Image Credit: Walter Iooss, Blue Dunk, Lisle, IL, 1987, archival pigment print. Gift from Andrew King, 2020.151.26.
The Fitchburg Art Museum invites the public to attend The G.O.A.T. Gala on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
A Night at the Museum provides support for FAM’s community initiatives, exhibitions, and special programs. This year’s celebration is inspired by the iconic sports photography of Walter Iooss. The Fitchburg Art Museum’s G.O.A.T. Gala celebrates our FAMily and embraces team spirit. Surrounded by photographs of some of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, this lively sports-themed evening is set to be the Greatest of All Time!
To kick off this special evening, the Red Raiders Marching Band and the FHS Cheer Squad will be welcoming attendees in the outdoor FAM Courtyard from 6 to 6:30 pm greeting guests as they arrive. Guests are encouraged to wear cocktail attire in their favorite team’s colors and can pose with props in our FAM photo backdrop. Finicky Fork catering will serve a menu of playful sports–themed appetizers and specialty cocktails will be served (cash bar with each guest receiving one complimentary drink ticket). There will be a Silent Auction where guests can bid on game tickets and sports memorabilia, and a DJ will be playing music in the galleries.
The Museum thanks the G.O.A.T. Sponsors: Country Bank, and Enterprise Bank; M.V.P. Sponsors: Fitchburg State University, ACHLA Designs, Cabot Wealth Management, and Peter Laytin & Paula Callanan; and Rookie of the Year Sponsors: Michael DeMarco & Livia Umpierre, and Legends Grille & Sports Bar for supporting this gala.
Tickets are $40 for Members & $50 for non-members in advance, and $50 for Members & $60 for non-members at the door.
MEM Dance Theatre presents The Nutcracker, a beloved holiday performance that transports audiences of all ages to the enchanting Land of the Sweets. Join Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and a cast of talented local dancers in this timeless production. Performances are on December 7th at 6:00 PM and December 8th at 2:00 PM. Tickets go on sale October 30th at 6:00 PM.
In addition to the public performances, MEM Dance Theatre will offer free showings for local school children, supporting arts education and access within our community.
For those interested in supporting the arts, we also have advertising opportunities available in our Nutcracker program book, distributed to more than 1,500 audience members. This is a unique chance to connect with the community and show support for local arts.
Learn more and secure your ad space by visiting our Message & Ad Form.
The Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg, Leominster, & Gardner is thrilled to announce the appointment of Natalia Oliver as the new Director of Development. Natalia, an immigrant from Uruguay, brings an extraordinary blend of leadership experience, public service, and event management expertise to the role, where she will focus on advancing the organization’s development efforts.
Natalia’s journey from her early days as an Uruguayan immigrant to becoming a key player in Fitchburg’s civic leadership highlights her commitment to community-building and advocacy for inclusive spaces. Most notably, she served as Chief of Staff for former Fitchburg Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale, where she was instrumental in managing the city’s strategic initiatives, public relations, and community outreach efforts. Natalia’s deep-rooted understanding of collaboration and fundraising in the public sector will be invaluable in her new role at the Boys & Girls Club.
“We are ecstatic to have Natalia join us as Director of Development,” said Elizabeth Coveney, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg, Leominster, & Gardner. “Her background in public service and event management, along with her ability to connect with diverse stakeholders, will be pivotal in helping us strengthen our relationships with donors and increase our impact across the communities we serve.”
As Chief of Staff to Mayor DiNatale, Natalia played a key role in securing resources for major city projects, spearheading fundraising campaigns, and representing the Mayor’s office at community events and city councils. She brings with her a rich history of cultivating partnerships and managing complex projects. “I am honored to take on the role of Director of Development for the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg, Leominster, & Gardner,” said Natalia Oliver. “As an immigrant, I know the importance of having supportive, empowering spaces like the Boys & Girls Club. I am excited to engage with our donors and community partners to ensure that we can continue providing exceptional programs and opportunities for the youth in our area.”
In her new role, Natalia will oversee all aspects of fundraising and donor relations, helping to secure the resources needed to advance the Boys & Girls Club’s mission of empowering youth through education, leadership development, and community engagement.
The Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) is compiling information for both the Leominster and Fitchburg Digital Equity Plans. In an effort to reach the business community, we are holding a lunchtime focus group meeting from 12:30-2:30 pm on November 6, 2024. (light lunch will be served) at 464 Abbott Avenue in Leominster.
The City of Gardner was recently awarded the final $3.5 million necessary to complete the reformative Rear Main Street project through the State’s new HousingWorks Grantprogram.
This funding represents a significant achievement for the City’s long-term vision to enhance infrastructure and promote housing growth in our community. This final phase of the Rear Main Street Revitalization Initiative accounts for the construction of a new residential structure, extending utilities to support the residential building, parking infrastructure for the project and additional green space. This initiative is a reflection of the City’s commitment to sustainable growth and improved living conditions for our residents.
“This project is going to make a big difference, not just in the downtown, but across Gardner,” said Gardner Mayor Mike Nicholson. “The Housing Crisis facing Massachusetts is no stranger to us in Gardner. We have seen a substantial increase in the demand for housing in the City over the last few years- leading to a substantial increase in housing costs as the supply simply did not meet the demand. This project meets that concern head on by providing new, market-rate housing for people looking to re-settle in the City or call Gardner their new home.”
The HousingWorks Grant program, which operates quite similarly to the MassWorks grant program, is designed to support infrastructure initiatives that encourage residential growth and developments. The Rear Main Street project has been a collaborative effort from all of our partners at the state and local level.
“We’re thrilled to continue state support for this project,” said State Representative Jon Zlotnik. “As we’ve said all along, this project will be transformative for downtown Gardner. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of work by many people, but we’re in the final stretch now and I can’t wait to see this built out, and the positive impact it will have on the area.”
HousingWorks provides municipalities with grants for a variety of infrastructure improvements that spur housing development and preservation. This year, the administration is awarding grants to 12 communities to create over 1,550 new housing units and preserve over 690 units of housing. The $3.5 million awarded to Gardner was one of the largest grants awarded this year by Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll. This is in addition to the $4.1 million that was originally awarded for Phase 2 of this project.
“These funds will allow the City to complete the public sector infrastructure improvements to support the private sector housing project along Derby Drive, which is the last phase of a $20 plus million public / private partnership in the Rear Main Corridor” said Trevor Beauregard, Director of Gardner’s Community Development and Planning Department.
Over the last five years, the City has invested millions of dollars into revitalizing the downtown to breathe new life into the area. From improvements to roadways, sidewalk and lighting replacements, recreational facilities, building renovations, and other projects.
“Our receipt of the Phase 3 funding marks a pivotal moment for Rear Main Street,” said City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas. “Years of hard work and collaboration have led to this significant milestone, as Rep. Zlotnik and our State partners have continued to recognize Gardner’s serious investment in this project. The stage is now set for a fully revitalized Rear Main St. area that encourages growth and pride within our community. We are incredibly fortunate to receive this award.”
Several local business owners have also expressed their excitement about this project coming to fruition.
“Having been business owners in Downtown for 61 years and property owners for 50 years we are excited to see the Rear Main Street Project beginning to move forward.” said Anne and Alan LeBlanc, owners of John’s Sport Shop. “It will bring much needed parking for this area as well as greatly improving the appearance”
Similarly, Sean and Nancy Brey, owners of Downtown Gardner’s newest business, Diamond Hearts Art Studio, echoed this sentiment. “When Mayor Nicholson first met with us about locating our business in Gardner, one of the things that sold us on the City was this exact project and how much vitality it was going to bring to the area – and that’s what sold us,” said Nancy Brey. “We are so excited to meet our new neighbors.”
“If Gardner is as welcoming to these residents who will live there, as they have been to us, they’re going to love living here,” said Sean Brey.
“It’s been so exciting for me, as someone who has been in business for 37 years downtown, to watch this project happening,” said Patti Bergstrom, owner of the Velvet Goose. “This project has all the elements we need to make our downtown, and our City, even more successful and more fabulous- housing, parking, new businesses, old businesses.”
Through this round of the One Stop Grants, the Executive Office of Economic Development received 756 applications from 510 organizations with projects in 229 communities across the state. The Executive Office of Economic Development estimates this round of One Stop awards will help create more than 18,000 new units of housing, including 4,000 new affordable units, 31,000 new permanent jobs, and more than 14 million square feet of new commercial development statewide.
“This is a very exciting time for the city of Gardner and we have seen so many positive changes to our city over the past few years. I know that this Rear Main street project has taken much hard work and effort to get this to materialize. So, thank you to all who have made this happen” said Ward 4 Councilor Karen Hardern.
This project comes as the third and final phase of the Rear Main Street Revitalization Project. Beginning in 2015, the City of Gardner worked to obtain the properties along Rear Main Street, leading to the construction of the new street on Derby Drive in 2018. Phase 2 began with the groundbreaking of the public parking and plaza space earlier this month. While there is still some time before shovels will hit the ground on this latest phase, the potential for the area is already being felt.
“The Rear Main Street Revitalization Project has been a top priority for the Gardner Redevelopment Authority for quite some time, and I’m happy to see us reach this milestone,” said City Councilor Paul Tassone, who also serves as the Chair of the Gardner Redevelopment Authority. “In order to grow our business base, we need a population to support the businesses who are opening their doors and investing in the City- and in order to have that population base, we need places for these individuals to live. This project, combined with the project we just broke ground on last week, are huge for Gardner. This takes an area that was once dead, and will transform it into the heart beat of the City.”
“These projects don’t happen on their own,” concluded Mayor Nicholson. “This project is a perfect example of the way things get accomplished when local officials partner with officials at the state and the private sector to build a stronger community together. I’d like to thank the Healy-Driscoll Administration, Rep. Zlotnik, Director Trevor Beauregard of the City’s Community Development Department, and our partners at the state level and the Gardner Redevelopment Authority for making this plan a reality. I’m truly looking forward to seeing the ways this project brings new life into our downtown and benefits the City for generations.”
On Thursday, October 17, 2024, Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson, State Representative Jon Zlotnik, City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas, the Gardner Redevelopment Authority, and officials from the City officially broke ground on the Rear Main Street Revitalization Project in Downtown Gardner.
“This project will be huge for downtown Gardner,” said Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson. “This almost doubles our parking capacity in the area and creates new amenities for our residents and visitors to the Downtown. With the anticipated housing production we anticipate in the area, and the large number of new businesses opening up in Gardner, this furthers the goals we have of creating a strong and vibrant community.”
The funding for this project comes from the Commonwealth’s MassWorks Grant program that was awarded in 2021 and will be used to construct a new event plaza, food truck parking area, 100 + space unmetered parking lot, and improvements and lighting to the alleyways in the area. This will also allow for rear access to several of the buildings on Main Street and add new
entry ways connecting Main Street to the Rear Main Street – Derby Drive area.
“This project has been many years in the making and still requires more work to bring over the finish line, but today represents another major step in what is a long-term plan to improve downtown Gardner,” said State Representative Jon Zlotnik, who played an integral role in obtaining this funding for the City. “This is a milestone that could not have been reached without City-State cooperation, obviously substantial funding from the State along with interest from private developers. We’re very excited, with this groundbreaking today, to be able to see the fruition of so much work by so many people to redevelop this section of downtown.”
Over the last five years, the City has invested millions of dollars into revitalizing the downtown to breathe new life into the area. From improvements to roadways, sidewalk and lighting replacements, recreational facilities, building renovations, and other projects.
“Phase 2 of the Rear Main St. project opens our community to more vibrance and connection through infrastructure,” said City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas. “ I am proud that Gardner has grown immensely in the last few years in this exact way. City Councillors are charged with considering a significant investment for a project like this, typically through matching city funds that are related to state and other grants. Representative Zlotnik, Mayor Nicholson, and Director Beauregard have helped meet our taxpayers’ investment through their work on this, and multiple projects like it that benefit our citizens. I am excited for the completion of Phase 2 and couldn’t be happier that it has begun.”
“As the City Councilor for Ward 4 for 7 terms, I am thrilled to be able to witness the revitalization of Rear Main Street come to light,” said City Councilor Karen Harden. “This initiative shows significant growth and new opportunities for the City of Gardner, and I am really looking forward to the positive impact that it will have on our community.”
This project comes as the second phase of the Rear Main Street Revitalization Project. Beginning in 2015, the City of Gardner worked to obtain the properties along Rear Main Street, leading to the construction of the new street on Derby Drive in 2018. Phase 3 of the project is expected into include additional infrastructure upgrades and an apartment complex housing development.
Commenting on the project reaching this milestone, Trevor Beauregard, Director of Community Development and Planning and Executive Director of the Gardner Redevelopment Authority stated, “This project represents the continued partnership between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, City of Gardner, and the Gardner Redevelopment Authority, with the creation of much needed parking and outdoor amenities in the downtown area to support the public and private investment taking place in our City.” Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Director Beauregard also credited his predecessor, the late Mr. Robert Hubbard, and the late City Councilor Ronald Cormier, who served as Chair of the Gardner Redevelopment Authority for their visions for this project since the concept began in 2006.
“This is a real turning point for Downtown Gardner and the benefits this project will bring to the community are tremendous,” said City Councilor Paul Tassone, who also serves as the Chair of the Gardner Redevelopment Authority. “The Rear Main Street Revitalization Project has been a long time coming and is one of the largest investments the City has made in the downtown area. I would like to thank all of our community partners who made this project possible. Together we’re working to build a stronger community for everyone who lives here”
Construction on Phase 2 of the project is anticipated to last until summer of 2025.
“I’m very proud of the work that we have been able to accomplish in Gardner to revitalize our downtown, invest in our infrastructure, and grow our business community across the City,” concluded Mayor Mike Nicholson. “I’d like to thank our state officials for their continued partnership with Gardner and I look forward to seeing how this project improves the City for years to come.”
As part of ongoing efforts to revitalize Fitchburg and its Main Street, the City desires to create vibrant public spaces that encourage people to congregate and linger in downtown. The City of Fitchburg recognizes downtown lacks public seating and seeks to commission an art installation that would imbed art in the form of permanent seating. The selected artist must have the ability to design, fabricate and install seating that will be located along Main Street. The ideal proposal will include at least two but as many as four seating pieces that encourage people to gather in groups.
Background and Recent efforts:
Fitchburg’s downtown has a long history of supporting public art, with numerous monuments and sculptures in public spaces including the Upper Common and Monument Park. Not only can public art spur economic development as a magnet for growth, it has also been demonstrated to provide important benefits to residents including improved public safety and wellbeing and giving and opportunity for self-expression to historically excluded residents. In recent years, the City has further embraced a wider range of public art as a type of place making, and has strategically set aside funding through its Community Development Block Grant program and other sources, to create public art in downtown, recently through a number of murals. Fitchburg’s downtown will also be the focus of a cultural district currently in the planning phase; and to that end, the City is encouraging arts and culture based businesses to cluster in downtown.
In recent years, several arts and culture initiatives have taken root in the downtown. The Community applied for and received a Creative Cities grant through MassDevelopment and the Barr foundation, this initiative is about to enter its 3rd year and works to foster leadership and partnership in creative for-profit and non-profit activities. Fitchburg Arts Community in currently under construction at the former BF Brown school, bringing 68 units of artist preference housing to the area, and numerous arts organizations are located, or are soon to locate in the downtown including the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, the Boulder Art Gallery, Stratton Players, New Players Theater Guild, the Gallery Marque, and Coffee Corp. Numerous festivals are also hosting in the downtown area throughout the year, including Civic Days, the Lights festival, River City Rhythm & Rock Festival, the Forge In, the Brewers Festival, Juneteenth, and the Latino Cultural Festival.
The City seeks to further diversify its public art by creating three dimensional art that the public can directly interact with as seating. Based on feedback from the community and in an effort to plan for a future cultural district designation a request for artistic downtown public seating has been created. This artistic public seating should be highly visible, attractive and engaging, and create a space comfortable for residents and visitors to sit and engage with each other, take pictures, eat outside, and leave a positive impression. This is a collaboration between the city of Fitchburg, the Creative Cities partnership and Intown Fitchburg.
Please see the full call here for more information about the call and how to submit a response.
The Fitchburg Public Library building project, a transformative effort that will create a community resource and destination for the next several decades, commemorated the beginning of the renovation and construction of the library building, located at 610 Main Street, Fitchburg, with a celebratory groundbreaking earlier today.
The ceremony featured remarks from several elected officials and guests, including U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan, Massachusetts State Senator John Cronin, Massachusetts State Representative Michael Kushmerek, Fitchburg Mayor Samantha Squailia, and Fitchburg City Council President Anthony Zarella, as well as Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner George Comeau, Fitchburg Public Library Director Deb Hinkle, and Honorary Co-Chair of the Offering a World of Learning (OWL) Capital Campaign Bob Antonucci. Matt Bruun, chair, Library Trustees, served as master of ceremonies.
“Today is a wonderful day for the City of Fitchburg,” said Hinkle. “As we formally recognize the groundbreaking of this historic project, the future is bright for our library and our community. The new, state-of-the-art library will dramatically improve the space for our children to learn, and our community to engage, create and study. It will truly offer a world of learning for all!”
The project encompasses two major changes, including the renovation of the existing Wallace Library, which was first built in 1967, and the creation of an entirely new children’s space and community learning center. The library will offer a new community room, a variety of meeting and conference spaces, a learning computer lab, a Makerspace, improved access to the library collection, and various seating areas throughout the building to study and engage.
“Our library stands as a cornerstone of education, supporting skill development and sparking a lifelong interest of reading and learning for our children. It serves as a true community hub where everyone is welcome, and we are committed to investing in this essential resource for future generations,” said Mayor Squailia. “While today marks the start of construction, this project is the result of years of collaboration between the city of Fitchburg, the MBLC, our dedicated library staff, and the many supporters of our public library over the years. Together, we have added a new exciting chapter for our community, and I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds.”
Foundational support from the project is provided through a variety of funds, including a $12.5 million total grant award from the MBLC through the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program. Additional funding is from a combination of the City of Fitchburg’s American Rescue Plan Act funding, which will provide $12 million, and the City of Fitchburg will provide $12 million as part of the city’s capital budget of which the library is included. These commitments cover more than 90 percent of the total project cost, while the remaining $3.5 million will come from private sources through the OWL Capital Campaign.
In addition to the formal speaking event, a traditional groundbreaking ceremony with elected officials, and business and community leaders, as well as members of the Library Trustees and the OWL Capital Campaign Committee, was held.
The City of Fitchburg Health Department invites the public to attend the annual Community Health Resource to be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024 from 4pm – 7pm in O’Neil Hall at the Fitchburg Armory located at 14 Wallace Ave, Fitchburg.
According to Sue Christensen, Outreach & Prevention Coordinator, “Addressing the social determinates of health, the annual Community Resource Fair is an opportunity for residents to visit over 70 different information tables representing a wide variety of local services.”
Participants include housing, shelter, elder services, medical care, youth services, mental health, substance use disorder, veteran services as well as many cultural offerings. Many city departments will be participating including Health, Fire, Police, Library, Schools, Community Development, Emergency Management and others. Representatives from the offices of State Senator John Cronin, State Representative Michael Kushmerek and District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. will also be on hand to meet with residents.
Director of Public Health Stephen D. Curry is looking forward to the event, stating that the annual Community Resource Fair “provides an opportunity for members of the community to learn about the many agencies available to help residents – all in one place.”
A free raffle will be held at the event, with many participating organizations donating items. Friends of the Fitchburg Senior Center will be selling pizza & snacks.
A Walk-in Flu Clinic and COVID Vaccine Clinic will be held by the Fitchburg Health Department and the Montachusett Public Health Network. Residents are asked to bring an insurance card if they have one. As an affiliate of the Commonwealth Naloxone Purchasing Program, the Health Department will provide Narcan training and distribution.
