Beavers are a fairly common sight in the Watts stream that flows under the Sam Hill Bridge, and for as long as husband and wife R.J. and Len Beaudry of Sam Hill Road can remember, their presence has never caused a problem in the area.
“Even during Hurricane Sandy, we never got any flooding here,” Len Beaudry said.
However, concerns were recently raised when a field supervisor from Warner Brothers Construction told Select Board Chair Evan Johnson that the rising water level of the stream could be a concern.
In December, Warner Brothers replaced the old Sam Hill Bridge after it was deemed unsafe by MassDOT and closed in 2014. The $790,000 project will be completed when the decking and guardrails are installed.
“We didn’t want to get a brand new $790,000 bridge to have it washed out by flooding,” said Peggy O’Neal, Select Board executive administrator.
Depending on specific circumstances near the bridge, possible solutions included installing a “Flexible Pond Leveler” that keeps the water level stable by creating a permanent leak in the beaver dam, or by trapping and euthanizing the animals.
The town contacted Mike Callahan of Beaver Solutions, who visited the site on Thursday afternoon along with Johnson, O’Neal, Highway Superintendent Cork Nugent and Ed Lewis of the Conservation Commission.
“I really hope that we don’t have to do any trapping,” O’Neal said on the way to the meeting.
After assessing the situation, Callahan concluded that neither option was necessary.
“I don’t see a problem here. This is a large dam that is not likely to get bigger over time,” Callahan said. “It is also built on a rocky ledge which makes it easier to blow out in a big surge.”
Callahan also noted that while beavers may plug up culverts, the open expanse created by the bridge actually eliminates “pinch points” that attract damming activity.
“Because the neighbors say there is no history of flooding, and there does not look like there is a risk in the future, I don’t think it’s a problem,” Callahan said.
Callahan agreed with the neighbors that the rise in water level noticed by the contractor was likely due to the spring thaw rather than an increase in damming activity.
It has been 10 years since a musical graced the stage at Gateway Regional High School, but that is about to change as the students take on Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award-winning musical “Into the Woods.”
Director Keith Boylan said students had expressed interest in doing a musical and he felt that they were ready to tackle the performance.
“I just felt like we had a critical mass of talent,” Boylan said
Jerilyn Beauregard, the school’s choir and musical director for the show, has been hard at work, helping the students learn the complicated musical score. The cast has worked through countless vocal rehearsals.
According to Wendy Long, Gateway’s grant writer and community relations director, acquiring the rights to produce the play was also an expensive endeavor.
“It cost us $2,000 for the rights to do the play and that is pretty high,” Long said. “That is probably why no other (local) high school is doing it.”
Playing leading roles are Robert Austin, 10th grade; Charlotte Kazalski, 9th grade; Margaret Rock, 10th grade; Rachel LeBarron, 12th grade; Maria Pless, 9th grade; and Dawson Atkin, 11th grade.
“Into the Woods” first appeared on Broadway in 1986 and was made into a movie in 2014 starring Emily Blunt and James Corden.
The show’s “be careful what you wish for” theme is threaded throughout the production, which blends the plots of several fairy tales including Cinderella, Jack in the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel.
“Into the Woods” will be performed on March 17 at 6:30 p.m. and March 18 at 6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Gateway Regional High School. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors.
On Saturday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to noon, veterinarian Joann Morrison will be at Hathaway Hall for a rabies clinic.
The fee is $17 for a rabies vaccination and $25 for a microchip. If you have your current rabies certificate, please bring it with you.
The Town Clerk will be present to register dogs for 2017. The fee is $3 for spayed or neutered dogs and $6 for non-spayed and non-neutered dogs.
Please note this is a cash-only event.
Ideas for the column on life in the Hilltowns can be sent to Fran Ryan at: Fryan.gazette @gmail.com.