AMHERST — Hickory Ridge Golf Course is about to become town-owned land, but before that happens Amherst officials are seeking input for how the property can be transformed in the coming years.
“Discover Hickory Ridge” is the title of in-person gatherings that will take place at the 191 West Pomeroy Lane site on Oct. 7 from 9 to 10:30 a.m., on Oct. 8 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and on Oct. 9 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
During the family-friendly events, people are encouraged to share ideas for use of the land, to be incorporated into a master plan, and will be engaging in a series of activities and be able to ask town staff questions.
Town Communications Manager Brianna Sunryd said the various trails will have different themes meant to be both fun and educational.
Even without a long-term plan in place, Sunryd said people are already walking on Hickory Ridge’s 149 acres and enjoying the open space and its proximity to the Fort River.
Those participating should meet at the clubhouse parking lot and make sure to wear appropriate footwear and bring water bottles.
To learn more and share ideas online, go to the Engage Amherst website at www.engageamherst.org/hickory So far, residents are suggesting ideas for use of the site, including for adult fitness classes, for a pollinator garden and for affordable housing.
For more information about the events, call 259-3002.
A fall carnival marking the grand opening of the Mill District General Store and Hannah’s Local Art Gallery takes place at 91 Cowls Road Saturday.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the event will feature live musical performances, headlined by Josh LeVangie and the Pistoleros, games and prizes, art classes, a petting zoo and visits by costumed characters.
The general store features household items, gardening, pet and art supplies, games and toys and locally sourced goods, while the art gallery has diverse genres of artists from 21 towns in western Massachusetts.
A weekly farmers market is continuing to run Thursday afternoons in the Mill District through Oct. 28, and occasional movie nights are also being scheduled, including this week’s presentation of “Best in Show” Thursday evening.
After being closed for well over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Glazed Doughnut Shop in downtown Amherst recently reopened.
Owners Keren and Nick Rhodes, who opened the restaurant at the former Carriage Shops in 2012 and moved to the 19 North Pleasant St. location two years later, had kept the store closed as their children learned remotely during the 2020-21 school year.
Town Council meetings will remain virtual for the remainder of the year, despite appeals from two members to have them at least partially in person.
Though At-Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke and District 4 Councilor Evan Ross said they would prefer to meet in the Town Room at Town Hall, wearing masks, both District 3 Councilor Dorothy Pam and District 4 Councilor Steve Schreiber objected to that idea, saying there was too much risk of spreading COVID-19.
Pam said she expects there to be a surge in COVID-19 cases as cold weather sets in, and Schreiber, who teaches at the University of Massachusetts, said he has colleagues and students who have gotten sick since the fall semester began.
But Hanneke said she thinks the decision to not pursue in-person or a hybrid form of meeting illustrates fear and not leadership, even as children and teachers are back in school buildings.
Sophie-Jane, a barn cat that keeps Thomas Farm & Dairy’s barn free of birds, is the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation’s barn cat of the year.
The cat, adopted through Dakin Humane Society’s barn cat program, was nominated by her owner, Laurie Cuevas.
Meg Gennings, promotion and education chairwoman for the farm bureau, said Sophie-Jane exhibited the right qualities.
“Not only does she keep rodents and birds out of the barn at Thomas Farm and Dairy, but she also is extremely affectionate and an excellent napper,” Gennings said. “Those qualities are what make barn cats popular.”
MONDAY: Local Historic District Study Committee, 3 p.m., and Town Council, 6:30 p.m., tax classification hearing with Board of Assessors.
TUESDAY: School Committee, 6:30 p.m.