BrooklineCAN Blog

A new pickup lunch program has begun Mondays and Fridays at the Brookline Senior Center (93 Winchester Street).  To participate, call 617-730-2747 to reserve a lunch by 11:00 am two business days in advance.  Participants will receive a call confirming their pick-up time. (If you would like to cancel your meal reservation, please call by 11:00 am two business days in advance.)  There is a $2.00 suggested donation per meal.  You can obtain a copy of the monthly menu at WWW.SPRINGWELL.COM  The menu includes instructions for reheating frozen meals.

The popular conversation groups of the Friends of the Brookline Library for English language learners are now available virtually via Zoom.  For over a decade the groups have been running at the 3 town libraries. All involved, students and volunteers, feel that this service is an incredibly valuable resource offered to our remarkably diverse Brookline population. Knowing that in-person groups will not be available in our libraries  until 2021, the service is now available free to all interested members of the community using virtual group meeting technology.

Sessions offered every Thursday at 10:30-11:45am. To register please send an email to brooklineconversationgroup@gmail.com A Zoom link will be sent prior to Thursday.

The Brookline Farmers’ Market opened for the season on June 4. It will continue Thursdays, 1:30 to 6:30 pm, rain or shine, until November 19.  It’s still on Centre Street but many things have changed to keep everyone safe.

Everyone enters through a single narrow entrance where they are offered hand sanitizer or a chance to use a hand washing station. Vendors are on the outer edges of the parking lot. The center is empty to allow for social distancing. Everyone wears a mask and vendors wear gloves. Cashless transactions are preferred, but some vendors will accept cash. Only vendors touch the products before purchase. https://www.brooklinefarmersmarket.com/ for more information.

Following up on its successful June 14 First Forum, “Building a Better Brookline,” holds its 2nd Zoom Forum, Elements of Successful Strategies, on Sunday, July 26, 2020, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.This town-wide coalition of organizations concerned about housing affordability in Brookline will present leaders from other cities and towns, who will present their successful strategies for increasing Housing Affordability. They will focus on the technical aspects of their success as well as the strategies for community engagement that enabled them to overcome local barriers to success.

“Building a Better Brookline” is a coalition of multiple constituencies – Housing, Diversity and Inclusion, Transportation, Climate Sustainability and Economic Development concerned about housing affordability in the age of COVID 19. For additional information and to register, visit, https://www.buildingabetterbrookline.org/

During July & August, the Senior Center will be piloting a program to provide transportation to non-emergency medical appointments within Brookline and the Longwood area ONLY using the Senior Center Van and Bus.  Priority will be given to those residents who are currently using the BETS Program.  The hours are Monday to Friday 9am – 3pm.  Pick ups in Brookline will begin no earlier than 9 am and the last pick up in the Longwood area will be at 3 pm.  Face coverings are required and there will be a limit to one passenger per vehicle, although you will be able to bring a PCA or companion if needed.  To schedule a ride, please call the Senior Center Van Line at least three days in advance at (617)730-2750.

Think about taking a walk in one of Brookline’s beautiful parks.  Recently the Brookline Reservoir Park reopened.  The walkway, benches and landscaping have been renewed.  However, take note of all the signage at the park regarding Covid-19 precautions – there is a one-way traffic pattern and all park visitors should practice social distancing. The gate house has been renovated and toilet facilities in the gate house will soon be available.

Another of Brookline parks that is worth visiting is Fisher Hill Reservoir Park.  Paved trails ring the park through native plants and trees. A beautiful seating area above the playing fields gives a view of the entire area. There is a parking lot and toilet facilities.  BrooklineCAN has produced a brochure “Brookline’s Age-Friendly Parks”. Call the Senior Center (617-730-2770)  to obtain a copy.

Services at the Brookline Public Library are gradually being made available.  The staff is eager to resume regular activities.  The book drops at all three locations are now open; items may be returned Monday-Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.   Weather permitting, book sale materials will be available outside for purchase.  Plans are being made to begin contactless pickup of library materials on July 6.  Listings of electronic books and other e-resources are at https://www.brooklinelibrary.org/   See https://www.brooklinelibrary.org/update-on-covid-19/ for more details and up-to-date information.

Covid-19 is going to be with us for the foreseeable future. Be alert for information about an upcoming special BrooklineCAN Zoom meeting on our way of life in the time of Covid-19. In the period ahead, we will be seeing a gradual re-opening of various community activities. But what about older people who are most vulnerable to the disease? To what extent should we be venturing out into the community? What about those who live alone who are feeling isolated?.

Watch for an email blast announcing the scheduling of the meeting. We hope to hold the meeting in the middle of June. If you are interested in
getting involved, contact Frank Caro at frank.g.caro@gmail.com immediately.

“Building a Better Brookline”,  a town-wide coalition of organizations concerned about housing affordability in Brookline, holds its First Forum, “Housing Affordability in the Age of COVID-19: Changing the Conversation,” on Zoom on Sunday, June 14 from 1 to 3:00 pm.

Organized by an innovative partnership of three Brookline boards and commissions – the Housing Advisory Board; Commission for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations; and Economic Development Advisory Board – the alliance came together to overcome barriers to housing affordability.

This first of three Forums, moderated by Frank Steinfield, CEO, Brookline Community Foundation, will discuss how diversity and inclusion, transportation, economic development, and climate sustainability all impact housing affordability. Bob Van Meter, Jewish Alliance for Law & Social Action, will speak on “Confronting the History of Housing Discrimination”.

Co-sponsored by BrooklineCAN, the forums are free and welcome everyone. For additional information please contact Joan Lancourt, jlancourt@comcast.net or Jonathan Klein, jklein728@gmail.com. Register at “Building a Better Brookline”

During June, eleven virtual events are available through the Brookline Booksmith. A complete list is available at brooklinebooksmith.com. For example, Tuesday, June 2, 6:00 pm – Ben Mezrich talks about his new book, Bitcoin Billionaires, about the Winklevoss twins’ redemption and revenge in the wake of their epic legal battle with Facebook. Other events include a book club discussion of mystery-writer Hank Phillipi Ryan’s latest book, The Murder List.