For those of you who don’t know, the plans for developing the Hamilton Canal Innovation District include a garage in the open area behind Canal Place III. The project manager is reaching out to local residents with the following message:

Hello Everyone. We wanted to reach out to each of you as the HCID garage is close to beginning construction. We have scheduled a meeting time of July 16^th at 6pm at LTC for folks to hear about the project, including going over the design and construction schedule. Please feel free to help spread the word and let me know if you have any questions. ———Regards, Joe  

Joseph Giniewicz, AICP | Urban Renewal Project Manager, Department of Planning and Development, The City of Lowell
375 Merrimack St., Lowell, MA 01852, t: 978.674.4252, f: 978.446.7103,  email: Jginiewicz@lowellma.gov

For those of you who get lots of Amazon deliveries, a message from Craig:

I contacted Amazon this evening to try to address delivery issues with their “Amazon Logistics” delivery service. As everyone learns sooner or later, packages are often left inside the wrong Canal Place building, as mine and four others were left inside Canal 2 today.
The customer service employee was helpful to review a satellite image of the complex with me, and note which building contains my apartment. Unfortunately, their system cannot do this in general for all Canal Place 1, 2, and 3 addresses. Each Amazon customer needs to go through this same process individually to ensure they give their drivers the necessary directions. 
So, in case people would like to ensure their Amazon packages are delivered properly: call 1-877-252-2701, and press 1 for delivery issues. Confirm your account details with the customer service employee, and indicate which Canal Place building contains your apartment, and where your packages should be left.

There’s also an online map for delivery people if offering a link to it is any help in this or similar situations (although it should be made clear that the red star at the loading dock is primarily for furniture or large appliances—most deliveries come in through the front entrance). https://www.canalplaceone.com/map.pdf

Also—The hope for an in-building exercise/yoga class has had to be quashed because of legal concerns surrounding running a business (the instructor would have to be paid) in a residential building.

From Georgi:

I used the composter for the first time today. I was ready to throw my soft half cucumber and a third of an apple that was brown into my garbage pail when I remembered about the composter.

My few pieces of compost joined a few motley pieces of produce in the composter – and I could still see the bottom of the barrel.

I know it’s going to take a while to remember that those  peelings and brown/rotted fruits and veggies don’t belong in the garbage can but should be tossed In that composter conveniently sitting in our back parking Island – but please really TRY to remember.

It will be better for our gardens and better for us all to use that composter to make beautiful dirt instead of rotting garbage.

Georgi May

The composter is now in the side parking lot and ready to digest your fruit, plant and vegetable scraps—spoiled veggies, peels, corncobs, husks, peanut shells etc.
NO animal products, fats, gravy, paper, plastic, litter or animal waste, please.
There is a more detailed sign in the mailroom.
Let’s all pitch in to make canal one a greener place!

The Midsummer Dream Festival on Merrimack Street this coming Saturday is still looking for volunteers to help with set up, take down, and various tasks during the day. Do you enjoy playing with kids? (You can help out with dress-up and wand making during the afternoon.) Have you always wanted to play with PVC pipe and connectors as if they were tinker toys? (You can help build a giant maze that morning.) More bodies means less work and more fun for everyone. Please consider signing up.

Or build a fairy house; there’s still time. Or chip in to fund this entirely free, volunteer-run event.

If none of those appeal to you, just come have fun! A proper schedule of events should be appearing on the festival site over the next few days.

And if you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a lifelong seamstress/costumer and onetime belly dancer with a magical-creature-themed festival, now’s your chance to see me as a dancing centaur from 2:00 to 3:00. And please, someone, I need video of this!

Question from resident:

Can anyone tell me if they have installed Nest thermostats on their heatpump systems here in Canal Place and whether or not they are happy with them? I’m thinking about installing but would like to speak to someone with hands-on experience.

Georgi May
Unit 406
978-764/5570

As mentioned during the annual meeting, someone has suggested the possibility of having a yoga/exercise class taught in the building in one of the common areas. If this is an activity you might join, please stop by the office and put your name down so that the Board can gauge interest. (I’m going down right now!) Thanks!

If you’re interested but it’s not convenient to stop by the office, e-mail me and I’ll pass your name along.

The Annual Meeting is this coming Wednesday at 7:00 at the National Park Service Visitors Center in the auditorium. Please come!

There will be an informational table about the annual meeting and the building in general in the lobby today from 10:00 to 4:00. Come stop by and chat. Talk to a board member. Have a molasses cookie. You can fill out a proxy for the annual meeting if you don’t expect to make it on Wednesday.

And finally, a call out for volunteers. The Midsummers Dream Festival is happening downtown on June 22nd. This the second year of a family friendly fantasy festival that was warmly received in its debut year. There are roving performers, children’s crafts, a maze, book readings, a dress-up area, vendors, and live Shakespeare in the evening. The festival operates on a shoestring (and happily for downtown residents doesn’t involve any road closures) but we really need volunteers to sign up for set up and take down and helping with the running of things, particularly the kid’s crafts. Come join in the fun!

(Yours truly will be performing at the festival with her husband as dancing centaurs. We’ve never tried to dance with a bunch of extra legs before so it should be quite the sight!)

There will be members of the Board of Trustees in the lobby today from 10 to 4 offering various information, and to answer any questions they can about subjects of interest to residents. The Board will also be encouraging owners to attend the annual meeting on May 22nd (or fill out a proxy form) and to consider running for the open Board seat this spring. 

And there will be cookies! (at least for as long as they last)

A resident e-mailed for recommendations. It’s been two years since the last discussion on the subject, so it seems worth revisiting. Please post any suggestions in the comments. Thanks!

“Just looking for personal recommendations for a new house cleaner. I really would like to hear from my fellow residents who feel they have found a cleaner who is responsible, honest and has an attention to detail. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!”