The city plans to install 86 new bicycle racks in Newton parks and village centers next year — at almost no cost to Newton — providing 262 new spaces for bicycle parking.

The $20,000 cost of the racks will be reimbursed through the Regional Bike Parking Program administered by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). The program’s funding comes from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

Bikes line a handrail at the Highland T Station.

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Join Historic Newton volunteers for walking tours of two of the city’s historic villages, both of which sprang to life around the mill industry on the Charles River.

Lower Falls circa 1905, from the collection of Historic Newton. Click for more historic images.

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CNN Money’s new “list of America’s best small cities” places Newton in the number three spot.

Downsides: Traffic and the cost of housing.

Upsides: Mass transit and village centers, “Less than 45 minutes from downtown Boston via train, subway, or express bus, Newton is divided into 13 “villages” loaded with classic New England charm. Most have pedestrian-friendly shopping districts, parks, and playgrounds.”

Garden City Preservation Society (GCPS) has launched a website to provide information on the volunteer group’s efforts to restore the area surrounding the Newton Centre T Station.

GCPS has had a busy year so far, starting with a NewtonSERVES project in April to clean up the grounds and prepare the soil for planting. Since then, the group launched a Dahlia bulb fundraising drive and a held flea market in May to raise $1,500. In June, Weston Nurseries installed foundation plants, volunteers removed dead and diseased trees, and the MBTA provided mulch for the planting areas.

Those interested in this helping with this volunteer project may want to attend the group’s pot luck dinner at 6:30pm on Thursday, July 22nd. It will be hosted by Ward 6 Alderman-at-Large Vicki Danberg at 30 Chase Street in Newton Centre. Contact For more information, contact GCPS.

Here’s a quick heads-up on a project we’re developing with the Chamber of Commerce.

We want to find opportunities to improve our village centers, and have fun in the process. We’re going to run scavenger hunts in our villages’ business districts, starting this fall. Teams will go out with cameras and work through a list of challenges like:

• Photograph a GREAT window display
• Find a senior citizen walking in the village
• Find a block of metered parking spots that are all taken
• Find empty parking spots in a private lot that would probably be used if it were allowed

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Despite the persistent gray skies, the rain stayed away, and hundreds of people turned out for Village Day in Newton Highlands on Sunday.

A crowd milled along Lincoln Street on Sunday.

Several blocks of Lincoln Street were closed to traffic as local merchants opened their doors and in many cases took to the sidewalks and street to meet and greet neighbors and friends.  [Read more →]