CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
May 2005
Archives—Table of Contents

Advocacy

Thanks to all of you who contacted your legislators and urged them to support important Parklands and Parkways bills, we have good news to report! During the House Budget deliberations $40,000 was recommended for a Nonantum Road study and $100,000 was recommended for the completion of Parkways Guidelines. A bill that calls for the establishment of a committee to study swimming in the Charles River will be heard this summer - we will keep you posted on its status.

Programs and Projects

Celebrate the Power of the Parklands with the Conservancy
Registration is open for the Conservancy's 5th Anniversary Luncheon on Friday, June 17, 2005 in the State Room at 60 State Street. Tickets are selling fast so don't delay—buy your tickets today! The event, featuring Parklands' advocate and keynote speaker David Gergen, will celebrate five years of Conservancy dedication and progress-plus the commitment of thousands of individuals like you.

For more information about tickets or sponsorship, please contact Emily Twiss at the phone number in the column to the left, or visit our 5th Anniversary Luncheon webpage.

If you did not receive an invitation in the mail but are interested in attending, please email crc@thecharles.org with your name and address and we will send you an invitation.

Charles River Skatepark Project

Punk Rockers Band Together to Support the Charles River Skatepark... Over 400 people have attended the skatepark concerts, orchestrated by two local volunteers: Vietnam Le of Suffolk University and Patrick Clement of FNS Records. These concerts have raised approximately $8,500 for the Charles River Skatepark! If you haven't had a chance to hear great music and support this awesome project - you still can! Check out our Charles River Skatepark page for upcoming benefit concerts! Charles River Skatepark Project Makes Waves... On Friday, May 13, a Duck Tour Boat visited the future site of the Charles River Skatepark carrying Former Lt. Governor Tom O'Neill III and approximately thirty project supporters and donors. The boat, "Beacon Hillda", entered the Charles using the Duck Tour launch which is located just adjacent to the skatepark site.

The Conservancy welcomes John F. Page

The Conservancy is pleased to welcome John Page as our new Chief Operating Officer. John's professional experience includes twenty-one years at JPMorgan Chase where he served as product and account manager in the Treasury Services Division. Prior to his work in financial software development, John was executive director of a Boston area non-profit for seven years, and taught in a teachers' college and elementary school as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria and Ethiopia. John has served on the board of a land trust in Maine for many years, and is active with Friends of Menotomy Rocks Park in Arlington.

Conservancy Volunteers Update

Parklands Ambassador Training
On April 16th, the first Parklands Ambassador training session took place with Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) officials and Parklands experts addressing such topics as Parklands' history, the Charles River Master Plan and a botanical overview. The first session involved 15 participants interested in providing assistance and information to Parklands users this summer and fall. Keep an eye out for the Ambassadors on the Parklands!

Novartis Erosion Control Project
On April 26th, the Conservancy Volunteers program welcomed Novartis employees who completed a large-scale erosion restoration at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. Fifty volunteers participated in their 2005 Community Partnership Day. Stop by the Hatch Shell to view their handy work.

6th Annual Charles River Clean Up
The 6th Annual Charles River Clean Up on April 30th was a success despite some wet weather! The Conservancy wishes to thank the fellow groups who helped organized this annual large-scale clean up: Senator Steven Tolman's Office, the Charles River Watershed Association, Massachusetts Community Water Watch, the Esplanade Association and the DCR.

Sign up to volunteer!
Now that spring has sprung, it's the perfect time to enjoy the Parklands while helping make them safer and more beautiful! Upcoming Conservancy Volunteer events include brush cutting and invasive plant species removal. Click on the following link for a list of dates and ways to get involved. The summer Conservancy Volunteers schedule is filling up fast so now is the time to set up a service day for your company or community group. Contact volunteer coordinator, Evan Moss at edm@thecharles.org or the CRC office at the phone number shown in the column to the left.

Invest in YOUR Parklands...

For those of you who have recently given to the Conservancy, thank you, we greatly appreciate your commitment. Your investment strengthens our ability to renew and steward the Charles River Parklands. Please consider supporting the Conservancy. You can donate online or send a check to our mailing address, shown. in the column to the left.

CRC Calendar

From guided tours, to group runs and day-long bike tours, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the Charles River Parklands this spring. For a list of upcoming events, visit the CRC Calendar.

Picture of the Month

Fifty Novartis employees volunteered with the Charles River Conservancy to restore the riverbank near the Hatch Shell. View the photo to see the volunteers.

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.

Charles River Conservancy's New Web Address

The CRC has officially changed our web address and email addresses. You will now find the Conservancy at www.thecharles.org. Our email addresses also end with @thecharles.org now. The old website and email addresses will continue to work but we hope you enjoy typing the newer, shorter versions!

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!

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