City Seeks Public Input on Recreation and Open Space for Peabody

Today is Thursday, Aug. 22. Here are five things to know today in Peabody.

1. The city is seeking public input as it updates a Recreation and Open Space Plan for Peabody to serve as a guide for the next several years (2014-2020). You can give your two cents about parks and open space uses and preferences via a questionnaire available online on the city website or hard copies at City Hall, all library branches, the Torigian Center and the light plant. In order to update the planning document and qualify for certain state and federal funding, public input is required. The mayor's office says the plan was last updated in 1998 and 2006 and it was used to drive substantial projects -- improving existing parks, developing new ones (Walnut Street), creating the bikeway, purchasing land for open space and creating the Leatherworkers Museum. The new plan will encompass all public open space, including parks, playgrounds, wildlife corridors, bikeways, trails, water resources and recreational programming. As an added incentive, anyone who fills out the survey and provides their contact information will be eligible to win a $50 gift certificate toward a recreation program offered by the Recreation, Parks & Forestry Department. The survey will be available until Sept. 30.
2. The City Council reconvenes from its summer recess Thursday evening. Prior to the regular meeting at 7:30 p.m., the Legal Affairs Committee will meet at 7 p.m.
3. There's also a Business Networking Blockbuster happening Thursday evening at the Holiday Inn. More details here.
4. As part of the downtown bazaar planned this Saturday, the Friends of the Peabody Institute Library will be holding a book sale outside the Main Branch from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
5. Mark for your calendars for Sept. 6. Leading off this year's International Festival celebration is a "multimedia musical tribute" from We Are America entitled "United We Stand." Tickets are on sale now.