Barrett Park

LEOMINSTER — The Project Apples/Leominster CFCE Barrett Park Explorers program on Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. will focus on winter animal hibernation and feature stories and activities, part of the city’s free monthly STEM programs.

“The Explorers program encourages children to be curious about the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Outreach Coordinator Jana Harrison said. “It also gives us a chance to showcase one of Leominster’s gems, Barrett Park.”

Project Apples is a program of the Leominster Public Schools with programming supported by a grant from the state Department of Early Education and Care and co-sponsored by the Leominster Recreation Department. It offers weekly, monthly and bi-annual literacy enhancement activities and events for children including year-round in person and virtual playgroups, Family Fun Nights and other library programs, field trips to local spots including Sholan Farms, a Parent-Child Home Program, and the popular STEM program that is held at Barrett Park.

The Explorers program also incorporates language, communication, physical health and well-being elements.

Participants of this Wednesday’s program can build a cozy den out of found natural materials for a plastic animal to hibernate in and find hidden play animals in their hibernation spots outside at the park led by Harrison, Project Apples/Leominster CFCE and ParentChild+ Coordinator Lisa Novelli and fellow early childhood educator Deanna Wilbur.

“Project Apples programming, such as this one, helps develop a child’s language and discovery skills,” Harrison said. “Parents are active partners as well and they recognize their role as their child’s most important teacher.”

Leominster resident Kim Gower enjoys bringing her daughter Adelyn, 6, and son Caden, 3, to Project Apples programs and playgroups, including one on candy cane science that was held at Barrett Park in December.

“There is so much about Project Apples that we love,” Kim Gower said. “The teachers are so amazing with the kids. One of many examples is that they somehow manage to keep my 3-year-old son engaged for 45 minutes when we have virtual playgroups. The songs, games, and projects are specially geared toward our preschoolers and always so creative and fun. The events that they hold at the library and Barrett Park are perfect for all ages and makes it a fun family event for us.”

Harrison said it is important to Project Apples/Leominster CFCE to provide programs such as the STEM one to community members because it helps to support early literacy, one of its missions. It held playgroups twice weekly throughout the pandemic, first virtually and then in person beginning last fall outdoors and at Leominster City Hall.

“Currently they are back to being held virtually but we hope to be in-person soon,” Harrison said of the playgroups. “When in person our programs were very interactive and engaging, and we do our best to make our virtual programs interactive as well.”

She said Project Apples is planning programming for February school vacation outside at Barrett Park and indoors at City Hall, and each month there is a new story walk along the pond at Barrett Park. They are offering a Milestones Baby & Parent series at Leominster Public Library in the spring and from February through May are collaborating with the library to bring back the monthly Family Fun Night hands on programs. In addition, there are four Project Apples parent education trainings coming up, including two transition-to-kindergarten workshops.

The program is offered on the first Wednesday of each month and is open to children ages from birth through elementary school. For more information and to register for Project Apples programs call 978-534-3038, email lisa.novelli@leominsterschools.org, and follow Project Apples on Facebook and Instagram.

LEOMINSTER — The city was recently awarded a $163,500 grant from the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to help cover the cost of engineering and permitting associated with repairs and improvements to the Colburn Pond dam at Barrett Park.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and EEA Secretary Kathleen Theoharides announced the award of over $17 million in grants on July 28 for dams, seawalls, and levees projects across the state through the EEA Dam and Seawall program, of which Leominster was one of the recipients.

For the past 20 years the dam that runs along a stretch of the body of water has been regularly inspected and was found to be in “poor condition” according to a Phase 1 report and follow-up inspection reports prepared by GZA Geoenvironmental Inc. in December 2016 and November 2020.

The most recent follow-up inspection noted that the continuing gradual deterioration of the dam is resulting in the condition rating of the dam approaching “unsafe.”

“The part that is failing is an underground galvanized pipe that has leaks in it and is starting to rust and deteriorate,” said Recreation Director Judith Sumner. “The soil and material on top of it is starting to have sink holes. That is why there is concern and it needs to be replaced.”

The objective of the proposed project is to perform the required engineering and permitting to repair and improve the dam and address significant public safety concerns, increase public and ecological benefits, and reduce operation and maintenance costs. Sumner said the EEA grant program requires a 25% financial match, $54,500, as either direct cash or in-kind, such as city staff time or equipment use.

“Once the engineering and permitting to repair the dam is completed, the city will be ready to apply for another EEA grant program to help fund the actual construction work next year,” she said. “The engineer will make all these plans and recommendations, and we are in the process of making a dam maintenance plan.”

According to Sumner’s notes and information from GZA that was used to apply for the grant, Colburn Pond is the main attraction and focal point of Barrett Park, which is open to all community members, and has many points of public access. The primary purpose of the dam is to create the pond, also referred to as Barrett Pond, an 8.9-acre body of water within the 75-acre park that is surrounded by 33 acres of conservation land protecting the watershed.

The dam is a 150-foot long, 15-foot high earth embankment dam with a stone masonry wall along the upstream face and a steep vegetated downstream slope. The top of the dam consists of a gravel footpath that is part of the public loop around the pond and the park trail system.

The pond supports wildlife like turtles, frogs, fish, snakes, birds, dragonflies and provides a place to breed. It is stocked two to three times a year with trout by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. School, church and other groups, families, and others fish at the pond, gather at the pavilion overlooking the water, and use the trail system and loop path around the pond.

Sumner said the Recreation Department holds many summer programs at Barrett Park, incorporating activities at the pond including a conservation camp, and assisted living facilities have brought elderly and wheelchair-bound individuals to fish and enjoy sitting at the waterfront.

“Paddle boats are available for children in our programs and the public to enjoy,” she said, adding that they hope to implement a handicapped-accessible pier at the pond in the future.