CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
January 2008
Archives—Table of Contents

Proposal for a Car-free Storrow Drive on Sundays

Following the success of 25 years of Sunday closings of Memorial Drive and the Hub on Wheels bicycle ride on Storrow Drive this past September, the CRC is proposing an expansion of weekend road closings to cars to take better advantage of the Parklands as a place for active recreation. Storrow Drive would be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, so as to not coincide with the well-established Memorial Drive closings from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Cambridge.

Click on the following links to read the front-page Boston Globe article from January 1, 2008 and subsequent editorial.

The CRC is actively seeking letters of support and feedback for this proposal. Please send to Nicole Brown, Special Projects Coordinator, at ngb@thecharles.org.

CRC Advocates for Historic Parkways

On January 15th, representatives from environmental groups, including the CRC, testified in support of the Environmental Bond Bill (H4446). The CRC also drew attention to the section in the bill about the historic parkways, pointing out that special guidelines need to be followed, that the Storrow Drive Tunnel project should be carried out under DCR, and that the Transportation Bond Bill needs to have similar language to ensure that the parkways (which include Memorial and Storrow Drives) stay under DCR's maintenance. To read the letter sent to key legislators, please click here (PDF format).

Long-Overdue Funding Increase Proposed for DCR

On January 17th, Governor Deval Patrick announced a $100.6 million addition to the 2009 operating budget for the Department of Conservation and Recreation. This is a much-needed boost of nearly 9 percent over the current year for the sadly under-funded DCR, in a state which has been ranked 48th in terms of per capita spending on its state parks. To read the complete Boston Globe story, click here.

Skateboarders' Contributions Earn Challenge Grant

Over 100 skateboarders have now made individual contributions of $50.00 or more to the Charles River Skatepark! This means that s $50,000 anonymous challenge grant will be released. The grant was conditional upon receiving donations from skaters: Thank you to all those whose gifts made it possible! The Skatepark campaign has almost reached $2.2 m toward the $2.3m goal.

Please click on the following link to make your online contribution to the Skatepark.

Relive RiverSing 2007 on TV in February!

On Monday, February 11th, at 7:00 p.m., the film made by Charles Mann of River Run Studio in Cambridge will be presented live on BNN (Comcast Channels 9 and 23, RCN Channels 15 and 83, Boston only). This 20-minute film brings back the sights and sounds of the magical evening, hosted jointly by Revels and the CRC on the banks of the Charles to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox. Cambridge audiences can view a similar live program on CCTV (Channel 9, Cambridge only) on Wednesday, February 13th, at 5:30 p.m.

The Conservancy presents several talk shows every month. Click here for details.

Special Spring Mailing

Thank you to all who submitted memories, stories and poems about the Charles over the last few months! If you would like to receive a copy of a special CRC booklet of selected "RiverStories" that will be published this spring, please send us your mailing address.

To contribute to the CRC, click here. All first-time donations will be matched.

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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