June 27, 2009 from 8:30 – 11:30 AM, the Jackson's Landing and Parks and Recreation Committees will have a work session at Jackson's Landing to complete the trail work that was begun last fall.  Volunteers are needed to haul wood chips and cut and clear brush. If you are interested in helping you can contact John Parry at jeparry3@comcast.net, or just meet at the north side of the ice rink anytime that morning.

Oyster River Watershed Association “River Drive”

On Saturday, June 27, 2009 the Oyster River Watershed Association will host a “River Drive” from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. For several years, the Oyster River Watershed Association has hosted monthly “Riverwalks” as a means of becoming familiar with the river and its tributaries, and to better understand the challenges of protecting and managing the watershed. Now that the river is going through the nomination process for inclusion in the New Hampshire Rivers Management Program, it is appropriate to help stakeholders learn about some of the major features of the river and the land through which it flows. The “River Drive” will involve car pooling to visit several spots along the main course of the river and tributaries to see the range of terrain and flow characteristics of the river, as well as the water quality and quantity challenges. There are seven years of water quality records that have been produced by volunteer monitors, and these results will be discussed in terms of the locations along the river. A fact sheet about the watershed and the river will be distributed and discussed.

As part of the New Hampshire Rivers Management Program application, the core group will need to resolve whether to include only the fresh water portion of the Oyster River or to include the entire watershed, including the salt water portion.

Meet at the lower end of Market Basket Shopping Plaza at the Lee Traffic Circle, close to Pizza Spinners. All are welcome. Prior registration is not necessary, but it would be helpful in terms of managing the logistics of the tour. Call or contact Dick Weyrick, 868-2862, dweyrick@comcast.net for registration, additional details, or information about possible weather postponement.

Churchill Rink

Concrete was poured this week beginning work on the new entry way to the Churchill Rink at Jackson’s Landing.  We believe rink users will be happy with the newly designated entrance. 

PSNH's Peak Smart Plus Program Update

A few months ago, members of the Department of Public Works met with Public Service of New Hampshire representatives to discuss the Peak Smart Plus program. The program specifically applied to the Wastewater Treatment Plant since it is a huge user of electricity (bill averages $12,000 per month) and it has a generator capable of fully supplying its own power to the plant during outages.  The program is designed to have participants run on their generator power during times of power needs from PSNH, such as brown outs or other outages, and it rebates the monthly electricity bill.  It will not be often that the plan will be mobilized. In addition, the plan will only be mobilized during normal workdays, Monday-Friday, so it will not cause additional overtime needs on the department.  The program kicked off in April do date, the town has seen an approximate $1,000 credit in the last two bills. 

Wiswall Road Bridge Replacement Project to Start in July

NHDOT representatives announced this week they will arrive during the second or third week of July to remove the temporary Bailey Bridge that has been resting on top of the Wiswall Road Bridge since August of 2006. The Department of Public Works is making preparations to close off public access to the bridge which will begin the day NHDOT arrives. The town should have a more definite idea of NHDOT’s arrival plans later next week. Dismantling the Bailey Bridge is expected to take 2 to 3 weeks. The Wiswall Road Bridge was permanently damaged during the Mother’s Day Flood in 2006 and selection of a contractor to construct the new bridge will hopefully be completed by August 1st. The construction of the new bridge will take approximately one year, and during that time the public will not be allowed to access the bridge.  A detour will be established to route through traffic coming from the east in a north/south direction on Packers Falls Road, and traffic coming from the west will be routed north/south on Lee Hook Road in the Town of Lee. Please contact Town Engineer David Cedarholm at 868-5578, dcedarholm@ci.durham.nh.us with questions or for additional information.

PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town Office and will begin at 7:00 PM unless otherwise indicated below.

Historic District Commission – Thursday, July 2, 2009

To view the agendas for the meetings listed above, please click HERE.  All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing. 

To view the Oyster River School Board meeting schedule, please click HERE. 

The Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meet every third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM at the Durham Public Library.  All are welcome to attend. To view the Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.

The Friends of the Durham Public Library is a non-profit group of volunteers from the community who are passionate about the Library and all it has to offer our town.  Friends meet every third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PM at the Durham Public Library. 

DURHAM CABLE ACCESS TELEVISION PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

To view a listing of the DCAT programming schedule, please click HERE 

SEACOAST PUBLIC MARKET

The second Seacoast Public Market will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Frank Jones Center on the Route 1 South bypass in Portsmouth. A number of new food vendors have been added, as well as a local clothing company and bath and body products company. There will be music supplied by the Eric Klaxton Jazz Trio from UNH, and as always, lots of sampling for shoppers. For more information, contact Tastes of New England at (603) 762-4155 or via email at info@tastesofnewengland.com.

ORYA FOOTBALL

The Oyster River Youth Association has begun registration for its football program. For more information, please click HERE.

GROWING PLACES SUMMER CAMPS

Growing Places, a non profit early education and youth recreation agency, offers three different camp programs for children!  Camp Cowabunga is for children ages 5-7 and offers arts and crafts, games, swimming, and a field trip every week. Bridge Camp, for children ages 7-9, offers a more active day with team building games, sports, and enrichment activities, daily swimming and field trips.  At Adventure Camp, for ages 10-14, children are involved in more challenging activities, including outdoor adventures, service projects, water sports, and camping trips. All programs are licensed by the state of New Hampshire and have low staff to camper ratios.  Programs run for 8 weeks starting on June 29.  Part time, full time and extended care is available. Tuition assistance is available for eligible families.  Please contact 868-1335 for more information and a registration packet.

UNH CAMP WILDCAT BEGINS JUNE 29

Registration is open for UNH Camp Wildcat for the summer 2009. Camp Wildcat is a 7-week summer camp for youth that takes place on the UNH Campus and is sponsored by Campus Recreation.  It has been in existence for over 20 years.  Camp Wildcat currently offers one free session of camp to all Forest Park residents, as well as a scholarship program that offers one free registration for Mast Way Elementary, Moharimet Elementary, and Oyster River Middle School.  The scholarship is coordinated by the nurse’s office at each school.  For more information regarding this program and to register, visit http://campusrec.unh.edu/index.cfm?ID=A7CD2551-96B0-C712-0A368ACAC28CE6D1 or contact Erika Cooper at 862-0845, erika.cooper@unh.edu.

SUMMER ART CAMP OFFERED AT THE MUSEUM OF ART, UNH

The Museum of Art, University of New Hampshire, is offering week-long summer art classes for children on Monday through Friday during the weeks of August 3-7 and August 10-14, 2009. Children in grades 4 – 9 have a wide variety of classes to choose from and may sign up for classes during the morning (9 am – noon) or afternoon sessions (1 – 4 pm) or both. The cost per session is $125 per session or $225 for two sessions during the same week. Classes include the cost of basic materials. Lunch is not provided, but children are welcome to bring their lunches to enjoy in the Paul Creative Arts Center. Supervision is provided during the lunch hour. Pre-registration is required by July 10, 2009. For more information, visit www.unh.edu/moa.

Healthy Food and Hygiene Drive for Health Care

Donations of healthy food and hygiene will be gratefully accepted outside of the Bagelry and the Durham Market Place this Saturday, June 27^th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM to supply the Cornucopia Food Pantry in Durham (United Campus Ministry).  Food banks in our state have been running low at a time when there is more of a need. This effort is in conjunction with the National Health Care Day of Service to promote health care reform.

food items: flour, breads, pancake and baking mixes, healthy cereals, soups, rice, dried fruit, nuts, coffee, tea, canned food, healthy snacks, pasta, juice

hygiene items: toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, soap, shampoo, tissue, laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper

FROM HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1918 – The influenza epidemic, lasting 3 months, started with SATC students, billeted in the Barracks; 3 college buildings served as hospitals. Strict quarantine, with guards on streets and buildings; passes were necessary, 12 deaths occurred among townspeople and students.”

“1918 – The 1897 T. Hall flagpole needed replacement. Digging the stump was unsuccessful, so it was bored, packed with dynamite, and fired as the clock struck twelve. The stump shot higher than the tower, turned, and plunged into the hole. It was not hard to find witnesses 20 years ago.”

Have a nice weekend.

Todd

Todd I. Selig, Administrator
Town of Durham
15 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Tel (603) 868-5571
Fax (603) 868-5572
tselig@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us

The Town of Durham has developed a list server. The server provides interested individuals with updates and announcements concerning the community. Individuals interested in subscribing should send an email to Town_of_Durham@ci.durham.nh.us and type the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line