Grafton Wins Grant for Accessible Wheelchair at Silver Lake Beach
GRAFTON — Grafton has been named one of six New England communities to receive a 2026 SMILE Mass Floating Beach Wheelchair Grant, town officials said, a award that will bring an accessible floating wheelchair to Silver Lake Beach. The announcement came as the Select Board seeks volunteers to fill several board and committee vacancies, including seats on a newly formed panel studying traffic at the town Common.
TOWN HALL The Town of Grafton has been named one of six New England communities awarded a 2026 SMILE Mass Floating Beach Wheelchair Grant, according to the town. The grant will provide a floating beach wheelchair to increase accessibility at Silver Lake Beach.
The Select Board is looking for interested residents to fill vacancies on several boards and committees, town officials said. Separately, the town is recruiting members for the newly created Grafton Common Traffic Study Committee, a body charged with developing a strategic plan for traffic changes and improvements at the Common.
Trash disposal costs also changed this month: adjustments to Pay-As-You-Throw bag pricing took effect July 1, which the town said were made "to fully fund operations through user fees and eliminate reliance on taxpayer support."
SCHOOLS Grafton Public Schools has opened kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year, the district said, and is directing parents, guardians and other caregivers to the district website to begin the process. The district is also running its 2026 Summer Enrichment Program, described by officials as bringing together hands-on learning, artistic expression and STEAM exploration for students over the break.
Separately, the district has posted a capital-plan report addressing roofing needs at Grafton Public Schools facilities, including a timeline and assessment specific to the Grafton Middle School roof, for families who want the underlying documentation.
COMMUNITY & ARTS Grafton Public Library has kicked off its summer reading program, "Plant a Seed — Read!," open to patrons of all ages, alongside July's Massachusetts Center for the Book 2026 Reading Challenge. The library also continues its drop-in cribbage games every Friday, open to all comers.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS "30+ MA Beaches Closed As Smoky Haze Makes Comeback: See Latest Forecast" — Wildfire smoke drifting down from Ontario has returned haze to Massachusetts skies after brief clearing Thursday morning, prompting a new round of beach closures across the state, according to a Grafton Patch report by Scott Souza (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/grafton).
COMING UP The Charter Review Committee's Article 6 Subcommittee meets Monday, July 20. The Trails Committee meets Tuesday, July 21. The Board of Sewer Commissioners and the School Committee both meet Wednesday, July 22, the same day the Grafton Farmers Market returns to the Common. Grafton Patch's community calendar also lists the Pay It Forward Card Show on Sunday, July 19, and Summer Preview Days on Tuesday, July 21.