Play ball… when there's funding

State Historic Preservation Officer Brona Simon of the Massachusetts Historical Commission ruled on July 2 in a letter to Ian A. Bowles, Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs that whenever the town gets enough money to build four multisport playing fields at 81 Milestone Road, that construction of the fields will not disturb any archeological remains.

"After review of our files and the information provided, MHC's opinion is that the proposed recreation center will have "no adverse effect" on the Nantucket Historic District," said Simon in her letter.

The Nantucket Parks & Recreation Department's plan to build new playing fields on 18 of 31 acres of land that it wants to lease from the Nantucket Islands Land Bank is currently under-funded. Though Parks and Rec secured $400,000 from the Community Preservation Committee at Town Meeting 2007 and another $500,000 from the CPC budget request through Article 26 at this April's Town Meeting, at the June special election, the voters failed to support a request for $3.6 million in town funds to help pay for the project.

This summer, Parks and Rec and its playing fields task force are trying to work out how to get going on the fields with the $900,000 it already has.

Clean to live, live to clean

The Clean Team's island-wide sanitation tour is rolling on through the summer into August and early September and is constantly looking for new participants.

Conductor Bill Connell recently released his schedule of stops around the island so anyone who enjoys picking up trash or who is trying to shed a load of guilt for only taking from Nantucket and not giving, can jump onboard. This coming Saturday morning, trash seekers can help clean up the Creeks and the old railroad bed at the end of Washington Street Extension by congregating in front of Sayle's Seafood.

On Aug. 9, go for a beach walk from Madaquecham down to Nobadeer Beach as part of Connell's "hell-bent-to-leather" determination to clean the entire South Shore this summer. For this trash-and-treasure hunt, meet at the south end of Russell's Way off Milestone Road. The following Saturday on Aug. 16, you'll find Connell and his street sweepers cleaning Old South Road for the second time this year after meeting in front of the Inquirer & Mirror building at the Rotary.

Hummock Pond Road is the next island road to be spiffed up by the Clean Team. For this Aug. 23 cleaning, meet at East Coast Seafood at 167 Hummock Pond Road. Do Steps Beach the weekend after that on Aug. 30 when volunteers are asked to come to the east side of Lincoln Circle at the regular time. And finally, Sept. 6 will find Connell and his team attacking Madaket Road in the vicinity of Sanford Farm. The meeting spot is the Sanford Farm parking lot.

All cleaning sessions begin promptly at 8 a.m. and end sharply at 9 a.m. Those brave souls who want to battle the crowds and help clean up the downtown area, as always, can meet in the Grand Union parking lot at the same time every one of these Saturdays.

Reach Connell at his email, wconnell@connellwiener.com, if you have questions or want to make a special island area-cleaning request.

Bonding with nature

Before Aug. 4, when the state's 2007-2008 Legislative Session ends, the Trustees of Reservations is urging all conservation-minded Bay Staters to help them push through the Environmental Bond Bill, H4847.

This bill contains funding for state and local agencies that protect water supplies, wetlands, beaches, meadows, forests, endangered plant and animal species and other natural resources around Massachusetts. With four business days left until the end of this session, go to www.wheredoivotema.com to get contact information for your state senator or representative.

When you call, say your name, ask to speak with your legislator and if they're not available, ask to speak with a staff member. Whomever you speak with, the Trustees are asking you to stress the importance of getting H4847 adopted during this session. If you want to learn more about this bill, go to www. envirobond.org/whynowdata.php.I