Fenway Civic Association

Fenway Civic Association will be hosting two important park events on Saturday, April 30, complementing the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s Ribbon Cutting and Open House Weekend.

A perennial favorite is FCA’s guided bird walk led by noted professor Dr. Gwilym Jones beginning at 7:00 AM.  Then, an exciting “Arbor Day of Service” in the Back Bay Fens will follow. Led by professionals from Maltby and Co. tree service and the Boston Parks Department, a cadre of tree experts will spend the day donating their professional services for our historic trees in the Fens, pruning, fertilizing, and planting new trees. See below for details, and join in!

Birds of the Back Bay Fens:

Date:  Saturday morning, April 30th

Time:  7:00 a.m.

Location:  Back Bay Fens park in Boston’s West Fenway neighborhood. Meet at the Japanese Bell outside the Kelleher Rose Garden (by the footbridge across from the Museum of Fine Arts).

Guided birdwalk by Dr. Gwilym Jones, Professor of Biology, Northeastern University

Thrill to the sight and sound of the array of birds that inhabit the Back Bay Fens each spring. All levels welcome. Bring binoculars.

ONE LUCKY ATTENDEE will go home with a FREE BIRDING FIELD GUIDE!

Arbor Day of Service:

Date:  Saturday morning, April 30th

Time:  8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Location:  Fenway Victory Gardens

Come help Maltby and Co., Natural Tree and Lawn, the City of Boston Parks Department, and many other arbor companies as they donate a day of service to the Back Bay Fens. Join volunteers as we plant trees and help these generous arborists care for the oldest park in the Emerald Necklace. To learn more, read the attached press release. Volunteers are welcome! To join as a volunteer and for more information, contact Marie Fukuda at fresherfish@aol.com.  Come help the Fenway’s urban canopy grow!

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The FCA Board supports the passage of H. 1169, An Act Protecting Sunlight in Certain Public Parks, sponsored by Reps. Martha Walz and Byron Rushing. To read the bill, go to http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H01169.

This bill seeks to expand and clarify the current laws that protect the sunlight on the beloved Boston Public Garden and the Boston Common by limiting new shadows.

Specifically, the bill would prohibit any new construction or building remodeling from blocking sunlight and casting new shadows on six additional public parks.

The goal of the bill is to allow reasonably-scaled development near the parks while protecting sufficient sunlight for the health of the park environment and the enjoyment of its users.

The five Boston parks and one Cambridge park protected by the bill are:

• The Back Bay Fens
• Christopher Columbus Park
• The Commonwealth Avenue Mall
• Copley Square Park
• The Esplanade
• Magazine Beach Park

The goal is to collect 2,000+ signatures by May 30th. Three ways to help accomplish this are:

1. Sign the petition immediately on https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sunlight2. The survey will be available until May 23.
2. Download the attached petition and circulate as many copies as you can in your area, especially at any large events. Contact FCA with completed forms and we will arrange for submission.
3. Invite other organizations and interested parties in your area to participate and pass on a petition for them on to circulate.

Our neighboring civic association, Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay (NABB) will collect the electronic signatures and coordinate with FCA to collect the completed paper petitions. Together we can ensure that sunlight continues to shine on our neighborhood parks. If you have any questions, please e-mail FCA (fenwaycivic@aol.com) or Sue Prindle of NABB (sprindl@verizon.net), who is helping to coordinate the effort.

Thank you for helping to protect our valuable natural resources!

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The Fenway Civic Association supports the efforts of the Friends of Jamaica Pond and others to share visions, reflections, ideas and concerns about the sale and development of Hellenic Hill that could threaten Jamaica Pond.  The Public Forum will happen on Wednesday, April 27th at 7 PM at the First Church in Jamaica Plain. 6 Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.

For more information, see below, visit the Friends of Jamaica Pond website, or sign the online petition.

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The Fenway Young Professionals, a group affiliated with the Fenway Civic Association, was recently featured on Boston.com in the Fenway/Kenmore section.   The article describes the origins of the group, its mission, and its vision for the future.

“This group is a good introduction to becoming more involved in an urban neighborhood,” said Matthew Brooks, a member of the Young Professionals steering committee and a board member of the Fenway Civic Association. “It gives people an opportunity to be introduced to issues and how to help improve your community. Since it’s aimed at young professionals, it’s a more relaxed group, a more relaxed introduction.”

Fenway Young Professionals has helped to boost the membership of the civic association, which focuses on promoting and sustaining a vibrant Fenway neighborhood. At any given association event, about 20 members of the group are in attendance. Over the course of the next year, the group is hoping to further expand.

Check out the full article here — and read more on the Fenway YP page!   To join, email fenwayyp@gmail.com.

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Spring is gearing up to be a beautiful and busy season in the Fenway!    Come to these events to learn more about the Winsor School’s proposed development plan for Longwood, review the proposal for redesign of the fountain in the Kelleher Rose Garden, and help spruce up your park in the 12th Annual Muddy River Cleanup!

Winsor School Development Public Meeting

When:  Monday, March 28, 6:30 pm

Where: Winsor School, Pilgrim Road

The BRA and the school will host a public meeting to discuss the Project Notification Form the Winsor School has filed with the city.  The PNF outlines plans to redevelop the school’s campus with the construction of three new buildings.  For more information, see the BRA’s project website here (the PNF is available for download at this site).

Keller Rose Garden Fountain Public Meeting

When:   Wednesday, March 30th, 6 – 7 pm

Where:  Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 The Fenway

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is hosting a public meeting to review the conceptual design for renovation of the Kelleher Rose Garden Fountain.  Designed in 1931 by Arthur Shurcliff, the foundtain has experienced a number of iterations before falling into disrepair.  the Conservancy, in parternship with the Boston Parks Department, commissioned Victor Walker of Walker of Walker-Kluesing Design Group to design a solution for the renovation of this historic fountain. The meeting will cover the history of the fountain from 1931 to current day, including both plans and photos, and then will focus on conceptual designs for the renovation of the fountain.

Please RSVP to cpedemonti@emeraldnecklace.org as space is limited.

Muddy River Cleanup

When:   Saturday, April 16th, 9 am –  12 pm

Where:  Back Bay Fens

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is partnering with the Charles River Watershed Association for the 12th Annual Muddy River Clean-Up! Since 2008, hundreds of student groups, volunteers and community organizations have come together to clean up the Muddy River, a tributary of the Charles River in the Bay Bay Fens.

RSVP by emailing Teressa Bryant at projectassistant@emeraldnecklace.org.

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UPDATE:  If you’d like more information about the Muddy River utilities relocation work, please check out the Presentation from DCR’s public meeting here.   DCR has also posted a list Frequently Asked Questions about the project with answers here.

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)  and the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department  invite you to attend a public meeting to discuss the impacts  of upcoming work to relocate underground utilities from the area of Brookline Avenue between Park Drive and the Fenway. The utilities will be moved to a temporary location nearby to allow work to begin on the Muddy River Restoration Project.

DCR and Boston Parks Public Meeting

Muddy River Project Utilities Relocation

• March 16, 2011 6:30 p.m.
• Massachusetts College of Art and Design
• Tower Building, 11th Floor, Trustee Room
• 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston

If you have questions about the public meeting, please email DCR.Updates@state.ma.us or call 617-626-4974.

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The next Fenway Young Professionals gathering will be held at Jerry Remy’s on March 30th @ 7:00 pm.  Come out to meet your neighbors, enjoy complimentary appetizers, and find out more about how to get involved in your neighborhood.   Check out our events page for the details.  We hope to see you there!

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Local property owner The Copley Group has partnered with the Cape Ann Fresh Catch (CAFC) Community Supported Fishery (CSF) to help bring their “day-boat” fresh, locally-caught, sustainable seafood directly to the Fenway.  The spring season is set to begin in March, with the first delivery scheduled for Saturday, March 12.   Deliveries will occur on Saturdays from 11am–1pm at 111 Queensbury St.   In order to participate, members must sign up with CAFC.

For more information, see below or visit http://www.capeannfreshcatch.org.

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From the Copley Group: For those unfamiliar with community supported food programs, members purchase a “share” of a season’s harvest in advance and then throughout that season at a regularly scheduled delivery site, pick up their share of fresh, sustainably-harvested local food.

The CAFC CSF benefits local fishermen, the environment, our local economy, and its members. Local fishermen are helped by having new, more sustainable, markets for their product. Because the distance travelled and its carbon footprint of putting dinner on your plate is greatly reduced, the environment benefits. By keeping all costs community-based, our local economy prospers. And CAFC members get the freshest and highest quality seafood available.

It’s a win-win-win-win for our local fishermen, our environment, our local economy, and you!

• The CAFC Spring 2011 season will begin the week of Monday March 7th and will last for 12 weeks.
• Fenway’s first delivery will be on Sat. 3/12 from 11am–1pm *
• The delivery site for the Fenway will be in the parking lot behind 111 Queensbury Street
• CAFC’s Spring 2011 shares cost $24/week for 2 lbs of fillets or $20/week for 4–6 lbs of whole fish (please visit their website for more details).
• The type of seafood that’s delivered in a share is determined by Neptune and Mother Nature on that specific delivery day.
• You can purchase either a weekly delivery (12 weeks) or a bi-weekly delivery (6 weeks).
• Membership is open to everyone.

Further details about CAFC’s up-coming season are posted at http://www.capeannfreshcatch.org.

* There is a minimum number of people needed to make the Fenway neighborhood site viable for CAFC. To help make this happen for CAFC’s Spring 2011 season please send an email soon to fenway@capeannfreshcatch.org and let them know you want to join!

To join CAFC’s general email list and get notifications of their new seasons and/or upcoming events please visit www.capeannfreshcatch.org/SignUpForm.html

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The date for the BRA Article 80 public meeting for the Fenway Triangle Mixed Use proposal has been set.  This development is proposed for 1325 Boylston Street / 132 Brookline Ave in the West Fenway.

DATE: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

TIME: 6-8PM

WHERE: Fenway Health Center, 1340 Boylston Street, 10th Floor Auditorium

There will be an explanation of the Article 80 process, a presentation by the developer, and then a question-and-answer section.

For more information, please contact John FitzGerald at the Boston Redevelopment Authority (617-918-4267), or visit the BRA’s website for this project here.

To view a copy of the Fenway Civic Association’s comment letter issued to the BRA on the scope of Article 80 review for this project, check out our Bulletin Board.

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Thanks to the generosity of Samuels and Associates, discounted parking fees will be made available for neighborhood residents offered at both the 1330 Boylston Street and Fenway Triangle Trilogy garages DURING CITY OF BOSTON DECLARED SNOW EMERGENCIES.

Please read the following terms carefully- residents are responsible for complying with the instructions below:

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In order to be eligible for the discounted rates, residents must enter either garage 2 hours prior to the declared emergency and must exit before 2 hours after the emergency restrictions have been lifted. Parkers should stop by the garage office to show their Parking Permit issued by the City or a driver’s license with a neighborhood address.

The discounted rates are:

• Overnight: $6.00 Parkers must exist the garage before 9:00 a.m. the next day
• 24 hours: $10.00 Parkers will be charged $10.00 up to 24 hours, $20.00 up to 48 hours, $30.00 up to 72 hours

The phone number for more information is (617)236-5558

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How do you know when there is a snow emergency? Emergencies are listed on the City of Boston website at:  http://www.cityofboston.gov/snow/

Residents can also register for automatic alerts via phone, email or text message, including emergency declarations and cancellations by going to: http://www.cityofboston.gov/moem/alertboston.asp

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