Monday, February 11, 2013
We have a lot of snow on the ground, which begs only one question - Where can we go sledding?
After a rather dry winter last year, the snow is finally back in New England. The big blizzard this weekend left Burlington with about two feet of snow - and perfect sledding conditions. In a 2011 story we asked readers for suggestions for sledding spots in Burlington. Readers suggested Simonds Park on Bedford Street and behind the Marshall Simonds Middle School on Winn Street. In another story, it was suggested people avoid sledding on the hill at St. Margaret's Church on Winn Street. According to Burlington Fire Lt. John Skinner and Police Officer Jim Tigges sledders are injured at this location rather frequently. "That is a dangerous hill," Skinner said, for two reasons: the height of the hill and the way the parking lot is plowed. …
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Simonds Park
1 Bedford St, Burlington, MA
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Marshall Simonds Middle School
114 Winn St, Burlington, MA
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Photographs of the 2013 Blizzard from Burlington Patch and readers.
This past weekend's blizzard was quite a doozey. Over two feet of snow fell on Burlington, closing school on Friday, limiting traffic over the weekend and generally causing disruptions. However, the snow storm also gave some great photo opportunities. We asked Burlington Patch readers to submit pictures from their windows and on Sunday Burlington Patch editor Rich Hosford went around taking some shots. Check out our image gallery of the snow in Burlington. Have photos of your own? Add them to the gallery by clicking the "Add Pictures" button above and share your pictures with the community.
Are you satisfied or frustrated with how the town handled the area’s 5th largest snowstorm in history? Let us know by posting a comment below.
Now that the snow has fallen, and started to melt, it’s your time to rate how the town’s plows handled the more than 2 feet of snow that fell Friday and Saturday. We put the question to our Facebook followers last night and the town's clean-up effort got mixed reviews. Some of the people said their neighborhoods were well plowed and the roads were clear, but others were less impressed. 'I live on Cresthaven Drive, aweful. Upland and all those roads are awful too! Our street is not even sanded...there is no way I would send any child on a school bus tomorrow' one reader wrote. Others said that while the roads had been plowed, they were too narrow: 'Someone needs to get over to Kimball Road/South Bedford street immediately. The snow there is…
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Sleep in a bit Burlington students.
Though the snow stopped falling yesterday, the Town of Burlington is still working to clear the snow. Because the clean-up isn't done yet, the Burlington Public Schools have opted to implement a two-hour delay on Monday. Assistant Superintendent tweeted the news a little after 8 p.m. today.
As of 5:45 p.m. there has not been any word on school closings for Monday, but parents on Burlington Patch's Facebook page suggest they should close.
Should Burlington close school tomorrow? As of the posting of this article there has been no word from the Burlington School Department on whether there will be classes on Monday. The main roads are cleared and many of the secondary roads are reportedly mostly clear, though there are also reports that some areas of town still have some roads in need of a plow. The other concern is that the many sidewalks and bus stops have not been cleared, which could post dangers to students walking to school or waiting for the bus. As one reader posted to the Burlington Patch Facebook page: "Roads are good but sidewalks are not cleared. Hate to see kids walking to bus stops in the middle of Bedford and FW Roads in the morning ...hope they call off …
The town of Burlington is asking residents to help the DPW and fire department by clearing fire hydrants.
Now that the snow has ended the Town of Burlington is asking residents to help keep their neighborhoods safe. In a notice posted on the town's web site, the town is asking residents to help the fire department and department of public works in clearing fire hydrants. "If one is located near your home we are asking you to help us by clearing snow from around the hydrant (3 foot circle all around)" the notice states. As reported on Patch with an interview with Fire Chief Steve Yetman during a 2011 storm, there are roughly 700 hundred town-owned fire hydrants and 400 privately-owned hydrants spread around the town of Burlington. The notice from the town also advises residents to be careful if walking or driving the streets in town. "The DPW …
Light, fluffy snow on rooftops can act as a sponge for rain, which is in the forecast for Monday. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency offers these tips.
With rain in Burlington forecast for Monday, the Blizzard of '13 may not be finished wreaking havoc in Massachusetts. While temperatures dropped overnight on Friday resulting in light, fluffy snow, he Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) warns that fluffy snow piled high on roofs can act as a sponge, absorbing rain and adding additional stress to structures. Relatively flat roofs are particularly vulnerable, MEMA says. In other cases, roof ice dams have formed causing water build-up, leading to interior damage. These conditions can accelerate the snowmelt. To minimize the risk of over-stressing a building roof due to accumulated or drifting snow: Information from a release by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA…
Saturday, February 9, 2013
The travel ban will be lifted at 4 p.m.
Many readers have been asking when the travel ban imposed by Gov. Deval Patrick will be lifted. Well, you ask, Patch answers. According to the Boston Globe, the travel ban will end at 4 p.m. this afternoon. The ban was imposed yesterday due to the 2013 blizzard. It was meant to keep people off the roads as driving became dangerous and to allow crews to clear the streets. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine.
The Saturday suspension of mail delivery debate applies to today: but not because of USPS budget problems!
You may be wondering if there'll be any new mail in your mailbox today (that is, if you can even make it to your mailbox, with all this snow.) The answer is that mail service in all of New England — not just Massachusetts — has been suspended, according to the Huffington Post. The ban extends throughout all six New England states. The unusual decision was made due to safety concerns, according to Postal Service spokeswoman Christine Dugas. The decision came after over two feet of snow falling throughout much of New England made many roads impassable, she said. Dugas reminded people to clear around their mailboxes or paths to their homes by Monday, when mail delivery will resume.
The 2013 blizzard has arrived. What can we expect today?
After a day of snow in Burlington, the major snowstorm is forecasted to continue for much of the Saturday. According to WCVB-TV, by Friday Feb. 9, snowfall totals will likely total 18 -24 inches but 30 inches is possible in the region. The National Weather Service forecasted a high of 22 degrees with a wind chill factor of -3 degrees. Burlington could see gusts of up to 25 miles per hour. Stay tuned to our Burlington Storm Info Center for updates on the storm. We want to make sure that Burlington stays connected. For live updates during the storm, be sure to download our App for your smartphone or tablet and 'like' Burlington Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Also, you can subscribe to our free daily newsletter. Burlington …
Jane McIninch
2:41 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
I wish they had made the fences around the baseball fields at lower Simonds removable, so they could easily take them out during the winter and reinstall before the baseball season in the Spring. This way, the kids don't bump into them when sledding. It hurts the kids and breaks the fence. more ›