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Union Square Main Streets Newsletter
July 2006

 
In This Issue
  • Sun to Shine on Farmers Market
  • Diversity Mural to be Unveiled July 8 at Growing Healthy Fest
  • Siraco Sharpening Service Joins Market
  • Cable TV Highlights Union Square
  • Winners of "Edge As Center" Selected
  • ArtsUnion Festivals Enliven the Summer and Fall

    •  
    Diversity Mural to be Unveiled July 8 at Growing Healthy Fest

    Youth at the Somerville Boys and Girls Club worked throughout June with local artist Tova Speter designing and painting a thirty-two foot long mural to welcome pedestrians and drivers to Union Square. Celebrating the diversity among themselves, their peers, and their neighbors, the mural highlights a variety of cultures through flags and faces. The mural will be installed on Washington Street in front of the Public Safety Building.

    Tova partnered with the Union Square Main Streets Design Committee to pursue this project. The students engaged in art workshops exploring conceptual brainstorming, theme development, digital photography, Photo-Shop techniques, and color theory to help create the mural; and most of the kids had no prior painting experience. They chose vivid colors, smiling faces, and the beauty of the flags of their heritage to brighten the area between McGrath and Union Square for all those who pass by.

    The mural was funded in part by a project grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and supported by Mayor Joe Curtatone.

    The mural will be unveiled during the Growing Healthy Fest taking place at the Union Square Farmers Market in a special dedication ceremony. The festival takes place July 8, 2006 at 11 am outside the Police Station at 220 Washington Street, behind Ricky's Flower Mart.

     

     
    Siraco Sharpening Service Joins Market
    tomato and knife

    You might have already met some of the new vendors at the Union Square Farmers Market. Stillman's Farm from Lunenberg with their fresh cut flowers and Toscanini and Sons with tasty loaves and savory breads joined us this year. Starting July 8, though, we've got a vendor that's totally different.

    Siraco Sharpening Service started with a push cart on the streets of the North End of Boston and for many years operated a store front location in Magoun Square. Dominic and his son Larry greeted chefs, hairdressers, gardeners and homeowners who brought their tools, sharpening all their knifes, scissors and blades with a smile. This past spring they closed the storefront to offer their services on a drop-off basis only.

    The Union Square Farmers Market brings Siraco Sharpening back to its roots, only instead of the old fashioned push cart with foot pedal grinding wheel they're bringing a van with professional equipment into our neighborhood. On the second Saturday and last Saturday of each month bring your kitchen knives, scissors and garden tools to be sharpened by Siraco Sharpening Service. Those fresh tomatoes will be sliced just right, your lawn mower will cut the grass just so, your paper will slivered with the greatest precision.

     

     
    Cable TV Highlights Union Square
    jimmy tingle

    "Union Square for People" is a presentation by Nancy Phillips of her investigation of public space and the historical development of the center of Union Square. You can see all the great historical maps and photos she's unearthed and her recommendations for making our streets more comfortable for pedestrians on Somerville Community Access Television. Tune to cable Channel 3 in Somerville on Thursday, July 6 at 8 pm.

    And over on City Cable, Channel 16, "Jimmy Tingle's Somerville" profiles Union Square today. Produced by the City of Somerville's Office of Communications and taped at Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway Theatre on Elm Street, our local celebrity met with Executive Director Mimi Graney and Alderman Maryann Heuston to hear all that's happening in this fine neighborhood and roved with camera in tow interviewing local merchants. The program will be cablecast in mid July on City Cable Channel 16.

     

     
    Winners of "Edge As Center" Selected

    The international urban design competition “EDGE as CENTER: envisioning the post-industrial landscape” sought creative approaches to the future redevelopment of Somerville’s Brickbottom district, the area just beside Union Square on the other side of McGrath highway. Co-sponsored by the City of Somerville and the City and the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) the four winning proposals were this past month with each team receiving cash awards of $9,000.

    Over 200 teams registered for the competition and ultimately 78 submissions representing 19 nations and 11 U.S. states were reviewed. “This has turned out to be a great way to gain some truly visionary advice about how to create a long-term development plan for a complex and challenging part of the city,” said Mayor Curtatone.

    Each of the winning teams took unique approaches to the area. David Choi Design in East Boston advocated tearing down McGrath to create an open park with retail and gallery space on grassy terraces. Jonathan Solomon's team from New York suggestd using the natural processes of both the environment and economic development as their guide. Eco- Autotek was the design by Paul Lukez Architecture in Somerville, focusing on economically developing the area as a research factory for advanced auto technology. NC Office from Miami, Florida sought to avoid gentrification by maintaining the mix of uses and engaging the arts.

    The jurors’ comments and selected images from the winning entries are available on the competition website , and an exhibit of the winning entries and selected other proposals will be on display at The Architects Building in downtown Boston from July 6 through July 21.

     

     
    ArtsUnion Festivals Enliven the Summer and Fall
    thru the keyhole

    Union Square Main Streets will produce one of the eight mini-festivals scheduled for the square this season. "What the Fluff" will be our celebration of the genius of Archibald Query who toiled here in Union Square to create Marshmallow Fluff in 1917. In an ironic tribute on September 30 join artists, musical and theatrical performers, inventors, and humorists to pay yummy homage to this great American foodstuff in a madcap festival of science meets nostalgia meets urban landscape. The raindate is October 1.

    Among the performers in "What the Fluff" will be the Thru the Keyhole Cuties pictured here. The Flufferettes were the real life 1930s radio stars who worked for the Fluff company Durkee-Mower. Thru the Keyhole will be our Flufferettes in the age of TV. Other happenings include a science fair with presentations investigating the properties and uses of Fluff, a gallery show of Fluff inspired art inside SCAT, battle of the bands for new Fluff jingles, cooking contest of Fluff recipes.... it will be a mapcap event not to be missed.

    And yes, we have been following the Fluff controversy of late. We're all a little conflicted over Fluff - we know it's not the healthiest treat and yet we love it so. To help us sort out this inner turmoil we've called upon Senator Jared Barrios and Representative Kathi Reinstein to lead us in a community tug of war over a kiddie pool of Fluff.

    Other festivals happening this summer include silent movies with live accompaniment by, in their second year here, KNOWMOvement and by Cul de Sac. There will be 9-hole Mini Golf created by local artists, a Dance for the Arts under McGrath highway and cultural festivals celebrating Brazil and Central America.

    First up will be Doc G.M. Fastidious & His Plethora of Perplexities. The off beat performance art will bring troubador and caberet performers to the plaza on July 22. More details to follow.

    The festivals are all part of ArtsUnion, an initiative designed to boost the cultural and economic development of Union Square, Somerville. Led by the Somerville Arts Council with community partners including Union Square Main Streets and funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, ArtsUnion cultivates and promotes the square’s diverse artist and business community.

    To become involved in the What the Fluff Festival contact Union Square Main Streets at 617-623-1392 x119 or USMS@unionsquaremain.org

    In case you missed the fine poetic tribute to Fluff in the June 22 Somerville Journal click here.


     
    Become a Member of Union Square Main Streets
    Attracting Attention Logo
    Union Square Main Streets, a non-profit organization, is a partnership of local businesses, residents and the City of Somerville to enhance the Union Square business district through active community collaboration. Become involved in making Union Square a more vibrant neighborhood.

    Join us for an upcoming event, participate in one of our committees and become a member.

    Memberships are $50 for Union Square businesses and $25 for residents and general supporters. Members receive: Free "Attracting Attention" Discount Card providing discounts with Union Square businesses; Tokens to spend at the Union Square Farmers market; Invitations to Special Events and Reduced Costs for USMS Programs; Recognition for Business Members in USMS materials.

    Become a Member On-Line!


     
    The sun might not always be shining but that doesn't stop the Union Square Farmers Market. Our vendors are here every Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm until October 28. It has postponed some special events though.

    The Growing Healthy Spring Fest that was supposed to take place last week will now take place on July 8 from 10 am to 1 pm. There will be lots of free activities including food samples such as strawberry smoothies, a bounce house and the ever pulsing Dance Dance Revolution. There's a Scavenger Hunt with prizes for kids and adults, as well as seedlings to transplant and take home. The festival is sponsored by the Growing Healthy Collaborative, Somerville PEP program, and Union Square Main Streets. The Growing Healthy Collaborative brings together the Institute for Community Health, the Cambridge and Somerville Public Schools Food Service Departments, CitySprouts, Groundwork Somerville, and the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers’ Markets to promote healthy eating among children.

    July 29 is Alternative Health Day as Union Square groups share information about their services. Scheduled to attend are Atelier Pilates, Somerville Health Associates, Still Mountain Tai Chi, Tr ee of Life Tai Chi, Union Square Acupuncture, Union Square Chiropractic, Fred Villari's Studio of Self Defense, and Yoga at Third Life. Get healthy inside and out at the Farmers Market.

    Thanks to Mary Cat Boyett we've got an amazing line- up of local performers at the market.

     

    The Union Square Craft Market debuts on July 22 and will run every Saturday through October 7. The juried vendors will sell a variety of work including hand-made cards, photography, pottery, jewelry and paintings. The Union Square Crafts Market is presented by ArtsUnion, a coalition of groups led by the Somerville Arts Council and funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. ArtsUnion seeks to support artists and cultural development as part of the overall economic development of Union Square.

    Every week you'll find children's activities and information on healthy eating. Come by rain or shine!

    Union Square Farmers Market Vendors

     

    Want to be a one-time guest vendor at the market with your home-grown produce or share information about your non-profit organization? Download applications here for urban growers and for organizations.

    What You'll Find This Month at the Union Square Farmers Market

    strawberries


    pies
     


     
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