Playground to Be Dedicated 'Peter Looney Park'

Today is Thursday, March 24. Here are five things you need to know today.

1. I couldn’t be happier to share this announcement with you: Next month the Union Street Playground (that’s the one next to the skating rink) will be officially dedicated as the Peter Looney Park. You can ask anyone who’s lived in Charlestown for more than a few years and they’ll all tell you the same thing: Peter Looney has had a hand in pretty much every positive development in this neighborhood. He’s also one of the kindest people on the planet. I can say that with some authority. He was one of the first people I met in Charlestown when I started this job and I've been grateful for his generosity and welcome ever since. The park dedication is scheduled for April 30 at 10 a.m. Save the date: It will be a gala event. 

2. has a fancy new gymnasium – it’s big, it’s sunny and it’s LEED certified. And this spring the school is opening it up to the neighborhood with free and low-cost fitness courses. Some of the classes are beginning as soon as this week and they include a soccer clinic for kids, basic yoga, senior fitness, Tai Chi, Zumba, Pilates and more. The cost per course ranges from free to $49. If you want to check out a schedule and more info on the courses, visit www.bhcc.mass.edu/health-courses or call 617-228-2462.

3. A coalition of local non-profits and children’s advocacy groups are opening a – a lending library that will be open Monday through Friday from 9 to 5 and will provide all families access to books to bring home. The books will be donated by a few groups, including Read Boston and Smart from the Start, but if you’re interested in helping launch the Book Nook, organizers are welcoming donations from the community as well. You can give books, rocking chairs, shelves and other materials to the Kennedy Center or Charlestown Nursery School. For details, email kmcdonough@kennedycenter.org or call 617-241-8866.

4. It’s Thursday -- Charlestown Live night on BNN-TV. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. host Kathy Giordano will be chatting with Regina Gibbons, a licensed acupuncturist from the MGH Charlestown Health Center. Last fall we ran . Check that out and then tune in for more details. Charlestown Live airs again at 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. on Monday.

5. March is the cruelest month. The forecast says snow is likely today (!) before noon, then a chance of rain between noon and 5 p.m. High near 38. Chance of precipitation, 30 percent.

For more info on what’s happening around the neighborhood, check out our events calendar.