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WRWA sponsors or participates in a variety of events during the year. Many of these events offer opportunities for volunteers to get involved with watershed issues. The events listed below are those which are scheduled for the next few months. Details on additional events will be posted as information becomes available. Hike Gobble Mountain: Gobble Mountain is a Nature Conservancy Property in the town of Chester. As the name implies, there will be a climb and it can be a bit steep at times. Hence the reason for the early meeting time. The trail, an old road really, will allow us to wind our way up the mountainside. Eventually we'll level out and find ourselves in amongst some unusual rock cliff. After a touch over one mile, we will crest out at the site of an old fire tower. The views from the top of the Westfield River and its watershed are well worth the effort of the climb. Bring along a snack, plenty of water, binoculars. Dress for the weather and you may want to wear solid hiking shoes. It can be a bit rocky in places. Meet at the Chester Elementary School on Middlefield Road at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, Aug 23 (expect to be back by noon). Please call Tom Condon (413-564-0895) to sign up so that you can be contacted if weather conditions force a cancellation. 1955 Flood Documentary DVD: The Little Black Dog Gallery, in partnership with WRWA (the Westfield River Watershed Association), will sell DVD's of Five Feet and Rising: The Flood of '55. This 28-minute documentary, produced by Jack Hayward of Hayward Communications and co-produced by Mark Saint Jean of Westfield State College in cooperation with WRWA, recounts the devastating Westfield River floods of August 1955. The film includes a number of interviews with Westfield residents recalling their experiences of the 1955 event - the largest recorded flood in Westfield's history. The Little Black Dog Gallery, located at 16 Union St. in Westfield, is open from 10 - 5 on Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 on Sunday. Non-profit organizations can obtain free copies of the DVD by contacting Kathy Meyer at 568-4252. Westfield River Exhibit: WRWA partnered with The Pilgrim Candle Marketplace in Westfield in the creation of an exciting new Westfield River exhibit, which was unveiled on November 24 and will be available for viewing afterwards during The Pilgrim Candle Marketplace's business hours of M-F 10-5 and weekends from 12-5. The Pilgrim Candle Marketplace renovated unused space and developed it into a large exhibit highlighting the history of the area, celebrating the Westfield River in all its wild and scenic glory, and depicting the Great River Bridge Project in its various stages of construction. The display is divided into the Past, Present and Future. The Past features historic photos and drawings of the river and Westfield. The Present includes a large poster on the Westfield River highlighting its Wild and Scenic features. The Future includes architectural drawings and models of the Great River Bridge. WRWA funded the printing of the Present poster, which is a reprint of a display posted in a kiosk on Route 20 in Huntington. |
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