CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
August 2006
Archives—Table of Contents

Skatepark Update

Great news from the state house! Minutes before midnight, the senate approved $150,000 towards the construction of the Charles River Skatepark. Together with recent grants from the Bruins Foundation, the Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust, the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, we have raised over $1.15 million.

The Skatepark now has a new website, www.charlesriverskatepark.org. It is an interactive site designed to organize and foster a virtual community around the project. It features blogs, forums, image and video galleries, an event calendar, and more!

To read press coverage of the Site Sign Unveiling and the Virtual Skatepark, click here.

To learn more about the skatepark and to donate to this exciting project, please visit our website.

Skatepark Block Party

Boston’s Underground Snowboards is throwing a very special block party to benefit the Charles River Skatepark on Saturday, September 16th from 12:00PM-5:00PM. It will be held on Armory Street, off of Commonwealth Avenue – right in front of Underground’s entrance. There will be a skateboard demonstration followed by an open skate session where all proceeds will go to the Charles River Skatepark. There will also be music, a raffle, and more!

For more information, please contact Colin Riley at cmr@thecharles.org.

Charles River Swim Race

On September 9th, the Charles River Swimming Club will host the Charles River One Mile Master Swim. It will be the first ever open water swim race on the Charles River. The course is a one mile loop off the new dock in the Esplanade. Come and watch! The race will begin at 8:00AM. The event is intended to raise awareness of efforts to improve water quality, as well as to make public, recreational swimming in the Charles a possibility for the future.

For more information, please contact the Charles River Swimming Club at raceinfo@charlesriverswimmingclub.org or by visiting their website.

RiverSing 2006

Mark your calendars! RiverSing 2006 will take place on Thursday, September 21st from 6:00-7:30PM. Join us, along with Revels, and invite your family and friends to welcome the beginning of autumn with singing and celebration at the Weeks Bridge. This year the Conservancy plans to permanently illuminate the Western Avenue Bridge. Also, start looking for bells – small and large to bring to this year’s festivities. Lyrics can be obtained in advanced by emailing riversing2006@yahoo.com.

For more information on RiverSing 2006, click here. Or view pictures of RiverSing 2005.

Hub On Wheels CityWide Ride and Festival
Come and ride your bike on Storrow Drive!

On October 1st, parts of Storrow Drive will be closed for the Hub on Wheels CityWide Ride and Festival. There will be 10-40 mile routes through city parks, greenways, neighborhoods, and the waterfront. The race will start at Boston’s City Hall and then proceed to a car free Storrow Drive. Registration is open to all participants and the first 250 registrants will receive a $10 Wheelsworks gift certificate.

For more information, please visit the Hub on Wheels website.

CRC on CCTV

The Conservancy has a regular television talk show, which can be viewed on Channel 9 (Cambridge only).On September 13th at 5:30PM, Renata von Tscharner will interview John Powell, the artist who is responsible for illuminating the Western Avenue Bridge. The program will be re-aired on September 14th at 11:30PM.

Conservancy Volunteers making a difference

In July and August 606 volunteers have worked in the parklands on numerous projects in both Cambridge and Allston/Brighton. Groups that came out included Harvard Medical School FUNC, Partners HealthCare Systems, Inc. General Counsel, Single Volunteers of Boston, Summerbridge, Tufts Health Plan Marketing Department, Tufts University Focus, and numerous repeat conservancy volunteers. Thank you everyone for your great work!

Before the official end of the legislative season, the Senate approved a $27 million increase for environmental spending. However, the Green Budget is still $40 million less than what was approved in 2001. We want to thank all those who called, emailed, or wrote letters to their legislators to express their concern over the lack of funding for the parklands. An important part of being a volunteer is translating your own passion for the parklands into advocacy for more public support.

More than 6,500 people have worked with the CRC since the program started in 2002. The Conservancy Stewardship Initiative is a wonderful way for friends and colleagues to work together to improve a natural resource. If you would like to schedule an event for your school, company, or organization, please contact our Conservancy Volunteer coordinator Evan Moss at elm@thecharles.org or the telephone number shown in the column to the left.

Membership Mailing

Thank you to all who sent in your donations. In case you have not sent us your membership contribution, please do so today by clicking here.

If you want to receive our printed fall newsletter, please send your contact information to crc@thecharles.org.

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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