Gardner MA

Gardner MA Local News and Community Information

Visit the Gardner MA Complete History page with infographics, Deep Dive, Narratives, Debate, and so much more….CLICK HERE — Complete Gardner Telephone Guide to Various Departments

Jump to: Around the Community – Gardner Map – Gardner Photos – Service pages and outside links – View the current Calendar (opens in new window)

• 123 Grown – Rebuilding

  

  The Walls are Going Up at 123 Grow

  The 1 2 3 Grow Child Center Daycare of Gardner is in the process of rebuilding after having been destroyed by fire back in January 2026. The heavy fire at the time was in the rear attic and led to a total loss of the structure. It remained roped off for months until the debris was taken away.

  The photos shown are the building in the initial stages of construction. It is unknown at this time whether the building at 838 West Broadway in Gardner will be completed in time for the start of school this Fall, although building appears to be occurring at a rapid pace.

  Gardner Magazine will advise you when we know more about an opening date.

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• Filtration Failure – Greenwood

  From the City of Gardner: “Monday July 27, 2026. Pool Closed. Greenwood Memorial Pool is closed today due to a filtration failture. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while repairs are completed. Updates regarding reopening will be shared as they become available.”

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• Chestnut Street UMC – August 2026

  

  Chestnut Street United Methodist Church Welcomes the Community

  The August 2026 newsletter for Chestnut Street United Methodist Church, CLICK HERE. serves as a comprehensive guide to upcoming parish activities and spiritual teachings. It begins with a theological devotion focused on the concept of divine multiplication, encouraging members to trust that small acts of faith can yield a massive impact. The newsletter details local community events, such as “National Night Out” and a free community supper featuring hamburgers and hot dogs. It also highlights educational opportunities, including a discussion group on the Gospel of Mark and a science-themed “mini VBS” for children. Additionally, the source features a charitable appeal for host families to support international exchange students and lists various national holidays to celebrate throughout the month. This publication functions as a vital tool for fostering fellowship and keeping the congregation informed about both local and global service initiatives.

  Free Community Supper and Thrift Store

  • Community Supper: Scheduled for Wednesday, August 19th, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The menu includes hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, and potato salad.
  • Thrift Store: Operates weekly on Wednesdays (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM) and Saturdays (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM).

  

  

  

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• Hotline Radio 7-25-26

  

  The WGAW Hotline Radio Show is aired LIVE every Saturday from noon to 2pm on AM 1340, 98.1 FM, and streamed worldwide. Host Steve Wendell invites non-profit organizations and political candidates to get on the show by calling( (978) 632-1340

  WGAW Hotline Radio – Gardner Issues, Updates, Upcoming Events, the Senior Center, and Left-Wing Politial Terrorism

  Listen to the entire program on any device CLICK PLAY.

  First guest: Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson — Construction on Elm Street: The Mayor explained what work is going on – Paving will be going on next week. Helen Mae Sauter School and Prospect Street School were sold to Molina Realty – their intention is to build condos. — Mayor Nicholson spoke at length about housing — Steve Wendell asked the Mayor about the funding for Water Coils, money has been available, about $100,000 left in the settlement fund. — The Mayor spoke about the water and the various issues — Discussion of the State budget and impact on the City of Gardner — Discussion of voting options. — The Mayor is humbled and happy by the support he is receiving for his campaign for State Representative in the 2^nd Worcester District. — The Mayor wished a Happy Birthday to Dr. Faust, who turned 90. Dr. Faust is noted for delivering over 3000 babies in his career.

  Wendell reminded candidates that they can get airtime just by calling the station. Wants to be fair to all candidates (978) 632-1340. —WGAW is the official EBS radio station for North Central Massachusetts.

  Werner Poegel had a complete report on the Gardner Senior Center for August 2026 and provided a report and statistics on Senior Citizens in the United States.

  2^nd Hour: Steve Wendell commented on being upset at going to the grocery store and seeing illegals with grocery carts packed to the brim while seniors are struggling. The criminal undocumented aliens – “we should cut back” – there are 500,000 in MA and close to 50 million nationwide, according to Wendell.

  Interview: Steve Wendell spoke with Veronica Patty, the City’s Prevention Coordinator about “National Night Out” – The event has grown – a great event for families to come out. Thursday, August 6^th from 5:30-8:00pm. Currently, there are already 40 vendors signed up. Free Admission, Free Food, Free Raffles, Free Activities. Fun for the whole family.

  Podcaster Ron Yates – A commentary on left-wing political terrorism. Commentary features opinion and many comments from other newsmakers on the subject who express serious concerns.

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• Finance Committee 7-24-26

  

  The Gardner Finance Committee met on July 24, 2026. The Infographics below provide: Left below: Summary of the Finance Committee meeting Center Below: Strategic Oversight Report on Waterford Community Center Center Right: Hidden Layers of History – the Unknowns in City Renovations.

  For details on the Asbestos Report, view this previous article from July 23rd, CLICK HERE.

  Very Busy Gardner Finance Committee Tackles a Number of City Issues and Projects

  Listen to the Finance Committee meeting of July 24, 2026 on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  
  The Gardner Finance Committee meeting took up several proposed ordinances aimed at increasing financial transparency and oversight of city projects. One major proposal suggests restructuring the Capital Improvement Planning Committee and requiring formal city council approval for any project exceeding $100,000. Members also discussed a new ordinance to establish a regular review schedule for utility rates and various city fees to ensure they keep pace with inflation. Asbestos remediation at the Waterford Community Center and window replacements at Perry Auditorium were highlighted as critical infrastructure concerns requiring fund reallocations. Additionally, the committee reviewed various donations to city departments and debated a tax increment exemption for a private housing development at 94 Pleasant Street. The session concluded with a focus on improving budgetary communication and standardizing professional development tracking for municipal employees.

  

  

  

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• Water Update 7-24-26

  

  Gardner’s vendor, Veolia confirmed in a Press Release, CLICK HERE, that “the water in the Gardner system has met and continues to meet all regulatory standards.”

  Update 7-24-26 11:36am: The City of Gardner anticipates that the Snake Pond Facility will be online by Monday. As Dane Arnold informed us “We are hoping Snake Pond Well is on-line by Monday. It would be on now, but Comcast cannot get communications to work between the plant and Veolia operator..”

  Gardner Magazine will provide further updates when we receive more information.

  City of Gardner Addressing Water Taste and Odor Reports from Residents

  As reports came in from Gardner residents over the past few days, the City of Gardner worked immediately to ensure that the water was safe and to address water taste and odor issues.

  Gardner Magazine reached out to the City of Gardner and received this response from DPW Director Dane Arnold on July 24, 2026:

  “Good morning

  The Water Department and Veolia are aware of reports of discoloration, taste, and odor issues affecting portions of the City’s water system.

  The City’s drinking water is treated through our ultra-filtration facility and continues to meet or exceed all state and federal regulatory requirements for safe drinking water.

  We believe the issue is related to seasonal changes in one of our water sources, an open reservoir. Recent high temperatures, low precipitation, and ongoing drought conditions have likely contributed to these changes, making the taste and odor more noticeable throughout the system.

  To help address the issue, additives will be applied to the raw water as part of the treatment process, and the City will bring our secondary water source, the Snake Pond Well, online to supplement the system with approximately 1 million gallons of water per day.

  We are hopeful these measures will improve the taste and odor of the water in the coming days. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve the issue.

  Thank you, Dane E. Arnold – Director of Public Works”

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• Asbestos at Waterford

  

  Asbestos Issues at Waterford – The Analysis and the Solution

  The Gardner Finance Committee Packet for the the meeting of July 24, 2026 contains a DEP Inspection Report, CLICK HERE. The report details where asbestos was found at the Waterford Community Center. Gardner Mayor Nicholson is asking for the City Council to utilize some of the $8 million bond proceeds to fund necessary asbestos abatement and other repairs. View complete packet, CLICK HERE.

  The DEP Inspection Report (Link to PDF is above), details the results of asbestos testing conducted at 70 Waterford Street in Gardner. Various building components are examined including floor tiles, mastic, and ceiling tiles to identify the presence of hazardous materials. The graphics presented in this article provide detail on what was found including items testing positive for Chrysotile and Anthophyllite. Asbestos was detected in nine of 20 samples analyzed via Polarized Light Microscopy. Notable findings include White Cementitious Ceiling Tile containing 10% Chrysotile and various Black Mastic and Floor Tile samples containing between 2% and 7% asbestos (Chrysotile and Anthophyllite).

  Once properly abated which the Mayor’s request outlines, there would be no danger to persons utilizing the building.

  

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• ZBA 7-21-26

  

  The Zoning Vote: A Tower Rises in Gardner MA

  The Gardner Zoning Board of Appeals met on July 21, 2026. Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.

  The Gardner Zoning Board of Appeals convened with four of its five members present, necessitating unanimous votes for all decisions. The session focused on two primary applications by Fred Mahood (representing SBA) regarding a proposed cell tower at 677 Timpany Boulevard

  The Board successfully granted both a Special Permit and a Fall Zone Variance for the facility. The Special Permit was approved contingent upon several financial and legal protections for the city, including a $50,000 removal bond and a $5 million liability policy. The Variance was granted based on documented hardships related to site topography (wetlands) and the scarcity of willing landowners, balanced against the engineered safety of the tower, which is designed to collapse upon itself in the event of failure.

  

  

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• Nicholson and Keefe on Transportation

  

  Editiorial: Gardner Mayor Nicholson and Revere Mayor Keefe on Student Transportation Costs

  This piece originally appeared on the CommonWealth Beacon on July 22nd and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives 4.0 International License.

  STUDENT TRANSPORTATION IS one of the biggest expenses in municipal budgets, and it’s growing every year, putting incredible strain on the ability to manage our cities’ finances. One cost that is proving particularly challenging to control is the legally mandated transportation services we provide to our most vulnerable students.

  State lawmakers are considering a proposal that could provide tremendous relief to communities struggling with these expenses, while still ensuring that we meet our transportation responsibilities to these students. They should seize this opportunity.

  Students who have special needs or are homeless often travel much farther and longer to get to school, and they require special transportation to ensure they receive the education to which they are entitled. For special needs students, it is traveling to schools dedicated to addressing their needs. For homeless students, it is bringing them to the school they attended before their dislocation led them to relocate to another community. Fulfilling this commitment requires an army of dedicated transportation specialists who work hard with these families to make sure every child gets to school safely every day.

  Transportation of both homeless and special education students has grown exponentially in scope and cost. Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of students with disabilities in the country at nearly 20 percent of public school students. Meanwhile, the number of students experiencing homelessness in the state has grown 34 percent since the 2022-23 school year.

  According to a report released earlier this year by Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro, there is little competition in Massachusetts school districts for transportation contracts. The IG was mandated by the Legislature to examine how Massachusetts special education transportation services are procured and delivered to determine why costs were increasing.

  One of the most stunning findings was that 53 percent of Massachusetts school districts received no bid or only one bid for these transportation contracts. When no-bid or one-bid contracts are the rule, not the exception, it is clear what the problem is.

  There is now a chance to change it.

  A proposed amendment to the Senate’s economic development bond bill would strengthen safety and choice by updating requirements for signage, seatbelts, special bus lights affixed to vehicles, and school transportation license plates – allowing more vehicles, such as passenger vehicles and vans, to be used as school transportation alternatives. These simple updates will increase competition, bolster the number of drivers, and decrease cost – addressing several factors raised by the inspector general’s report and raised repeatedly over the last two decades without any action. The changes mirror the language of legislation introduced by Rep, Jeff Roy (H. 3772) and Sen. Brendan Crighton (S.3021) to address the issue.

  Currently, no transportation options are available to districts other than traditional school buses with mandated permanent signage and special license plates. Allowing companies to expand their fleet flexibility would both save money and safely serve the most at-risk students.

  Massachusetts is an outlier in how it provides transportation to special needs and homeless students. Forty-one states provide alternative transportation to these students through a system that is highly regulated – including requiring new, safe passenger vehicles and thoroughly vetted drivers who are subjected to routine drug-testing. But not Massachusetts.

  This situation has existed for years with no effort to change it. Every city and town is confronting astronomical cost increases in these services, compounded by the recent spike in fuel prices. Cost cutting, layoffs, and property tax overrides have become necessary to contend with budget shortfalls.

  The inspector general’s report cited several factors that drive costs, including a persistent shortage of qualified drivers, lack of vendor competition, cost transparency, and vehicle requirements. It will take a comprehensive effort to address all the challenges, but one important step would be passing this simple legislation to change a system mired in the past and stymied by too little competition and transparency.

  Michael Nicholson is the mayor of Gardner. Patrick Keefe is the mayor of Revere.

  This article first appeared on CommonWealth Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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• Community Night at Greenwood Pool

  

  FREE Greenwood Pool Admission with donation for Gardner CAC on Thursday July 23, 2026

  This charitable initiative, held in collaboration with the Gardner Community Action Committee, offers guests free admission in exchange for donating specific essential goods. Requested contributions include canned food items, hygiene products, new blankets, and winter apparel such as coats and gloves. Between 5 PM and 7 PM, attendees can also discover information regarding a local backpack program designed to support students. By incentivizing donations, the organizers aim to gather vital resources for neighbors in need while providing a recreational opportunity for the public.

  The Chair Man and the Chair Lady talk about this exciting event. CLICK PLAY.

  • Phone: (978) 632-0678
  • Email: bhughey@gardner-ma.gov

  

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  In the Community

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Around the Community of Gardner MA

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