Playground to be Closed Thursday for Safety Improvement Work

The Patton Park playground will be closed on Thursday while a new coat of safety chips are spread around the play structures.

A large delivery of engineered wood fiber safety surfacing is expected at the playground on Thursday, July 6, according to Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Director Sean Timmons.

That will mean that playground will be closed to the public all day while Hamilton Department of Public Works workers spread the chips at the playground. The playground is expected to reopen on Friday.

Pool and Parking Lot to Be Closed Sunday for Fireworks Safety

The Veterans Memorial Pool at Patton Park will be closed on Sunday, June 25 during the Community Block Party and Two Town Patriotic Celebration.

The pool is in the safety setback area required when the fireworks are being set up, according to Recreation Director Sean Timmons.

Also, anyone headed to the event, which starts at 4 p.m., is reminded that parking won’t be allowed in the pool parking lot at Patton Park off Route 1A (Bay Road) and also won’t be allowed on the dirt road along the side of the park near the railroad tracks.

Patton Park Concerts Get Started on Father’s Day

It is going to be a great summer of evening concerts at the Patton Park bandstand on Sundays, starting on Father’s Day, June 18.

The Sundays in Patton Park concert series gets started with 73 Duster from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday.

The concert is free and open to all. It is recommended that audience members bring a chair or blanket to sit on. It is also a great chance to enjoy a picnic dinner on a beautiful summer evening in the park. If case of rain, the concert will be moved to the tabernacle at Asbury Grove.

The concert series, in part, is supported by the town of Hamilton.

The full summer concert schedule:

June 25: Jim Coyle and Friends – Bluegrass and Americana

July 2: Quintessential Brass – Patriotic and American Songbook

July 9: Blind Drive – Hits from the 60s, 70s and more

July 16: Dan Monaco Trio and Sandi Bedrosian – Smooth Jazz

July 23: Grupo Fantasia- Latin music, salsa, merengue and more

July 30: Country Mile – Toe-tapping country

Aug 6: Studio Two – Beatles Tribute Band

Firefighters Help Dry Out Playground in Time for Weekend

The Patton Park playground should be dry soon thanks to the work of several members of the Hamilton Fire Department in recent days.

Fire Capt. Ray Brunet, firefighter Bob Wallace and firefighter Jared Dolan pumped out the excessive water in the park last Friday to help it dry out faster, according to Police Chief Russell Stevens.

They did it on Friday so that the entire playground was available for children during the weekend.

Two Town Fourth Event Has New Date

The Two Town Fourth event, scheduled for next month, has been bumped back by a day.

Due to an event at the Myopia Schooling Fields on Saturday, June 24, Myopia Hunt Club notified the town of Hamilton that it could not hold fireworks that evening, as originally scheduled, because it spooks the horses. The Two Town Fourth event will now happen on Sunday, June 25 from 4-9 p.m. The rain date is Monday, June 26.

The event will start with a bicycle and covered wagon parade to Patton Park and then include music, kids activities, food trucks and end with fireworks at dusk.

Rec Department Adds Extra Hours to Take Pool Registrations

The Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Department will have extended hours during the next two weeks to take sign-ups for passes to the new Veterans Memorial Pool at Patton Park.

The extended hours start on Election Day on Thursday, April 6, when the Rec office (which is right next to the polling spot) will be open from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

The additional hours continue on Saturday, April 8 when the Rec office will be open from 8 a.m.-12 noon. Next week, there will be extra hours on Tuesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 13, when the Rec office will be open from 4:30-7:30 p.m. each evening.

Pool registration is also available during regular hours at the Recreation Department office, which is next to Hamilton-Wenham Public library at 16 Union St. in Hamilton.

Already, Recreation Director Sean Timmons said that 70 memberships of all types have been sold, including family, youth, adult and senior memberships.

Membership prices range from $55 for an individual senior membership to $180 for a family membership.

The pool is scheduled to open on June 10 and will host swimming lessons and the Hurricanes swim team. Complete information about pool fee, hours, programs and other details is available on the town website.

Reminder: Weaver Pond is ‘Skate at Your Own Risk’

Weaver Pond at Patton Park has always been “skate at your own risk” and there are a few signs at the pond that state it.

But after a cold snap earlier this month and now some warmer temperatures, Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Director Sean Timmons reminds residents that the town government doesn’t inspect the ice to determine when it is safe to skate on.

Christmas Tree Collection at Patton Park Runs Through Jan. 9

Christmas tree disposal will be at Patton Park this year, where the trees will be recycled.

Hamilton-Wenham Green is organizing the tree recycling, which will mean the trees will be chipped and turned into compost. The tree chipping has been donated by Iron Tree Services and will be brought to Brick Ends Farms at no cost.

There is no curbside tree collection in Hamilton. Tree collection at Patton Park will be at the rear of the park along the dirt road and run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 9.

Only naked trees will be accepted and all ornaments, lights and other decorations should be removed from the tree before dropoff. Do not bring wreaths, plants, garland baskets or brush.

There will not be a Christmas tree bonfire this year.

Pool Open House Planned for Thursday Evening

The new Veterans Memorial Pool at Patton Park will be on display during an open house on Thursday evening.

The Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Committee invites everyone to take a look at the newly completed pool on Thursday, Sept. 1 from 4-7 p.m.

The open house will provide residents a chance to visit the site and take a closer look at the pool, lifeguard offices, filtration room and bathhouse, according to Recreation Director Sean Timmons.

Timmons encourages residents to share word about the open houses with friends and neighbors.

Pool Construction to Finish Up This Week, Won’t Open This Summer

Construction of the new Veterans Memorial Pool at Patton Park is scheduled to be complete by this Friday, Aug. 26, according to Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Director Sean Timmons.

After construction is done, there are inspections that will have to happen and several punch list items will be completed to close out the project, he said.

Even after it is complete, though, it will not be open for public swimming this summer because of timing, weather-related site constraints and significant staffing limitations.

“It really came down to a pretty significant staffing shortage,” Timmons said.

Timmons said that, while the pool won’t open this summer, the Recreation Department is starting the scheduling and programming process for the summer of 2017.

For anyone that wants to see the new pool, an open house is scheduled at the pool on Thursday, Sept. 1 from 4-7 p.m.