Cambridge Cooks: Caribbean Heritage Month Edition with Chef Gaitskell (Main)
Join Chef Gaitskell Cleghorn Jr. as he prepares Jerk Chicken and Mango Salsa in celebration of Caribbean-American Heritage Month. Gaitskell Cleghorn Jr., professionally known as Chef Gates, is an entrepreneur and culinary educator based in Boston. He specializes in culinary education, catering, and community outreach, partnering with organizations such as the Codman Square Farmers Market and BOLD Teens. Throughout his career, he has taught at prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, as well as local schools such as Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and Boston Day & Evening Academy. His work has been featured in publications including Channel 7, Edible Boston, Boston Herald, and the Boston Globe. Additionally, he collaborated with a Master Sushi Chef to produce over 3,000 sushi plates at the New England Seafood Expo. His work on food and culture is currently featured in an Exhibit at the Boston Children’s Museum. Although he lived globally due to his father’s military service, he has spent most of his professional life in Boston, where he continues to grow as a culinary professional.
CPL Nature Club: Rethinking Urban Green Spaces: Nature Walk with Earthwise Aware (Main)
Join Earthwise Aware (EwA) for an interactive walk to observe, document, and take part in shaping urban spaces that work with nature. Together, we will explore how design choices and climate pressures shape the ecological value of our everyday green spaces, and document habitat conditions using simple citizen science tools.
Starting at the library lawn, we will examine spaces that appear green but often function poorly. Manicured lawns and sparse tree plantings may look inviting, yet they frequently support little biodiversity and can limit soil health and resilience. What makes a space truly nature-friendly? We will record what is present, what is missing, and what that tells us about ecological function.
During the walk, we will:
Observe and document plant communities and habitat quality
Identify signs of low and high ecological function
Compare conventional landscapes with more resilient plantings such as native beds or meadow patches
Contribute real data that supports local ecological understanding and decision making
This is participatory science in practice. Your observations will feed into broader efforts to track urban biodiversity and inform better land use choices.
The program will meet outside the library in Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.
Rain date: Wednesday May 6
Play in the Public Realm
A summary of the many ways that parks and open space can be activated through programming and design.
Preservation Easements
Description of preservation easements, also called preservation restrictions, a tool for protecting individual properties