sdr
This is a shameless non-Newton plug .. though there is a Newton connection.
The town of Weston took a defunct 19th century library and just turned it in to the Weston Arts & Innovation Center. The Newton Nomadic traveling theater just brought our new show, The Revolutionists, there for two sold out shows this past weekend. The place is beautiful!
They want to let Newton residents know that they are offer a”maker space” and a wide variety of classes and entertainment and you don’t need to live in Weston to avail yourself of a rapidly expanding series of classes in painting, 3D printing, photography, jewelry making, sewing, etc or come to their Open Mike’s or storytelling events. The spaces are also available for rental for events. It’s only 5 minutes from the Newton town line. Check it out.
Thanks for the shout-out! We’d love to welcome Newton residents to the AIC. It’s a great new community resource for everyone in the areas surrounding Weston.
Hey Jerry:
Wouldn’t something similar work quite well at the Newtonville Senior Center if NewCal actually comes to pass?
If the Mayor thinks Paul Levy was a burr in the saddle with NewCal, she had best not try to tear down my historic village library/senior center/community jewel. I think it should be given to the New Art Center as a gallery, show space, maker space.
And when that happens I want the main room named after me for coming up with the idea. With Fig Newtons always available. (or a better cookie that I actually like better. Or Pecan Pie.)
Just goes to show what can be done with an old defunct library – with the right creative architects, people who have big imaginations and see possibilities where others don’t. Somebody’s not giving the current library a chance – their case is that it is, in fact, an old library – and that’s too bad for everybody, including the seniors, because this NewCAL is at a standstill.
To my knowledge [from being on the NewCAL Working Group], there are no plans to tear down the existing Senior Center building when and if NewCAL is built. The existing building is after all a historic building.
The idea of an innovation center as suggested by Jerry sounds like an idea that would be one worth considering.
In my recent post on NewCAL and Data, I point to the “Deep Dive” document. The direct link is:
https://newcal.projects.nv5.com/download/supporting_docs_newcal/2019-09-26-NewCAL-Deep-Dive_A-Working-Group-Members-Perspective.pdf
On pages 2-3 of this document, there is an assessment of the physical and structural issues with the Senior Center building.
Before any new use of the building, I would think that the needed repairs outlined in the document would need to take place. This will take significant time.