CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
June 2004
Archives—Table of Contents

Advocacy

Thank you for responding to our call to action!!!!
Thank you to those who took the time to email or call your senator and representative about the FY 2005 budget and the threatened transfer of parkways maintenance and oversight to Mass Highway. Your emails, telephone calls and letters helped make a difference but we still have some work to go!

The urban park's budget increased $808,216 from FY 2004; a 4% increase. This is higher than both the Senate and House budget numbers. Great News!

On the parkways front: Transportation reform—which included transferring maintenance responsibility for DCR parkways to Mass Highway Department—was not included in the conference committee report. The legislature will take up transportation reform separately before the end of the session so we will need to be vigilant and continue to call for no transfer of responsibilities at this time. Keep a look out for upcoming call to action emails!

Membership Drive

Many of you should have received the Charles River Conservancy's Spring 2004 Membership Mailing. If you have already responded, thank you. Your support is vital if the Charles River Conservancy is going to be able to continue the renewal and stewardship of the Charles River Parklands. If you haven't received the mailing or have not yet had a chance to send in a donation, now's your chance! You can give by check, credit card or on line. Our mailing address is:

[See new contact information.]

f you have not received a CRC membership brochure and would like to, please email crc@thecharles.org with your name and address.

Program Spotlight

Charles River Skatepark receives challenge grant!
The CRC received a $110,000 challenge grant toward the planning and construction of the Charles River Skatepark. The grant comes in the form of a preliminary payment of $10,000 for design and planning and an additional $100,000 to be provided for construction once the remaining skatepark's budget has been secured.

The matching grant, along with the recent commitment of $25,000 from the City of Cambridge, and a $15,000 pledge from CambridgeSide Galleria, has brought the total raised for the skatepark to over $340,000. The CRC is working to reach the campaign goal of 1.1 million by fall of 2004. Become part of this world-class vision, donate now! Don't forget, all donations made by skateboarders, bmx bikers and inline skaters will be quadrupled by a generous donor. Every donation counts!

Conservancy Volunteers

Summer has arrived—now is your chance to get outside and enjoy the wonderful weather—spend a day helping out in the parklands! Upcoming Conservancy Volunteer events include brush cutting and invasives removal. For a list of dates and ways to get involved, click here. The Conservancy Volunteers schedule for the fall is filling up fast so now is the time to set up a service day for your company or community group by calling volunteer coordinator, Britt Lundgren at the CRC office or email bml@thecharles.org.

Volunteer Recognition Event:
We hope you enjoyed the Conservancy Volunteers Duck Tours and the Volunteer Appreciation Evening Reception on May 26th. We would like to once again thank our wonderful volunteers for all their hard work and dedication . . . your work has made a great impact upon the parklands. Just recently the 2,000th Conservancy Volunteer signed in!

We would also like to thank the Boston Duck Tours for the special rides and EF Education for generously hosting the event. State Representative Alice Wolf thanked all the volunteers, and acknowledged DCR's Allan Morris for his instrumental role in making the CRC's volunteer program such a success.

WaterFire

On Saturday, August 28th, join the CRC for a trip to experience the bonfires, torch boats and music of WaterFire on downtown Providence, Rhode Island's three rivers. Email crc@charlesriverconservancy.org for details.

Bridging the Charles with Voice and Light

On Wednesday, September 22nd join hundreds of singers at the Weeks Footbridge to celebrate the passage from summer to fall. Under the artistic leadership of the Revels, this event will include reciprocal singing across the water. If you are a member of a choral group, contact the revels at info@revels.org for more information about getting involved.

CRC Calendar

From guided tours, to concerts along the riverbanks, to taking a jog or bike ride; there are plenty of ways to enjoy the Charles River Parklands this spring and summer. For a list of upcoming events, visit the CRC Calendar.

Picture of the Month

Boston Cares volunteers recently spent a Saturday removing invasive plant species on the banks of the moat surrounding the Publick Theatre. With the beautiful summer weather, NOW's a great time to get outside and enjoy the parklands while giving back to the community.

If you have a picture you'd like to submit for a future picture of the month, please contact us at crc@thecharles.org.

To see previous pictures of the month, see the archives page.

The Charles River Conservancy takes as its mission the renewal and stewardship of the Charles River Parklands and their surroundings, particularly parks, parkways and bridges. The Conservancy engages in numerous Parklands restoration and improvement initiatives, including access and safety, education and outreach, and planning and maintenance programs, and relies heavily on individual contributions. To support the Charles River Conservancy, click here. Thank you!

If you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to pass it along. Interested readers can subscribe to the e-newsletter by sending an email to members-join@thecharles.org. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, send an email to members-leave@thecharles.org.