As the year draws to a close, there are a number of upcoming end-of-year events we wanted to make you aware of.

Wednesday, December 7, 6:30 pm – West Fenway Christmas Tree Lighting!

Please join us for this annual tradition outside the Kelleher Rose Garden (across from 77 Park Drive).

We will have cookies, cocoa, carols, and a special appearance by Santa!

Special thanks to the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Public Works, Boston D-4 Police, and the Boston Fire Department

Thursday, December 8, 6:00 pm – State Senate Candidates Forum for the Second Suffolk & Middlesex District

As you may know, a special election is going to be held on Tuesday, December 13, to replace retired Senator Steve Tolman, whose district encompasses part of the Fenway.   On Thursday, a meet-and-greet will be held with the candidates, followed by a candidates forum.  The event will be held at the Elks Lodge, 326 Washington Street, Brighton Center (free parking behind building, enter lot from Winship Street)

Candidates: State Rep. Will Brownsberger, State Rep. Jon Hecht, Bob McCarthy, Tim Schofield

Moderator: Michael Pahre, Editor, Brighton Centered Blog

For more information, contact Lauren Mattison at lauren269@yahoo.com

January 4, 2012, 6:30 pm – Fenway Civic Association Annual Meeting

Please mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting, which will be held just after the close of the year in early January.   Plan on joining us for an exceptional evening at the Museum of Fine Arts!   Join your friends and neighbors for an inspiring evening among some of the world’s greatest works of art and architecture.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 PM in the Riley Seminar Room in the renovated Linde Family Wing, with a recap of FCA’s activities, socializing, and refreshments.  Following the business meeting will be a tour of the new Art of the Americas Wing specially conducted for FCA members by Katie Getchell, MFA curator and Vice President of Facilities.

We hope to see you there!

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Please join the Fenway Civic Association and the Department of Conservation and Recreation for a public meeting to discuss Agassiz Road Pathway and Parkway Improvements.

Date:   Monday, October 3, 2011

Time:  6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Location:   Berklee College of Music, 142 Massachusetts Avenue-2nd Floor

Building on the current work on the Emerald Necklace Crosswalks and Treatment Guidelines, DCR is preparing a feasibility and design study to evaluate transportation and multi-use improvements along Agassiz Road. The study is being carried out with the support of the Fenway Civic Association under DCR’s Partnership Matching Funds Program and in cooperation with the City of Boston.

At the meeting, DCR will present the findings of the field inventory existing conditions analysis performed and present, and obtain public input on, conceptual design alternatives. If you have questions about the public meeting, please email DCR.Updates@state.ma.us or call 617-626-4974.

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Please join the Friends of Ramler Park for the Summer Sunset Concert Series

This month’s concert features Maria Jane Loizou and Gabriel Alfieri, Vocalists, and special guests Songs of Stage and Screen

Thursday, August 18th, 6:30 pm

Ramler Park, 140 Peterborough Street, West Fens

Rain Date Friday, August 19th.

Seating is on lawn and park benches, or bring your own folding chair.

Thanks to the Mission Hill/Fenway Neighborhood Trust for their support of the concert series.

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Update:  Thanks to everyone who came out for the concert!   We enjoyed beautiful weather and some fabulous performances.

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Please join us Wednesday evening, July 20th, from 6:00 to 8:30 pm for the annual Swingin’ in Mothers Rest concert.

Exciting Berklee-based world music acts Vaughnette and Women of the World will perform. Mothers Rest playground is located in the Back Bay Fens at the corner of Boylston Street and Fenway. Picnics and folding chairs are encouraged. The event is wheelchair accessible. Presenters of Swingin’ in Mothers Rest are Berklee College of Music, the Fenway Civic Association, and the City of Boston ParkARTS program.

Hailing from La Brea in the south of Trinidad, Vaughnette has Caribbean charisma and rich, earthy vocals that deliver timeless standards and ballads. She debuted on the jazz circuit at the Steelpan and Jazz Festival as the guest vocalist with virtuoso pianist Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. Prolific performances followed at the San Fernando Jazz Festival, appearing with visionary Carlton Alexander and the Coalpot Band, at Sando Jazz alongside Botswanan flugelhorn player Socca Moruakgomo, and at Jazz on the Beach, in Tobago.

Women of the World is an international vocal ensemble whose music is borderless and spirited, with an undeniable message of peace. Founded by Ayumi Ueda, from Japan, the group includes Ali Rapetti from the United States, Katerina Polemi from Greece/Brazil, Giorgia Renosto from Italy, and Annette Philip from India. Fans who follow Women of the World are a diverse assembly drawn by the repertoire of songs performed in a myriad of languages: Bulgarian, Cuban, Ladino, Brazilian, African, Indian, and Japanese. In 2010 the group shared the stage with iconic African vocalist Angelique Kidjo. Women of the World’s recent New York debut was at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

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The Fenway Alliance has partnered with Common Boston to showcase the Fenway on on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25, as part of Common Boston Week.

Common Boston Week is a 10-day event celebrating architecture and design through Boston. Fenway participants can explore the relationship between their neighborhood and institutions of higher education and culture by touring several institutional buildings and campuses while also traversing diverse Fenway streetscapes.

Events include: Tours of Boston Conservatory’s Hemenway Project, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Berklee’s performance space, the new wing at the Gardner Museum, and the Fenway Studios; a walking tour of the Back Bay Fens with the Muddy River Maintenance Oversight Committee, and presentations from the Fenway Alliance and Berklee College of Music.

For more information, please visit the Common Boston events page at: http://www.eventbrite.com/org/471055467?s=3816353

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The Friends of Symphony Park are pleased to announce a series of free Tai Chi classes in the park for the 2011 season.

Funded by a generous grant from the Mission Hill/Fenway Neighborhood Trust, with additional support from Berklee College of Music and the Mews Condominium Trust, this 8 class program will provide healthy movement opportunities for seniors and neighborhood residents. Instruction will be provided by Sifu Huan Zhang of Huan’s Tai Chi and will take place in the park, located at the corner of Edgerly Road and Norway Street in the East Fenway. In event of rain, classes will be moved to Morville House, located adjacent to the park at 100 Norway Street.

Instructor Huan Zhang has twenty four years of experience in Tai Chi Chuan. He has done lectures, seminars and demonstrations at locations such as Harvard, Northeastern and MIT.

All are welcome to join – wear comfortable clothing and feel free to bring your water bottle. Restrooms and water fountains will be available at Morville House.

Classes will start Thursday, June 23 at 9:00 a.m. and take place every Thursday through to August 11th. Class dates are as follows: 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4 and 8/11

Friends of Symphony Park is an all-volunteer group working to maintain Symphony Park. Special thanks to Berklee College of Music and the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department for their support of this program.

For more information Symphony Park, please see our Symphony Park page.

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The spring has been a great season in the Fenway, and has really brought out all the best in our neighborhood – and our neighbors!   We would like to extend a special thanks to certain individuals and organizations who have helped make our recent events and efforts successful.

Northeastern University – Flower Distribution.  A very special thanks to Northeastern University for continuing the annual tradition of joining with the Fenway Civic Association to provide flowers for our neighborhood residents. Everyone who participated is thrilled with the instant gratification of blooming annuals for our neighborhood’s gardens and window boxes after such a grey spring. Thanks to Northeastern staff and their student volunteers for handling all the logistics so smoothly.

Gold Sponsors – Year of the Tree Campaign.  FCA’s Year of the Tree campaign was a great success.   This year, all membership dues have been dedicated to the preservation and restoration of trees in the Fenway.   A number of individual and institutional members made extra contributions to the cause.  We thank them for their generosity!

Maltby & Company, Natural Tree and Lawn Care – Arbor Day / Maltby Day of Service.   Many, many thanks to Maltby & Company, and Natural Tree and Lawn Care, for the generous donation of their time, expertise, and supplies during the Maltby Day of Service.   This year dozens of volunteers assisted in providing care for trees in the Back Bay Fens.  A number of new trees were planted as well! 

Dr. Gwyl Jones – Birds of the Back Bay Fens.  Dr. Jones continued his generous tradition of leading the Fenway Civic Association’s Birds of the Back Bay Fens walk on April 30, 2011.  This year marked our 13th annual walk!   The team observed and identified 31 different species of birds.  Our thanks to Dr. Jones for once again leading this lovely event! 

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Unfortunately, the severe weather forecast for this evening has necessitated cancelling our annual Rose Garden Picnic.

Please stay tuned for information on other upcoming fun summer events in the Fenway.

Please join us this Thursday, June 9th, for the annual Rose Garden Picnic. Come meet your neighbors, enjoy live music and refreshments, and view the roses in bloom!

Date: Thursday June 9, 2011

Time: 6:00-8:00pm

Location: Outside the Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens (Across from 85 Park Drive)

What to bring: a picnic and a blanket/chair

What we provide: Beverages, dessert, entertainment, chance to connect with your neighbors.

LIVE MUSIC!

Dave Ehle and Friends

Live Jazz

This event is free and open to the public. The picnic will be held weather-permitting. Special thanks to the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department.

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Lots of exciting things are happening with bikes in Boston these days.   Fenway Civic Association strongly supports the use of alternatives to single occupancy vehicle transportation.    The Fenway has one of the lowest rates of vehicle ownership in the city of Boston, and the majority of our residents use bicycles and other alternative modes of transportation on a regular basis.

FCA is proud to support Boston Bikes, and was pleased to participate in the review of their recent proposal for the addition of bicycle lanes to Massachusetts Avenue.  Check out FCA’s letter of support and design suggestions on our Bulletin Board here.

FCA looks forward to the implementation of the City’s bike-sharing program, Hubway, set to launch in July.  Check out the recent Boston Globe articles on the program here and here.  Having just returned from seeing the wild success of a very similar program in Washington, D.C., this board member can’t wait for Boston’s program to start!

Finally, Boston Bike Week is coming up, May 15 – 20.  Check out the website here for information on all the exciting events.    The kickoff party will be held right here in Fenway, at Giant Cycling World on Kilmarnock Street  (Sunday, May 15, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm).    We hope to see you there!

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