November 2020 | Vol. 6, Issue 11 |
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What's Happening in Oak Ridge?
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It's another busy month in Oak Ridge! As we monitor the ever-changing Coronavirus pandemic, we will continue to adjust our recommendations and hours at City facilities. Here's a look at what's in store for November and what you may have missed last month! |
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Beginning on Nov. 3, the City's began a phased reopening of the Senior Center.
Closed since March 16, 2020, due to COVID-19, the Senior Center is a valued community resource providing opportunities for social interaction, continuing education and exercise for area seniors. During the first phase of reopening the Senior Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This limited schedule will allow time to clean and disinfect the building between sessions.
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The Oak Ridge Public Library began new hours on Nov. 2.
The Main Library will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Main Library will also be open from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday mornings for patrons at high risk of COVID complications only.
The Children’s Room will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Curbside service will be available from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Patrons should visit the ORPL book drop to collect holds during these hours. Please visit our website, ORPL.org, for more information on our changing curbside delivery service.
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The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas Parade will be held this year, but with a twist. This year’s offering will be a “reverse” parade. The event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. The theme of this year’s “reverse” parade is “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”
A “reverse” parade is a parade where the floats are stationary and spectators drive the parade route.
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The City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Police Department are taking donations for the non-profit Toys for Tots Foundation this holiday season. All donated toys will be collected by volunteers and distributed to local families in need this December.
Donations should also be appropriate for a child that falls into the newborn, infant/toddler, youth, or teen (up to 14) age range.
Donation bins will be set up in the following locations in Oak Ridge:
- Police and Main lobbies at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building, 200 S. Tulane Avenue
- T.J. Maxx, 367 S. Illinois Avenue
Oak Ridge Police will also host a collection event on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 2 to 6 p.m., near the entrance of T.J. Maxx.
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The playground at Scarboro Park, 148 Carver Ave., closed on Monday, Oct. 26, as the City prepares to replace the existing playground with a new, larger playground.
The new playground has been designed to meet all current safety and accessibility standards while maximizing the opportunity for physical and cognitive development.
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The Dirt Lab, a new mountain biking skills park, is now open. The Dirt Lab is at Haw Ridge Park, close to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which helped inspire the name.
The park was made possible by volunteers, the City of Oak Ridge, and local businesses. A whole community came together to develop the park. The Dirt Lab lets people new to mountain biking experiment and develop their skills. It also offers plenty of jumps and other features for more advanced riders.
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At the October City Council Meeting, a handful of Oak Ridgers were honored including the late Judge Pamela Reeves, retired firefighter Dan Endsley, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, Oak Ridge High School graduate Tommy Kaczocha, outgoing ORHS principal Martin McDonald, and breast cancer survivor Valarie Emery.
We adopted proclamations designating October 2020 as Fire Prevention Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Oct. 23-31, 2020, as Red Ribbon Week.
Click through the gallery for a look at some of the folks who were recognized!
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The City of Oak Ridge Electric Department is proud to announce that it has partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to award an additional $10,000 to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) to help the local community during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. |
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On Oct. 7, the City of Oak Ridge received official notification by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Aeronautics Economic Development Fund (AEDF) that the transfer of $19 million from the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA) has been completed. |
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COVID-19 did not get in the way of this year’s Halloween Hollow. While the event was different than previous years, it was safe and spooky for all.
More than 700 cars traveled through the various scenes and every registered vehicle had the chance to vote on their favorite display.
Voting concluded on Monday, Nov. 2 and the results are in: General Government’s Thriller, accompanied by Creative Edge Dance Studio, was Oak Ridge’s favorite display this year followed by the Electric Department’s Nightmare Before Christmas and Oak Ridge Public Library’s Wizard of Oz.
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To learn more about the proposed project, the steps of the process, where it stands now, and what's next, click here or read more below. |
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ORFD Staff Complete Trench Training |
Last month, Oak Ridge Firefighters brushed up on their skills and participated in trench training.
They climbed down into the trench to simulate and practice rescue situations involving trenches and natural terrain.
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On Tuesday, Oct. 13, State and Local leaders gathered to celebrate the transformation of a uranium enrichment site. Click below to read Mayor Gooch's speech from the event. |
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On behalf of the City of Oak Ridge Stormwater Management Program, the Healthy Waters Program will be starting up a brand new quarterly e-newsletter to keep past, present, and potential volunteers up-to-date on all things stormwater in Oak Ridge! |
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