Spring has arrived and the brick repointing has started up again. There’s a notice on the lobby bulletin board with more specifics, but be aware that you may want to cover your windows for privacy. As of this afternoon, there were cables and workmen going past my window on the fourth floor, front side of the building. I might also suggest seeing that your windows are closed during the day unless you’re sure your unit is outside of the work area; the repointing kicks up a fair amount of dust.

Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association will be having their monthly meeting Monday evening at 7:00 at LTC, 246 Market Street. The minutes from last month’s meeting and the agenda for this month’s can be found at ldna01852.org There’s mention in the March minutes about an interesting app in the works for this summer that will let you know just where the LRTA busses are when so you can time your arrival at the bus stop exactly.

There’s also an announcement at the LDNA site about an Earth Day cleanup this Saturday, the 25th, 8:30 to 11:30. Downtown residents are invited to meet at Mack Plaza and help the Lowell Canalwater Cleaners. For more info, see the link above. And there’s a call out for volunteers to supervise high schoolers for a cleanup on May 2nd as well.

In addition to all that, unless I’m mistaken, there should be a Board meeting at 7:00 Monday evening in the lobby office.  Residents welcome.

Just another reminder about testing tomorrow. Not a good day to plan on sleeping in!

A quick note: Now is the time to get that permission slip filled out and drop it off at the office (I just filled mine out and stuck it with my keys to go downstairs with me tomorrow morning). The slip is due by Friday and alarm testing is scheduled for next Tuesday.

As promised, here’s the statement from the management company.  It’s also posted on the first floor bulletin boards and a pdf (which may be easier to read) is available here.

FYI:  Anyone who has ever asked me—or ever intends to ask me—about flood insurance on this building should know two things. 1) No, we’re not in a flood zone; some other buildings at #200 are, but we aren’t.  And 2) I won’t get the e-mail; my spam filter apparently freaks out when it sees the words “flood insurance.” (It kinda figures, I guess!)

There was a comment on the last post that I’ll amplify here since I don’t know if people always see comments:  “Just a question to other owners regarding cable & internet. Do we have a choice other than Comcast that I’m not aware of? Any help will do.” I don’t know the answer; does anyone else?

A reminder about the management request that people turn off their heat pumps between 8:00AM and 2:00 PM tomorrow (Wednesday, the 25th). The system has accumulated enough air in the lines that it’s struggling to do its job which is why this work is being done now; normally it would be done in early May, after the heating season and before the AC season. Obviously, there are people who won’t get—or will ignore—this request, but the fewer pumps that are running during those hours, the more easily and efficiently the lines can be bled.

Going forward, if anyone has work done on the heating system in their unit, please consider asking your contractor about whether the air should be bled from your own system then and there rather than having it accumulate in the building’s lines.

Also, work and negotiations regarding the fountain and its shortcomings are ongoing. The Association does not expect to be footing the bill for corrections and repairs on this; it’s the contractor’s responsibility. I’m expecting a formal statement from the management to share. I’ll post it as soon as I get it.

And finally, residents are always welcome to contact Cathy with questions regarding things like the fountain or the snow buildup on the roof and, if they choose, share the answers with me to post on this bulletin board. This may not be an official website, but it’s a good way to share information of interest to the community, and everyone is welcome to take advantage of that (within reason!)

Reminder that the Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting is tomorrow night (in addition to the Canal Place Board meeting). The LDNA meeting is at Lowell Telecommunications, across the breezeway from the Visitor’s Center on Market, and begins at 7PM.

The agenda includes:

1. Introduction of Officers and Elected/City Officials.
2. Approval of Minutes from 2/23/15
3. Treasurer’s Report
4. LPD report
5. Susan Halter, Ex Director COOL “ARTS & EVENTS IN LOWELL, 2015”
6. Danielle Mucciarone, Energy and Environmental Planner, Northern Middlesex Council of Government, Regional Transportation Plan; Public input needed.
7. Misc. Announcements

For more information about the Northern Middlesex Council of Government Transportation plan, check out the NMCOG website. There will be a public input session (one of 3 in the area) at Lowell City Hall, Wednesday, April 8th, 4:30–7:30 PM, Mayor’s Reception Room, 375 Merrimack Street.

There will also be an informational meeting to talk about getting more Lowellians involved in voting on Wednesday, April 1 at 6:30–8:00 PM, Pollard Memorial Library Community Room (1st Floor).

There is a Board meeting in the lobby office at 7:00 on Monday evening. Residents welcome.

Please remember to return your permission slip before the 3rd for Ron and a tech to enter your unit on the 7th and test the fire alarms. I always set the form aside and lose it under a pile of junk mail before remembering it at the last minute. Having the alarms in your unit checked periodically (especially the one by the bedrooms!) is an important way to keep you and yours safe.

If you haven’t been out lately, you may not have noticed the announcements scattered about that there will be work being done on the heating system (bleeding air from the lines) this Wednesday between 8:00AM and 2:00PM. Your heat pumps need to be OFF during those hours, which would be way less of a problem if this blankety-blank winter would ever end! If I learn any more about this process, or hear any suggestions for seeing that one’s unit doesn’t get too chilly, I’ll pass the info along.

Passing along this reminder from Georgi May. (Thank you, Georgi!) I hope this was merely the result of someone overdoing it for St. Patrick’s Day, but checking the locks on the fire doors is good advice.

At 3:10 this morning someone tried to enter my unit through the 2nd floor egress door.

Since the hallway doors at each end of the egress corridor are locked from the outside, this had to have been someone who lives in or was visiting one of the 4th floor units.

There MAY have been alcohol involved because I asked them to identify themselves and all I got was a grunt. But whoever it was kept trying to get in by jiggling the handle and, when I checked my door this evening, there is a gouge mark where they tried to use something to somehow get the door open.

I just want to remind residents that they are TWO locks on those doors: the one that you turn to lock the door knob; and the deadbolt that should stay locked at all times.

As of today, Arcand Drive is shut down to set up for Winterfest.  On top of Winterfest Friday and Saturday evenings, there are multiple sporting events in town. If you plan to drive anywhere on those evenings, be prepared for detours and lots of traffic. I suspect that the local bars will also be ramping up for St. Patrick’s Day (it’s truly amazing how many downtown bars are suddenly Irish this time of year), which is not going to help.

Personally, I think I’ll just walk over to Winterfest or plan on staying home this weekend!