MALTA — Balet Flowers & Design celebrated the grand opening of its new barn last week on Earth Day.
The Flower and Arts Barn is stocked with bushes, perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets, handmade pottery, and additional gardening supplies.
The company also specializes in creating floral designs with a “unique country flair” for weddings and other special events.
Until July 3, the new barn located at 5065 Nelson Avenue Ext in Malta will be open daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. From July 5 until December 23, it will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (except Thanksgiving).
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs City School District residents approved a tax levy of $5,433,458 to operate the Saratoga Springs Public Library in FY 2025-26. The budget was approved by a vote of 382-8.
Heather Crocker and Terry Diggory, both of Saratoga Springs, were elected to a second term on the Library’s Board of Trustees; Crocker received 343 votes, Diggory received 341. Both candidates were first elected to the Library Board in 2020.
The library serves the residents of the Saratoga Springs City School District, and funds for the library are collected when school taxes are collected.
The proposed FY 25-26 budget contains a 1.5% increase over the amount levied in FY 24-25. An estimated $1,225,892 will be available from sources other than FY 25-26 property taxes. The tax amount for public library purposes appears as a separate item on school district tax bills.
“We continue to expand our collections, programs, and services. In a time of great uncertainty for funding of library services on a national level, we are grateful for the continued support from our local community,” Library Board President Katie Capelli said in a statement. “We thank all those who came out to vote.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — More than 1,500 people braved the raindrops to enjoy honking horns and checking out the annual Big Truck Day event at Saratoga Spa State Park on April 26.
The hands-on celebration of wheels, wonder & learning serves as a fundraiser for the Children’s Museum at Saratoga.
The event allows kids and their grown-ups to get up-close and personal with an impressive lineup of trucks, specialty vehicles, and construction equipment.
The Children’s Museum’s mission is to offer dynamic, play-based learning experiences that foster creativity, critical thinking, and STEM skills for children of all backgrounds. For more information, go to https://cmssny.org.
City officials celebrated Arbor Day with a tree planting ceremony on April 25. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Members of the City Council, staff of the City’s urban forestry division, and representatives from Sustainable Saratoga were on hand to celebrate Arbor Day with a tree planting ceremony on Caroline Street April 25.
The event included the planting of 10 trees along Caroline Street following a sidewalk improvement project where trees were removed in 2023.
DPW Commissioner Charles “Chuck” Marshall, City Arborist Steve Lashomb, Mayor John Safford, Accounts Deputy Commissioner Stacy Connors, Finance Deputy Commissioner Heather Crocker, DPW Deputy Tad Roemer, Executive Director of Sustainable Saratoga Kelsey Trudell and representatives of Sustainable Saratoga, attended the ceremony.
“This time of year, we also celebrate the collaboration between Sustainable Saratoga and the City of Saratoga Springs for the annual Tree Toga tree planting event, through which volunteers have planted a total of 454 native trees in Saratoga,” said Kelsey Trudell of Sustainable Saratoga.
Saratoga Springs has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation since 2017.
Bike park depicting all three phases of development. Photo: Saratoga Springs DPW.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new bike park is coming to Saratoga Springs this summer.
A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was held April 28 behind the Weibel Avenue ice rinks where an asphalt pump track will be constructed during the next several weeks.
The new construction represents phase one of a potential three-phase bike park that will provide a recreational space for bicyclists in the city.
“You don’t need a fancy bike, you don’t need a specific sort of bike. You will be able to enjoy the bike park on whatever equipment that you have,” said Anna Laloë, executive director of the local youth cycling organization Saratoga Shredders.
The group, which also goes by Shredders MTB, first proposed the pump track and bike park concept to the Saratoga Springs City Council in 2022. “Shredders is all about breaking down as many barriers as possible to get more kids on bikes,” Laloë said.
The city of Saratoga Springs committed $400,000 toward construction of the park with Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner securing additional funding, said city Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall.
Groundbreaking ceremony at Saratoga Springs bike park on April 28, 2025. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
“This park is many years in the making and I’m proud we can bring this new recreation amenity to Saratoga Springs,” said Commissioner Marshall. “Many people worked tirelessly to see this through including Anna Laloë from Saratoga Shredders, support from Assemblywoman Carrier Woerner, multiple City Council members including former DPW Commissioner Jason Golub, and the Recreation Commission, along with DPW and Rec Department staff.”
Phase 1 calls for the construction of a Velosolutions asphalt pump track. American Ramp Company will build the park. The anticipated completion of the first phase is this June.
The park will be free, open to the public and ride-at-your-own-risk, Laloë said.
“The second and third phases – one is what we call a bike playground, a smaller version of this asphalt track, but it’s for our younger riders, our beginning riders and it’s also accessible for adaptive equipment,” Laloë said. “The third phase will be a jump progression line. That will be for our more advanced riders that like to send it a little more.”
The idea is for people to bring their own bikes initially. The expectation is that a set of borrowed bikes will be available after the completion of all three phases. No anticipated timeline was discussed this week regarding future phases. Those remaining phases will cost approximately $650,000 with $400,000 previously pledged funding from Assemblywoman Woerner to support the construction of the bike park.
Commissioner Marshall was joined by Mayor John Safford, Recreation Commission Vice Chair Michelle Merola, city staff, and representatives of Saratoga Shredders during this week’s official groundbreaking.
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is proud to kick off its 47th Outdoor Season in Saratoga Springs at High Rock Park on Saturday, May 3rd, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. From fresh produce and plants to artisan goods and delicious treats — it’s all here, and it’s all local.
BALLSTON SPA — A pollinator partnership community event will be taking place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 18 at the Brookside Museum. This event, hosted by the Saratoga County History Center, will bring together a panel of guests from the area’s master pollinator gardens.
Participants will have the opportunity to listen to these experienced pollinator garden members discuss their efforts to create habitats for the pollinators that support local ecosystems and agriculture.
Program presenters will include the founder of SoBro Conservancy of Saratoga Tom Denny, Balet Flowers and Design Owner Suzanne Balet, Saratoga Spa State Park Master Gardener Valerie Robinson, and Master Gardener of Pauline’s Pollinator Habitat at Pitney Meadows Community Farm Mina Dunnam.
After all remarks, attendees can join in the naming and dedication of the center’s nascent and evolving pollinator garden.
Refreshments will be offered to all that attend following these events. For more information check www.brooksidemuseum.org.
The Brookside Museum is located at 21 Fairground Ave. in Ballston Spa.
CLIFTON PARK — The Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library Board of Trustees is seeking to fill a vacant seat on its 11-member board. This vacancy is due to the recent resignation of a sitting trustee representing the Town of Halfmoon.
In accordance with the bylaws, the sitting trustees will proceed to appoint a trustee to fill the position for the remainder of 2025.
Residents of the Town of Halfmoon, living within the library tax district, who are interested in being considered for the vacant position should contact Alex Gutelius, Library Director, at agutelius@sals.edu or 518-371-8622 for details about the application process. Applications are due by Tuesday, May 20.
