CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
February 2008
Archives—Table of Contents

Advocacy for Historic Parkways Continues

In January, the Charles River Conservancy worked closely with other advocates and legislators of the park caucus to keep the parkways (e.g. Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive) under the auspices of the DCR. This effort resulted in significant changes to the text of the Transportation Bond Bill. To learn more, please read this letter sent from Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles (PDF format).

Help the CRC Support the Environmental Bond Bill

As you may be aware, the Charles River Conservancy is a member of the Coalition for the Environmental Bond. We are working with more than 220 other organizations across the state to pass a strong Environmental Bond Bill this session because funding for critical environmental programs across the Commonwealth is running out.

Please take a moment to contact your state legislators and ask them to support and pass the Environmental Bond Bill this session. Tell them that passage of the Environmental Bond is very important to you as a member of the Charles River Conservancy and that you want them to contact members of the Bonding as well as the Ways and Means Committees so the bill moves through quickly.

You can see more information about the Environmental Bond at the Coalition's website: www.envirobond.org.

Upcoming Rehabilitation of Storrow Drive

The interim repair project for Storrow Drive Tunnel is slated to begin in April 2008. To learn more about the planned repairs, please read this recent DCR communication to the community (PDF format). To subscribe for future email updates regarding work in the Charles River Basin, please contact Anne Fiesinger at anne.fiesinger@state.ma.us or 617.626.1312.

History of the Charles River Esplanade

On Tuesday, February 26th, and 6 p.m., Linda Cox will be giving a slide lecture entitled “The Charles River Esplanade: Its Fascinating History.” The lecture, which is jointly sponsored by the Boston Preservation Alliance and the Old South Meeting House, will be held at the Old South Meeting House, located at 310 Washington Street in Boston. Please RSVP to Erin Ware at eware@bostonpreservation.org or 617.367.2458.

Special Spring Mailing: “RiverStories”

If you would like to receive a copy of a special CRC booklet of “RiverStories” that will be published this spring, please send us your mailing address.

Contributing to the CRC

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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