Shadowbrook Fall Neighbors Meet-Up

This is the time of year we usually have our annual potluck picnic at the park and our Neighbors group thought it would be nice to get together for a Shadowbrook Neighbors Fall Meet-Up. Though we’ve had some neighborhood Zoom meetings over the past year, we’ve missed meeting in person, so we are planning an outdoor gathering at Buttery Brook Park on Saturday, October 2nd at 2:00pm (rain date 10/3/21). The park address is 123 Willimansett Street (Route 33).

Since the picnic tables were not put out in the pavilions this year we won’t do a meal, so the focus will be on visiting. We’ll supply some drinks and snacks; if you’d like to provide a simple finger snack, let us know, but it’s optional. Just come and can enjoy visiting–it will be so nice to see everyone! Please bring your mask and a folding chair. Please note that while the park is available to visitors, the restrooms are closed for the season. Please RSVP by September 29 to: Marybeth Magoffin (magoffin13@aol.com).


Pest Control Service on Sept. 16

Braman Pest Elimination will be spraying the exterior foundations of all of our buildings on Thursday, September 16th.  They will arrive between 8:00 and 9:00 AM. To prepare for this service

1. Close all windows/doors, and keep closed for a minimum of two (2) hours.

2. Bring all children’s toys and pet dishes/toys inside.

3. Bring patio furniture inside if possible. If not, please move at least five to ten feet (5’-10’) away from the building.

4. Cover grills and move at least five to ten feet (5’-10’) away from the building.

5. Stay off of patios for a minimum of two (2) hours. Keep children and pets indoors during this service and for approximately two (2) hours after service.

Applications are made in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

South Hadley Big Y now offers online ordering for curbside pickup

As of July 7, 2021, Big Y has expanded its free myPicks grocery shopping and pickup service to include the South Hadley store (https://www.bigy.com/mypicks-online-ordering). To use the free service, customers first need to create a myBigY digital account. To place a pickup order, log in to myPicks with your myBigY account login, load any desired digital coupons and offers to the account, then add items to your cart, and select a pickup time and location. Customers are notified by email or text that the order is ready for pickup at one of the market’s four designated parking spaces. On arrival, call the number provided so a store associate can come out and load your groceries into your car. For more information and to browse the online shopping system as a guest, visit: https://mypicks.bigy.com.

2021 South Hadley Fireworks on Labor Day weekend

South Hadley’s annual fireworks will be back for 2021. Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 4th, with a rain date of Sunday, September 5th. As usual, the event will take place at at the Michael E. Smith Middle School on Mosier Street. The major corporate sponsor is PeoplesBank, and more information will be available on the Special Events section of the Recreation Department website as the event date nears.

2021 Buttery Brook Park Children’s Summer Series

The annual Children’s Summer Series returns to Buttery Brook Park for 2021 on three Wednesday mornings in July. There is a $5 suggested donation per family per concert to help support the South Hadley Family Center. 

  • Tom Knight
    Wednesday, July 7 at 10:00am
    Featuring handmade puppets, funny stories and catchy songs, with audience participation. 
  • Roger Tincknell
    Wednesday, July 14 at 10:00am
    Two-time Parents’ Choice Award-winning recording artists performing original, traditional, contemporary songs in a variety of styles.
  • In the Nick of Time
    Wednesday, July 21 at 10:00am
    An eclectic mix of folk, rock, funk, and hip-hop, from energetic husband-and-wife duo, Nick Deysher and Tracey Freitag, with Top-10 Album of the Year honors from USA Today and Parents Magazine.
  • 2021 Children’s Summer Series Flyer (1 page PDF)

The series is organized by the South Hadley Family Center (SHFC) in collaboration with the South Hadley Recreation Department, and is supported in part by grants from the South Hadley Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For more summer programs, visit: South Hadley Recreation Department

Saving working farmland in South Hadley

Like the Valley itself, the Town of South Hadley has a long history of agriculture. But our farms are increasingly under threat from development. In 1950, there were nearly 5,000 dairy farms across the Commonwealth, including in South Hadley. Now, less than 120 dairy farms are left state-wide. Today, the 210-acre Lauzier Farm on Alvord Street is the last of its size in South Hadley. The Kestrel Land Trust is working with the Town, the Commonwealth, and the landowners to save this remaining piece of agricultural land with the sale of an Agricultural Preservation Restriction to prohibit development and ensure the land is “Forever Farmland.” Details about this important local project are available at: https://www.southhadley.org/1100/Protect-Lauzier-Farm

Help is needed to raise $150,000 in local matching funds to secure the remaining public funding, and many local residents have already donated to this effort, which was recently approved by Town Meeting. The Town of South Hadley has partnered with Kestral Land Trust to raise the needed match. To donate to the fund online or to download a donation form and send a check, visit: www.kestreltrust.org/lauzierfarm

For more information about agricultural preservation in Massachusetts, see: www.mass.gov/service-details/smart-growth-smart-energy-toolkit-modules-agricultural-preservation

2021 Summer Concerts on the Town Commons

The Thursday evening Summer Concert Series presented by The South Hadley Recreation Department and the Village Commons is back! The free concerts are held at the Town Commons from 6:30 to 8:00pm on Thursdays, starting on July 1 and continuing through August 26. The Town Commons is located near the Village Commons and the Post Office, at the intersection of Routes 116 and 4. In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, the rain date will be the following Sunday (there will be no rain date for the July 1 concert). For complete details: https://leagues.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1203478

  • July 1–Jeff Gavilo and his Bad News Jazz Orchestra (big band, swing)
  • July 8–The Willie’s (danceable 50s, 60s, 70s rock and roll)
  • July 15–Midlife Crisis (southern rock and more)
  • July 22–Livio Gravini & the Free Spirit Society (original, hi-energy rock)
  • July 29–Off the Record (favorite 60s and 70s classic rock)
  • August 5–Night Moves (4 decades of great rock and roll)
  • August 12–Jimmy Jazz Due (classic rock, motown, country)
  • August 19–3x Social (acoustic rock classics)
  • August 26–Berkshire Hills Academy

Information on cancellations and other details can be found on the South Hadley Recreation Department’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/southhadleyrecreation/

Thank you to the following businesses that have provided ongoing support to the Summer Concert Series: The Village Commons, Village Eye Care, PeoplesBank, Easthampton Savings Bank, and TechFab.

South Hadley Library June 2021 Update

Both the South Hadley Public Library (SHPL) and Gaylord Memorial Library are open for patrons. Hand sanitizer is still available and anyone entering the library who has not been vaccinated or is at risk for illness should wear a face mask. SHPL is open on its regular full schedule while Gaylord has limited hours.

South Hadley Public Library hours are Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday: 9:30am-8:00pm; Thursday-Friday: 9:30am-6:00pm; and Saturday: 9:30am-1:00pm. Gaylord Memorial Library hours are Thursday-Friday: 1:00-5:00pm. Both libraries will be closed on Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19 for the Juneteenth state holiday.

Upcoming activities include:

  • Free Tails & Tails family program on Wednesday, June 30 at 6:30pm on Zoom, presented by Riverside Reptiles. Meet seven native Massachusetts reptiles and amphibians and learn about their lives and environments!  Register at: https://bit.ly/3c8V5Zq. Registration is limited to the first 25 families.
  • Free outdoor concert at Gaylord Library on Thursday, June 17 at 6:30pm featuring Cameron Sutphin. Cameron is an Americana singer/guitar player who released his solo debut  in 2017, the Nashville recorded Heartbreak Town.  He has also appeared on the Blue Plate Special live audience radio program in Knoxville TN, and has had the privilege of performing at The Big E multiple times. Cameron performs original material and classic country and folk cover songs such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Neil Young, and many others.
  • The 2021 Tails & Tales Summer Library Program featuring stories and programs about animals, opens June 16.  Programs will be offered for children, teens, and adults with registration beginning on the last day of school, Wednesday, June 16.  Registration will be online or at the library.  Check the library website on June 16 for registration information.
  • For all upcoming SHPL and Gaylord events: South Hadley Library Event Calendar
  • Previously recorded craft and author talk programs for children can be viewed at: https://vimeo.com/shpl

Annual Town Elections | April 13, 10am to 6pm

Click here for 2021 Town Election Results
Click here for 2021 Fire District 1 Election Results

South Hadley’s 2021 Annual Town Election is Tuesday, April 13, with in-person voting hours from 10am to 6pm (Shadowbrook is in Precinct A and Fire District 1). All precincts vote at South Hadley High School, 153 Newton Street (Rt. 116). To receive a mail-in ballot, return a completed Absentee or a no excuse Vote-By Mail application form to the secure drop box behind the Police Station by the Wednesday, April 7 at 5:00pm deadline. Download an application form at: https://www.southhadley.org/156/Clerk. Completed mail-in ballots can be returned to the same secure drop box by 6:00pm on Tuesday, April 13 (election day). Specimen ballots can be viewed at: https://southhadley.org/1088/Specimen-Ballots

For information about those seeking Town offices, candidate statements and a recent candidate forum can be viewed at: 
https://www.knowyourtown.org/election-info/meet-the-candidates  
https://vimeo.com/532400687

The Fire District 1 Election will take place on the same date and times at the District 1 Fire Station, located at 144 Newton Street.  For an Absentee ballot, call the Fire District 1 Treasurer at 413.538.9044; return completed ballots to the Fire Station by election day.