August 16, 2023

Demystifying Electric Vehicles at Wright-Locke Farm

Next Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 6:30 p.m., Wright-Locke Farm will host a free electric vehicle showcase (starting at 6:30) and panel discussion (starting at 7:00) designed to demystify electric vehicles. Check out 11 different EVs and get your questions answered by their owners/drivers and Anna Vanderspek, the Electric Vehicle Program Director at Green Energy Consumers Alliance. For more information, visit the Wright-Locke Farm website.

Save the Date: Winchester's Climate Solutions Week is September 24-30

The effects of climate change are front and center of the news this summer. While Winchester was spared the drought we had last year, it was replaced by seemingly endless and heavy rain (and smoke from Canadian wildfires). Our increasingly unstable climate is quite concerning, but now is the time for action, not despair. There are solutions to the climate crisis, and at Climate Solutions Week we will focus on solutions that are available to you and your family. We hope you’ll attend the events, including an electric vehicle showcase and your choice of three EV webinars; a panel discussion with Winchester’s state legislators about legislative solutions to climate change; a hands-on clothing repair workshop; and a tour focused on the myriad of recycling opportunities at the Transfer Station. The draft event lineup is here.

New 2-Mile Shared-Use Path Planned Along Mystic Valley Parkway

The Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) announced that it secured $219,490 in grants to begin the design of a 2-mile shared use path and other amenities along Mystic Valley Parkway in Winchester and Medford. This project is part of the Mystic Greenways Initiative - now two-thirds complete - that will connect 25 miles of paths and improve hundreds of acres of parkland along the Mystic River and its tributaries. MyRWA’s press release is available here.

Winchester Sustainability Quiz

Question: There were a total of 258 electric vehicles registered in Winchester as of January 1, 2020. How many electric vehicles were registered in Winchester on January 1, 2023? 

Answer:
a) 326
b) 441
c) 694
d) 1,023

The answer is located near the end of this newsletter.

High-Speed EV Chargers Planned for Jenks / Town Hall Parking Lot

Thanks to $118,863 in grant funding from the Mass Department of Environmental Protection and the electric utility Eversource, Winchester is planning to install two high-speed electric vehicle charging stations in the Jenks / Town Hall parking lot at the corner of Mt. Vernon St. and Skillings Rd. In the works since 2021, this project is drawing closer to implementation. On Aug. 14, the Select Board voted to approve a Site Host Agreement from Eversource that authorizes trenching and other work necessary to install electrical infrastructure. The Town plans to issue a request for proposals from private firms for the sale of charging stations and their maintenance and operation.

Winchester Sustainability Quiz Answer

c) A total of 694 electric vehicles were registered in Winchester as of January 1, 2023. That is a 269% increase since 2020.  Learn more about electric vehicles and how to charge them at home and on the go at Winchester’s Sustainability Department website.

Sustainability Resources for Winchester Residents and Businesses

• Sustainability Department Website

• WinPower - Winchester's Community Electricity Program (sign-up for 100% carbon-free electricity and green your home!)

• Climate Action Plan and Greenhouse Gas Inventory

• Sign-up for this newsletter (if someone forwarded it to you)

Ken Pruitt
Sustainability Director
781-265-9730
Kpruitt@winchester.us
Town Hall, 71 Mt. Vernon St., Winchester MA 01890