Public Documents

Disclaimer: In an effort to foster a better informed citizenry , EBOL provides these documents in electronic form as a public service. East Boston OnLine bears no responsibility for typographical errors. Contact the document writers for hard copies. Some documents have been scanned using an Apple Scanner and OmniPage OCR software. Others have been obtained through e-mail and cut and pasted here. And others have been typed manually. Please send comments and suggestions to editor@eastboston.com

MEETING NOTES

East Boston Greenway Coordinating Council
Harborside Community Center
Monday, December 14, 1998

map of the Marginal to Prescott Segment of the Greeenway
Click to see full map of proposed Greenway

Attending:

Carolyn Banulis, Valerie Burns, David Christopher, Louis Covino, Sal LaMattina, Police Officer Stephanie Marrow, Mark Warren, Lauri Webster.

Attendance is light at this meeting because there is a conflict with the Jeffries Point neighborhood Association meeting and holiday parties and activities. After introductions, we began discussing the groundbreaking ceremony:

1. Greenway - Conrail Corridor from Marginal to Porter Street

All present agreed that the groundbreaking had been a success, although very cold. Dignitaries present gave brief speeches: the Mayor, Tom Eagen from Conrail, Whitney Hatch (TPL), Valerie Burns, Holly Sidford (LWRDF), and of course our own Edie DeAngelis. Commissioner Justine Liff did a great job in her role as MC. Councilor Murphy and Roach also attended. The Massachusetts Highway Department was noticeably absent. Other Park Department staff were on hand to make sure the event came off without a hitch. The EB Chorus, led by Madeleine Steczyuski of Zumix, sang beautifully and we are glad they came. Lauri handed out a copy of the Boston Globe editorial from December 12, the same day as the event and a copy of the Grapevine newsletter which has a humorous claim about Massport'sinvolvement in the creation of the Greenway.

With respect to the start of actual construction, there is still no Notice to Proceed or signed contract from MHD; the contractor is eagerly waiting to start. We have been told that MHD obtained an extension from EPA for the remediation funding until June 99.

2. Updates on Other Greenway Sections

Bayswater - There is a Massport meeting coming up on January 7, 1998. Marion Pressley is the Landscape Architect with the following consultant team: VIIB (structural and civil engineers), Judith Nitsch (permitting) and Nucci Vine (marine engineers).

Belle Isle Marsh - The BIFCo site is a piece of land at the end of the MBTA yard in Orient Heights on Belle Isle Inlet. It is a critical connection between an MDC parcel (salt marsh) on Saratoga Street and Rosie's Pond on Belle Isle Marsh Reservation proper. The City of Boston is beginning to assess how to clean up the site.

Constitution Beach - The MDC's rehabilitation project is underway and on schedule. The new roadway is laid out, the granite curb is in and they have poured the footings for the new pedestrian bridge. Renovation of the bathhouse is not part of the beach renovation contract.

3. Greenway - Conrail Corridor/Bremen Street Park

With Sal and Valerie present, we decided to discuss the status of the Park 'n Fly (now Park Ex) land swap. Sal reported that all parties have an agreement in principle. Park 'n Fly will be moving to the southwest service area. There will probably be an official announcement later this week. The Gove Street neighborhood knows about the deal, but is not necessarily happy. Many would like to see Amarena Park/Field returned in its entirety. Sal pointed out this area has not been a park for 39 years and that returning the Post Office site has never relay been on the table.

The deal will get an airport use out of an East Boston neighborhood and onto airport land. It also includes a small buffer park on Gove Street. Getting the $20 million 12 acre Bremen Street Park built will be a big win for East Boston and for the Greenway. Negotiations have been intense for the last year. There was/is little incentive for Massport and owners of Park 'n Fly to make this change. The CA/T project has been pushing on this because it is attempting to get C08A out to bid by August 1999.

It might be necessary for the East Boston Greenway Council to endorse the agreement. One Council member expressed some reluctance at going against the Gove Street neighborhood if Gove Street neighborhood opposes the deal. First, however the deal must be presented to the community, then the Council can discuss it and decide whether it will endorse it, if it is required.

There are state and federal laws (Article 97, Section 4f) which will prevent the taking of park land (Bremen Street and Memorial Stadium) for Massport expansion in the future.

The pedestrian entrance onto the stadium is still on the table and may be part of the land swap deal.

4. East Boston Greenway Fund

As confirmed at the groundbreaking ceremony by the new TPL Director, Whitney Hatch, TPL will be providing $100,000 to seed an endowment for the East Boston Greenway. We applied to Hale and Door for pro bono legal services and it appears that Louis liammill, who helped start the Trust for City Hall Plaza, will be assisting us, helping us to understand all the options once he begins work.

5. Updates

Louis Covino expressed interest in being on the Greenway maintenance and security committee, which will be convening in the near future. BNAF is waiting to hear news regarding its continued funding.

Very few EB residents are attending the MBTA meetings on the airport station. Council members continue to be upset that the entrance on the community side will be unattended. There will be security cameras and token machines. Community members still want a live person. There are two security officers for the whole Blue Line.

Piers Park won an international award from the Waterfront Center. A big debate is underway for whether a pool will be one of the improvements in Piers Park II.

The Massport planning process seems to be going well. The consultants are now evaluating what is doable and what is not. One of the options they are evaluating includes market rate rental housing.

Several community members have floated the idea of a jazz club on the waterfront, an idea which many seem to like.

Amelia Earhart is landing in East Boston. Come to the East Boston Branch Library on January 14th at 6:30 to meet her! VB handed out invitations to this event along with the East Boston Greenway event calendar for January through March 1999.

ccmn1298 END. These notes are written to the best recollection of the authors. Please let BNAF know if corrections are necessary within 60 days of the date of the meeting notes. Contact BNAF@aol.com

BOSTON NATURAL AREAS FUND. INC.(BNAF)
59 Temple Place, Room 558
Boston, MA 02111-1307
(617)542-7696
(Fax)542-0383
e-mail: BNAF@aol.com