Yesterday, we reached over 80 degrees for the first time since last October. Almost overnight, spring is now in full bloom, and the Town’s extensive trail system, parks, open space, and golf course are ready for your enjoyment.  Later this month, the Town is honoring local heroes at its annual Hometown Heroes Banner event, and the Village of Altamont is holding its Memorial Day Parade.  More details are shared below.   

Town News & Announcements

I am very pleased to announce that the Park Playhouse Stage Company, which has performed for decades in Albany’s Washington Park, is extending its season with special encore performances at the Guilderland Performing Arts Center.    Park Playhouse performers will present The Marvelous Wonderettes, a jukebox musical comedy with popular songs from the 1950s and 1960s, on Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21 at 7:30pm, with an additional 4pm matinee on Saturday, July 20.  

On Tuesday, May 14 at 7pm, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee will hold its 10^th public meeting at Town Hall.  The CPUC is expected to discuss drafting of the updated comprehensive plan, CPUC’s working groups on drafting parts of the updated pans, and reviewing the priorities map.  

At this year’s school budget vote on Tuesday, May 21, voters in the Guilderland Central School District will have the opportunity to vote on a proposition under which the school district will transfer the Cobblestone Schoolhouse, built in 1860, to the Town for $10,000.  As more fully explained by Town Historian Mary Ellen Johnson, the Cobblestone Schoolhouse is a legacy school dating back to the advent of public education, and looks very much as originally built, including its original bell in the cupola.  Assemblyperson Patricia Fahy has sponsored a $125,000 grant to fund renovations, including a new roof, replacing interior walls and ceiling, adding insulation, upgrading heat and electric, restoring the bathroom, and aesthetic upgrades.    

On Thursday, May 16 at Noon, there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Fire Training Tower at its site off on Van Buren Drive, near the entrance to the Northeast Industrial Park in Guilderland Center.  The new tower replaces a 50-year old tower and will provide essential training for the Town’s volunteer firefighters.  This new facility was made possible by a generous grant from Albany County.    

For the month of May, including for Mother’s Day, the Guilderland Hannaford has designated the Guilderland Historical Society as the Bloomin' 4 Good beneficiary.  For the purchase of each specially marked bouquet, Hannaford will donate $1.00 to the Historical Society.  The eligible bouquets have a round red marker on the cellophane wrapper in their fresh flower display under the posted sign for the Guilderland Historical Society.  

Tomorrow, from Noon to 5pm, the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive at Town Hall.   You can sign up online and enter “guilderlandtown” in the search box. 

Next Monday, May 13 at 11am at Town Hall, the Guilderland Garden Club is hosting Martie Teuman, a Master Gardener, who will speak about bringing native plants into your home garden and how they support birds and insects. 

On Thursday, May 16 at 2pm, the Guilderland Historical Society is meeting at the Guilderland Public Library.  Local resident Mark O’Brien will talk about "The Mystery of the Blockhouse and the Secret of the Old Mill," in the area of State Route 155 and Nott Road.   

On Sunday, May 19 at 2pm, the Village of Altamont will hold its annual Memorial Day Parade from the Altamont Fair Grounds and proceed down Grand Street, Main Street, Lincoln, Western and Maple Avenues to Orsini Park.  The members of the Boyd Hilton VFW Post and the American Legion Post 977 will again lead this community event to honor and remember those who lost their lives in service of our nation.

On Friday, May 24 at 10am, the Town is hosting the Hometown Heroes banner event, when we will honor 17 local heroes who have served our nation.  The honorees include six Town employees in the Emergency Services and Police Departments.  This year’s ceremony will take place at the Guilderland Performing Arts Center in Tawasentha Park.   In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held on GPAC’s stage. 

I would like to thank Scout Troops 1083 and 50 for their hard work over this past weekend.  The scouts worked hard to clean up the historic Guilderland Cemetery in Guilderland Center, and Tawasentha Park by removing and cutting fallen trees and branches, and repairing trail washouts in the Winter Recreation Area.  The scouts also planted nearly 100 trees along the Normanskill that will help stabilize and reduce streambank erosion and improve the native habitat for wildlife.  

The Tawasentha Park’s adult exercise facility is now open for use.  You can also sign-up online for classes including Functional Fitness, Functional Strength Training, Lifted Vision Community Yoga, Tai Chi, and Total Body Circuit.  Please bring water and wear comfortable, breathable exercise clothing and sneakers.   You can also use a free app available for tracking your use of the equipment.  

The registration for the 2024 Summer Camp is off to a very strong start.  This year’s camp brochure lists over 100 sport camps, enrichment classes, and fun activities.   The summer camp runs from Monday, July 1 to Friday, August 9.  There are also opportunities for entry level summer camp counselors who must be at least 16 years old.  While previous experience as a counselor-in-training, teacher, childcare, or related field is preferred, it is not required.  

The Guilderland Performing Arts Center’s 2024 season opens on Thursday, June 20 at 7:30pm, with a performance by the Guilderland Town Band.  The season’s lineup shares details for each performance group and each evening’s food truck vendor.  The season’s nine concerts are on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm, except for National Night Out’s concert at 6pm on Tuesday, August 6.  

Western Turnpike Golf Course has opened for the season, with daily 8am start times each day.  The course’s webpage has tee time reservations and opportunities for weekly adult classes taught by Golf Pro Joe Lavinga.   Registration for PGA Jr. League for girls and boys, ages 7 to 13, is now open.  The Hedge Bistro is also open for in-house dining and takeout options, with an updated menu, including Texas BBQ.    

The Town is accepting letters of interest and resumes from candidates for Equipment Operator II, Police Officer, Paramedic, Stormwater Management Officer, Telecommunicator/911 Dispatcher, and Laborer positions in the Highway, Parks and Water Departments.

Community Events and Resources

The Guilderland Public Library’s monthly events calendar is full of interesting activities for all ages, including tonight at 8pm, Beyond the Empire State Plaza: The Harriman State Office Campus, a talk about the Harriman campus that was designed with a different set of considerations and a focus on its integration into the surrounding community.  On Sunday, June 2 at 2pm, the Library is hosting a concert by the Suburban Sounds Community Chorus.

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s annual Lupine Fest is well under way, with in-person and virtual events, on weekdays and weekends, and daytime and night throughout May. The Lupine Fest marks the return of the Karner Blue Butterfly and the flowering of lupine that is essential for the butterfly’s existence.  The upcoming opportunities include guided hikes, educational programs, engaging lectures, special Discovery Center exhibits, a native plant sale, and the new Lupine Fest Passport program.  Please note that some events require a reservation.  

The Preserve is also hosting “Nature Night Out” events including tomorrow, and again on Thursday, June 6, and Wednesday, July 17.  You can enjoy live music and a meal from food truck vendors, take a Story Walk along the trail, and learn more about the natural and cultural history of the Pine Bush with interactive Discovery Center exhibits.  The Discovery Center will be opened until 7:30pm to take advantage of longer sunlit hours.  The Preserve’s spring calendar has other activities for children and adults. 

The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy’s Loving Your Land Workshops are continuing with Techniques in Action, an in-person seminar about invasive species and pollinators on Friday, May 17 from 10am to Noon at the Bender Melon Farm Preserve in New Scotland.  On Friday, June 7 from 10am to Noon, also at the Bender Melon Farm Preserve, MHLC is sponsoring All About Birds about techniques for grassland bird management. 

The Guilderland YMCA’s calendar is full of health and fitness programs.  The YMCA is also waiving the joiner’s fees for college students who are home on summer break to enjoy classes, wellness centers, basketball courts, and more by using the code “College2024” during online checkout.

On Monday, June 17, Community Caregivers is holding its 20^th annual golf tournament at the Pinehaven Country Club, and is looking for sponsors and golfers.  Please contact Linda Bourgeois at lbourgeois1@verizon.net for more information.   The event is a key funding source for this non-profit’s work in our community.  

The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, after an extensive safety inspection, has reopened the Indian Ladder Trail at John Boyd Thacher State Park. NYS Park & Rec’s Ropes Access Team examined the cliff face and used monitoring devices that detect rock movement to reduce the risk to hiker.  NYS Park & Rec added that while its safety team diligently inspects the cliff, it is important to remember that the Helderberg escarpment is naturally eroding, and rocks can fall at any time. 

I wish all moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and their families a joyful and restful Mother’s Day.

Town Hall will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.  The Transfer Station will also be closed on Tuesday, May 28.    

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor