Please be aware that the surface lot’s back entrance has been partially blocked making it very difficult to access our lot that way. This protects us from random cars cutting through, but it means residents will need to go in and out the front entrance past barriers and traffic guards. Please leave extra time and be patient.

By now, most of the street closures are already in effect, but I’ll paste in a list below. More info about the Lowell Folk Festival can be found online, and there are a number of brochures on the lobby table. It’s a great weekend of food, fun, crafts, music, and dance, with some of it right in our own front yard.

I’ve posted this before and there’s a sign on the lobby office door but here it is again: The lobby office will have reduced hours during August. There will be no office hours on Saturday the 3rd, Wednesday the 7th, and Saturday the 31st. Please plan accordingly for move-ins, deliveries (get the keys in advance!), etc.

(See previous post.)

Update: Food has already been claimed.

Neighbors,

We have been getting Hello Fresh meal kits delivered for a few years now. The food has been good, and it saves trips to the grocery store.

They tried out a new shipping vendor this week, and it caused some chaos for them. As a result, we have a duplicate box being delivered to us today, and won’t be able to use it. Rather than waste the food, I’d like to see it go to someone who can use it.

If you’d like it, comment your unit number below and I will drop it off at your door this evening.

There are three meals (each for two people) in the box, plus an extra bagged salad. They are:

• Salsa Roja Chicken Enchiladas with Green Pepper, Pico de Gallo & Sour Cream
• Cavatappi Beef Ragu with Parmesan & Parsley
• New Zealand’s Chicken & Couscous Salad
• The bagged salad is a Sweet Kale Salad with Poppyseed Dressing & Dried Cranberries

Recipe cards are in the box and are all pretty easy to cook. If you’d like to see more details, the recipes can be viewed on the hello fresh website: https://www.hellofresh.com/pages/sitemap

I do not want to open and split up the box—I’d rather just drop the whole box off—so the first person to comment with their unit number that they can use it will get the box.

Thank you!

Management reports the AC problem has been solved and the system will be double-checked tomorrow morning. So far, the system in our unit seems to be working fine. Wishing everyone a comfortable night!

I’m getting a lot of reports of heat pumps blowing cool air for about 90 seconds and then the compressor shuts down. I am doing what I can to look into the situation, but the obvious conclusion is that the system is still not running right—in spite of a very long day for our HVAC contractor—and people may need to prepare themselves for another hot night. It’s supposed to get down to around 70º tonight so that should help. If I get any updates, I’ll post them.

Just a reminder, this is not official information from management. The last post was relaying information emailed to owners from JA Wood. This time I’m merely reporting what I’m hearing from neighbors and what my own unit is experiencing.

The AC loop is back up and running. It will take time for the building to cool down but the system should be operating normally and it’s okay to turn your air conditioning on. Management will be checking the system again in the morning to make sure everything is in order.

If your AC is still blowing warm air after 10 or 15 minutes of running, you may need to reset your heat pump. Here is the procedure that seems to work for most people:

1. Turn on the thermostat so that the heat pump is running.
2. Turn off the circuit breaker for that heat pump (it should be marked in the electrical box).
3. Leave it off for 30 – 60 seconds.
4. Turn the circuit breaker back on.
5. In about 10-15 minutes the heat pump should be functioning normally.
6. If the heat pump is still not working properly or the problem reoccurs, consult a professional.

For anyone who hasn’t heard, the “loop” of treated water that our heat pumps discharge heat into (or draw heat from in the winter) has burst a pipe. It can damage your heat pumps to run them without a functioning loop!! If you are an owner with tenants, make sure they know to turn off the thermostats and/or the breakers for their heat pumps. Management will know more about repairs tomorrow.

Also, a resident is looking to rehome a knee scooter she no longer needs: I have a knee scooter I’d like to give to someone who needs one. I don’t know of any place that would take it as a donation and “medical items” are prohibited on Facebook marketplace. I only used it for two months. It comes with a front basket. It’s adjustable and it folds down, or you can stick it in the back of an SUV as is. It’s free to anyone who could use it or knows what to do with it.

Please contact me if you’re interested, or post in the comments, and I’ll connect you with the owner.

A resident would like to trade his Roy garage space for a surface lot one. If you’re currently assigned a surface spot but would like to be near an EV charger or want to protect your car from the weather, here’s your chance to switch. Stop by the lobby office or email canalplaceoneoffice@gmail.com

The new lobby lift is operational. It is NOT for moving freight, furniture, or other large items; those need to go through the building’s rear entrance. Instructions for use are posted near the lift.

Many thanks to residents for picking up their packages promptly. If everyone does their part, we can keep our 1989-size mailroom running smoothly despite the 2024-size package load. And thanks to the volunteers for putting so much time into sorting and marking!

Next weekend is the annual Lowell Folk Festival with 3 days of free music on 4 stages filling the downtown area. To many of us, it’s the high point of the year, but it does involve several road closures. To see just when and where, scroll down to “Street Closures” on the directions page.

The lobby office will have reduced hours during August. There will be no office hours on Saturday the 3rd, Wednesday the 7th, and Saturday the 31st. Please plan accordingly. (Regular office hours are on this site’s contact page.)

The memorial gathering for Al & Lieby will be held Saturday, July 20 at 11 am at the Central Congregational Church Fellowship Hall, 1 Worthen St., Chelmsford. The hall is air conditioned and handicapped accessible and has plenty of parking. There will be time for sharing memories followed by a light lunch. All are welcome. 

An owner wants to redo their bathrooms and is looking for contractor recommendations from others in the building. If you have any suggestions, please answer in the comments.

This bulletin board also has a search feature to find who’s been recommended in the past. Just click on the green square with the magnifying glass and type in “contractor” or other search term of your choice.

And if you had really wanted to see the Zoom presentation last month about the 1914 Tango Trial next door and missed it, a link to the recording of it can be had for a small fee at the Folk Arts Center of New England store.