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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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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