An official heat wave (2+ days with abnormally high temperatures at 90º+) is underway.  The Tawasentha Park’s pool is getting very heavy use, and was open yesterday for the Juneteenth holiday.  The Guilderland Performing Arts Center’s season opens tonight but will be moved to the auditorium at Guilderland High School due to the extreme heat.  More details are shared below.

Town News & Announcements

Health officials are carefully monitoring the ongoing heat wave, and have opened cooling centers throughout Albany County.  EMS Station 1, located at 200 Centre Drive, is open from 9am to 5pm.  Please park in the north lot and enter through the side door.  The Tawasentha Park pool and the new splash pad are also open on weekdays from Noon to 7pm and weekends from 11:30am to 7pm.  The CDC has a Heat Risk model, where you can get detailed information about the heat risk and air quality based on zip code and recommended actions to stay cool.

On Friday, June 28 at 2pm at Town Hall, the Town will hold a swearing-in ceremony for promotions and appointments recently approved by the Town Board.  The Town’s police force has 43 uniformed personnel, the largest in the Town’s history.  

On Wednesday, July 24 at 7pm, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee will meet to discuss the draft comprehensive plan.   The CPUC members are now working on assigned topic areas, and are expected to unveil their draft with the public before the meeting.   

The 2024 Summer Camp takes place from Monday, July 1 to Friday, August 9.   The camp brochure details over 100 sports camps, enrichment classes, and fun activities.  

The Guilderland Performing Arts Center’s 2024 season opens tonight at 7:30pm with a performance by the Guilderland Town Band.  Because of the extreme heat, tonight’s concert has been moved to the auditorium at Guilderland High School.  On next Thursday, June 27, the weather will hopefully cooperate so that the performance by The Matt Mirabile Band can take place at GPAC.  High on the Hog BBQ will have a food truck that night.  GPAC’s nine concerts take place on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm, except for National Night Out’s concert at 6pm on Tuesday, August 6.  Each performance will also have a food truck vendor.  GPAC will also host Park Playhouse Stage Company’s production of The Marvelous Wonderettes on Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21 at 7:30pm, with an additional 4pm matinee on Saturday, July 20.   

Western Turnpike Golf Course’s adult seminars taught by Golf Pro Joe Lavinga has openings in its July classes that takes place on Wednesday evenings at 6pm.  The PGA Jr. League’s session for girls and boys, ages 7 to 13, takes place July 12 to August 9.  WTRC’s webpage also has up-to-date tee time reservations.  The Hedge Bistro, the restaurant at the golf course, offers daily dining and takeout options, including a new BBQ offering.  

You can sign up online for scheduled classes at Tawasentha Park’s adult exercise facility,  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.  

A reminder that the Town’s water usage restrictions are now in effect, and the use of automatic underground sprinklers is limited to between 1am and 4:30am on odd days for properties with odd numbered street addresses and on even days for properties with even numbered addresses.   For above-ground manually placed sprinklers and hand-held sprinklers, the water use is limited to between 6:30am and 8:30am and 6:30pm and 8:30pm on odd days for properties with odd numbered street addresses and on even days for properties with even numbered addresses.   There are no water restrictions for hand-held sprinkling of non-commercial vegetable and flower gardens.   Please contact the Water Department before filling a swimming pool.  These restrictions are in place to maintain adequate water capacity and pressure.  

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 has interesting activities for all ages, including a virtual talk today from 2pm to 3:15pm, by Tiffany Jewell, a bestselling author, on Unpacking a History of Systemic Racism in the American Education System, about the inequities Black and Brown students face from preschool through college as discussed in her new book Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School. 

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s summer calendar is full of activities for children and adults, including School's Out Hike on Thursday, June 27 at 10am.  With school over, it is a good time to introduce children to the Preserve’s offerings.  The hike, which is suitable for ages 8 year and up, is 2.6-miles over rolling sand dunes.  On Monday, August 8 at 2pm, the Preserve is hosting Introduction to Invasive Plants, an hour-long tutorial about invasive species in our area, with an indoor talk and outdoor walk to learn what invasive species are and how they differ from native species.  

The Preserve is also hosting “Nature Night Out” on Wednesday, July 17, when 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.  

Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy’s summer events calendar includes a Fisher Trail Guided Hike, less than 2-miles, on Saturday, June 22 from 9:45am to Noon at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, followed by a hands-on activity Pond Adventure led by Five Rivers staff.

The Guilderland YMCA’s calendar is full of health and fitness programs.  The YMCA is hosting a Brooks BBQ today from 3pm to 6pm for its Rise Up for a Stronger Community Annual Support Campaign.

The New York State Library’s summer calendar is full of free public programs, including seminars, trainings, book talks, and walking tours.  On Thursday, June 27 from 1pm to 2:30pm, the State Library is hosting an onsite seminar Genealogy Research with FamilySearch when senior librarians will show you how to access genealogical records using FamilySearch and online books included in this database. 

The Summer Movie Express at Regal Cinemas at Crossgates, which shows two kid-friendly movies for $1 per ticket on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through August 7, continues next week with a double-billing of Despicable Me and Migration on June 25 and 26.

A reminder that the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce’s Seasons of Guilderland is underway with the help of a grant from Albany County.  Over 40 businesses are participating and encourage you to visit wide-ranging venues in our community where you can have a passport stamped.  The passports are available at the Chamber’s offices at Hone Coworks, 300 Great Oaks Blvd, Suite 300 and the participating businesses.      

Town Hall and Transfer Station will be closed for the 4^th of July holiday on Thursday, July 4.   

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.  

Peter G. Barber

Town Supervisor