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Children try out the new ADA-compliant picnic table installed at the Dalton Public Library. There is no fourth seat to allow for people using mobility devices.

Dalton Installs Seven Accessible Picnic Tables

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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Six of the seven tables have been installed; the seventh is planned for the Pine Grove Park pavilion. The tables were purchased through a grant.
DALTON, Mass. — The Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant picnic tables have been installed at Greenridge, Pinegrove and Chamberland parks and at the library. 
 
During the ADA Committee meeting last week, ADA coordinator Alyssa Maschino informed the committee that the seven ADA picnic tables from Massachusetts Correctional Industries had been installed. 
 
They were purchased using a $6,414.31 Municipal ADA Improvement Grant. 
 
The round metal tables have three seats with one open spot for wheelchair and mobility device users. There are two at Greenridge Park, two at Chamberland Park and one at the library. 
 
One table has been installed at Pine Grove in the play area. After anti-theft measures have been implemented, another one will be installed under the pavilion.
 
The application for the fiscal 2025 Municipal ADA Improvement Grant has been submitted so the town can invest in ADA-accessible counters for the assessors, clerk, and tax collectors' offices in Town Hall. 
 
The committee will know if it has been approved for the grant in September or October. If the grant is approved the deadline to complete the project is close to the Massachusetts Correctional Industries program's 35-week queue. 
 
Committee members agreed to reserve a spot in the queue before being approved for the grant to ensure the counters arrive before the deadline. 
 
The cost of the counters does not include the installation. However, committee Chair Patrick Pettit said he and committee member John Curro know a local carpenter who may be able to install them. 
 
To cover the cost of the installation, the committee would have to utilize some funds from the building and grounds budget. Building Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch is aware of this, Maschino said. 
 
Massachusetts Correctional Industries sent plans for the counters, which were slightly off but could be resolved by moving the counter back. Pettit said this won't affect the price. 
 
The committee originally proposed including ADA buttons for the assessors, clerk, and tax collectors' offices in the grant application, but the town did not receive a quote in time. 

Tags: accessibility,   ADA,   picnic,   

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Counting Birds Now a Christmas Tradition

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

The bird counts are important in collecting data for ornithologists and conservationists. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A team of birders will be heading out across North County on Saturday to participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count.
 
The count has become a tradition for many over the last 125 years while providing valuable environmental insights for researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies, and others. 
 
Participating in this wildlife census allows people to observe and interact with birds in their local environments directly and can inspire a deeper connection to nature, instilling a desire to protect it, said Tom Tyning, former Hoffmann Bird Club president and longtime Christmas Bird Count participant. 
 
Bird watching is the most popular leisure time activity in the United States, said David Schaller, North County count compiler and a leader of Saturday's team. 
 
"It's a way to be outside. It's a way to connect with nature. It's good exercise. It's good mentally — you're trying to look at a bird and figure out what kind of bird it is," he said.
 
"For some participants in our group, it's a family tradition that is as important to them as other Christmas traditions."
 
This one-day activity is far more than that for many. It introduces new participants to a wealth of knowledge in environmental and natural science and can transform into a lifelong hobby because of its vast number of topics, Tyning said. 
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