Watching the old rusting steel oil tanks lining Marginal Street by the salt pile coming down is absolutely extraordinary.
Twenty-five years ago if anyone around here had been asked if those tanks could come down, you would have been laughed at.
Soon, they will all be down and the plans for reclaiming some of the waterfront will soon be coming to life.
Part of the area will be used for added salt storage and part of the space will be used for waterfront parkland.
Add to this remarkable state of affairs, the incredible deck/dock now jutting out into the Chelsea River that is so, so impressive.
This entire assemblage will change the face of the waterfront.
For the first time in more than a century, the waterfront will be opened up for public use.
This is being done without cost to the city, the bulk of the costs being borne by Eastern Minerals.
If you have the chance, check out the tanks coming down on Marginal Street.
It is a major event in the life and times of this city.
Much has recently been said locally about the coming of Starbucks to the Marketbasket Mall.
When you get right down to it, no enough can be said about a real time live Starbucks operating in the mall.
It marks about the most up-scale individual retail food and drink business to locate in Chelsea for generations.
Mind you, Chelsea Clock has sold some of the finest hand made clocks the world over since well before the turn of the last century. Also, Whole Foods, about the most expensive purveyor of organic supermarket goods, has a huge warehouse here.
But it is Starbucks coming to the city that signals the message: Chelsea has arrived – at least it has arrived for those who enjoy Starbucks’ products and its worldwide reputation.
If you are a Dunkin Donuts devote, Starbucks coming means nothing.
If you have a developed taste for Starbucks, its arrival here means everything.
In last week’s Record a headline indicating that the 2013 city budget will pass was like putting the cart before the horse.
It should have read: Budget discussions ensuing.
The Chelsea City Council has spent considerable time discussing already the particulars of the budget.
It is likely, but not a guarantee, that the budget will pass as is.
The council can still decide to make certain cuts it desires if it wants.
In any event, the word perfunctory used in last week’s article discussing the budget and may have sounded a bit too blasé – which is to say – there is almost nothing about city government these days that is perfunctory except for passing on a tax increase to the taxpayers.
The council will pass the budget when it believes all its mandates and necessities have been fully met and all cuts made that needed to be made.