VIDEO: Walking to the Downtown

Spotted Tuesday near downtown Wakefield from the shore of Lake Quannapowitt - 14 Canada Geese out for a stroll, single-file on the ice.

Late Tuesday morning in Wakefield, this line of geese was spotted walking single file across Lake Quannapowitt in the direction of the town common. The snowbanks were still formidable despite more unseasonably warm weather, so this footage was grabbed across the street from the lake standing up toward the top of a snowbank. The audio is off on this particular clip because the combination of wind and traffic was otherwise too much.

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Gingerbread Construction Company Involved In the Community

The Gingerbread Construction Company specializes in gingerbread houses, especially the semi-cream-filled one, as the name suggests. Wakefield Patch caught up with staff and customers to discover their favorites.

Local grocery store bakeries are probably the most inexpensive choice. But if gourmet pastries are what you're looking for, The Gingerbread Construction Company, at 52 Main St., isn't a bad gig, either. Nineteen varieties of the store's muffins have been recognized by the Phantom Gourmet and have won other awards. Phantom Gourmet loves the Strawberry Shortcake, but Blueberry is the most popular with customers, which haven't stopped coming in since the Wakefield location opened in 1995. General manager Michele Clements, of Wilmington, started off as a cashier at age 15 (more than 24 years ago) in the Winchester location, just 15 minutes away from Wakefield, adding there is a high retention rate. She graduated from Northeastern University in…

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Sketch Released of Suspect from Lake Quannapowitt Sexual Assault

Wakefield Police have released a drawing of the man they believe to be responsible for attacking a female in Colonel Connolly Park last week.

Wakefield Police have released a drawing of the man they believe to be responsible for attacking a female in Colonel Connolly Park last week. On the evening of March 20, a female victim reported an unknown male grabbed her while she was walking around Lake Quannapowitt at 8 p.m. The victim was able to get away safely. The suspect was described as a white male in his 30s, about six feet tall, and 170 pounds with dark-colored eyes, a buzz cut, and a little facial hair. The victim said he was wearking a dark-colored long sleeved shirt and jeans.  The victim said that she had just finished jogging and was walking with her headphones on. She reported a male suspect came up from behind her and grabbed her and pushed her to the ground. The victim…

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Sara Jacobi

2:57 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012

Ron - what an idea! Sort of like a 21st Century neighborhood watch. You should post the blog when it's ready at wakefield.patch.com/announcements/new to let everyone know about it.   more ›

Event Spotlight: Weekly 5K Around Quannapowitt

Every Wednesday night at 6:45 p.m. there's a 5K road race around Lake Quannapowitt, even through the winter months.

If you're a runner, there's a chance for you each week in Wakefield to meet up with others who share your passion. The Mystic Runners host a weekly 5K fun run around Lake Quannapowitt each Wednesday evening. For $2, you get a timed race and a bunch of opponents. The results get posted online. Runners meet at 6:45 p.m. at the Lord Wakefield Hotel, 595 North Ave. The run is held rain or shine, although if cancellations are necessary they will be posted to the Mystic Runners website.  For more information, contact the Mystic Runners group at mysticrunnersclub@hotmail.com. Event Details: Export to Calendar:

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Event Spotlight: Lake Quannapowitt Fun Run

Every Wednesday night at 6:45 p.m., there will be a Lake Q Fun Run.

The Mystic Runners Club present: The Lake "Q" 5K Fun Run! Starts every Wednesday night at 6:45 p.m.during the winter months. Please arrive early to get registered. The cost is $2. The Fun Run is timed and the results get post on coolrunning.com The address for the start of the race is: Lord Wakefield Hotel 595 North Ave Wakefield, Ma Have fun! Run safe!

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Five Things to Know Today, Sept. 16

FOLQ announced it is raising $30,000 to underground wires at the head of the lake, where to find a blood drive, and more things to know in Wakefield today.

1. Feeling like fall - Today will be sunny, but the high will only be around 63 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Sounds like a great morning for a pumpkin spice latte. And I'll probably be saying that every day, considering delicious pumpkin spice lattes are. 2. Today in Wakefield sports - Boys varsity football plays Lynn English High School at 7 p.m. at home.  3. Donate blood, head to Six Flags! If you donate blood at the American Red Cross Blood Drive being held at Most Blessed Sacrament Church from 1-7 p.m. today, you will receive a 50% off pass to Six Flags New England! Just don't ride the roller coasters directly after donating blood. Probably not a good idea. 4. Office hours: Senator Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) is …

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Then and Now

History: The Boathouse, Early Center of Life in Wakefield

Wakefield's Boathouse was an important recreational and social center of the town from 1887 to 1963.

From the earliest settlements here, Lake Quannapowitt has been an integral part of the life of the town that became Wakefield. From its early economic importance as a fishing site and water source, through the harvest of its ice in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the Lake also had important recreational uses that led to the establishment of boathouse structures along its shores. There were several boathouses, but the largest and longest running was Wiley’s Boathouse. Albert Sweetser Wiley, born in 1833, had served the Union during the Civil War, having enlisted in Company E, the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry in 1861, and surviving a serious wound at the Battle of Poolsville, Virigina in 1862. On his second enlistment, he was one of…

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Viewfinder

Photos: Triathlon Around Quannapowitt In The Rain

The Reading-Burbank Y's annual Tri Lake Lake got strong start on Saturday morning but was halted due to thunderstorms.

The annual triathlon sponsored by the Reading-Burbank Y attracted 170 hardy regional athletes this year. But, the race had barely begun when heavy downpours and booming thunder forced the organizers to cancel the event. Had it been completed, the 170 competitors would have finished a 1/4 out-and-back swim in Lake Quannapowitt, four loops around the lake on bicycles; or 13 miles, completing the challenge with one circuit of the lake on foot; or 3.1 miles. The triathletes hailed primarily from Middlesex and Essex counties and included first-timers and experienced racers. All proceeds from the event support the Y's Reach Out Campaign which provides scholarships for fitness and summer camp programs run by the Y.

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