Final mass at St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila Church in April 2008

The final mass at St. Teresa of Avila on New Scotland Avenue is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, at 10 a.m.

According to the St. Teresa of Avila Web site, the closing celebration of the Eucharist will culminate 89 years of the parish, as the church at 435 New Scotland Ave. mergers with St. Catherine of Siena “to become Mater Christi.”

Solemn vespers will be sung on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, at 4:30 p.m., and the final mass (the only mass of the weekend at St. Teresa) will be on Sunday at 10 a.m. A parish reception will follow the final mass.

HNA picnic is coming on Sunday!

The annual Helderberg Neighborhood Association picnic will be held this Sunday, Sept. 13, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the great lawn at Sage College, at the corner of New Scotland Avenue and Academy Road.

The picnic is open to everyone in the neighborhood. If you want, bring a dish to share (with your name on it) and a lawn chair or picnic blanket and meet and mingle with your neighbors.

It’s the second year in a row for the picnic at its new location at Sage, and the first time it will be held on a weekend. We’re hoping for great weather.

HNA meeting tonight, July 15

The next Helderberg Neighborhood Association meeting is scheduled for tonight, Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at the Sage College Campus Center, off of Academy Road.

On the agenda: a discussion of traffic and safety in our neighborhood.

All are welcome to the meeting, which is open to the public.

Next HNA meeting is Wednesday, June 17

The next Helderberg Neighborhood Association meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, at 7 p.m. at the Sage College Campus Center, off of Academy Road.

On the agenda: neighborhood issues, a discussion of St. Teresa of Avila and planning for the annual September picnic.

All are welcome to the meeting, which is open to the public.

‘Greening’ New Scotland Elementary

Chris Ringwald and Chris Boldiston put up a new sign at New Scotland Elementary seeking donations to fund trees and shrubs at the newly renovated school, with a little help from Ian and Mitchell.

A new fund-raising drive is underway in the neighborhood.

The PTA Grounds Committee at New Scotland Elementary School is seeking to plant trees and shrubs around the recently renovated school (the former PS 19), and needs your help.

Donations can be sent to:

PTA Grounds Committee
New Scotland Elementary School
369 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208

For more information, e-mail ringwc@sage.edu.

Neighborhood-wide Garage Sale returns on Saturday

The annual Helderberg Neighborhood Association neighborhood-wide garage sale is this Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There is no registration or sign-up. Rather this is a day that interested residents can hold garage sales at the same time. No rain date is planned. Just set up a sale in your yard or garage on June 6.

The Helderberg Neighborhood covers the City of Albany off New Scotland Avenue between Academy Road and South Manning Boulevard.

New Scotland-Woodlawn association meeting is Thursday

The New Scotland-Woodlawn Neighborhood Association is scheduled to meet this Thursday, June 4, at 7 p.m. at St. Teresa’s Social Center at New Scotland and Hollywood avenues.

Representatives from the Albany Public Library are scheduled to discuss library issues and the ongoing work on the new John J. Bach branch next to Engine 11.

Also, Nick D’Antonio, Commissioner of the city’s Department of General Services, is scheduled to speak.

Spring Spree returns on Saturday!

The fifth annual Spring Spree is on its way this Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.The Helderberg and Woodlawn-New Scotland neighborhood associations are hosting the annual event along New Scotland Avenue between Academy Road and South Manning Boulevard to celebrate local businesses in the New Scotland Avenue area and also to promote all that we enjoy about this part of the City of Albany.

New this year is the addition of free trolley rides between Quail and Allen streets!

As always, there will be live music, honored guests and children’s sidewalk chalk art. There will also be kids crafts and art in front of New Scotland Elementary School, small-business coffee and networking underneath the red tent on Grove Avenue, a neighborhood history workshop, voter registration, pet adoption information and a SMART child ID station. The Albany Mounted Police and the Albany Public Library’s bookmobile are also scheduled to make appearances. All are welcome to this free event. Come join us!

Groundbreaking at the library

Civic officials broke ground Monday morning for the future John J. Back branch of the Albany Public Library on New Scotland Avenue next to the Engine 11 firehouse.

A healthy contingent of neighbors and local schoolchildren came out and showed their support, attending the event under clear blue skies. Library Board of Trustees President Dennis Gaffney served as Master of Ceremonies and delivered opening remarks. John Bach’s daughter, Ellen Bach, spoke of her father’s love for this neighborhood and for the public library. Mayor Jerry Jennings, Common Council President Shawn Morris and Council members Cathy Fahey, Jim Sano and Dominick Calsolaro were also on hand and were joined by Interim Library Director Timothy Burke and New York State Dormitory Authority Executive Director Paul T. Williams Jr.

More coverage at the Library’s Web site: Library Celebrates Groundbreaking at New Scotland Avenue Site

Library groundbreaking is Monday

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new branch of the Albany Public Library — the John J. Bach branch — on New Scotland Avenue next to Engine 11 is scheduled for this coming Monday, May 11, at 11 a.m.

The public is invited to attend the event to celebrate the project to build the 8,500-square-foot branch between Oakwood and Maplewood streets, according to the Library’s Web site.

Construction continues on the project. More photos after the jump…