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MEETING NOTES

East Boston Greenway Coordinating Council
Harborside Community Center
Monday,September 21, 1998

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

Attending:

Valerie Burns, Carolyn Banulis, David Christopher, Rose Christopher, Connie Carbone, Aldo Cirone, Louis Covino, Ken Crasco (Parks), Rose D’Amore, Florence D’Avella, Edith DeAngelis, Ann Fanton, Frank Durante, Vincent LaBella, Karen Maddalena, Stephanie Marrow (BPD), Mark Warren, Lauri Webster, Joanne Zambuto.

After introductions all around we began our discussion. Richard Lynds of The East Boston Foundation had not yet arrived so we skipped to item 3 on the agenda:

1. Greenway/Marginal to Porter

Valerie began by saying that there is no one here tonight from MHD to deliver some bad news. There is a problem with the Greenway project that went out to bid in mid August. The problem was acknowledged last Friday. The bid opening, originally scheduled for September 15 had been pushed off to tomorrow, September 22, 1998, but now it has been postponed for two more weeks, until October 6, 1998. An addendum needs to be issued to the six contractors that have picked up packages but it has not been issued as of today. Valerie asked Ken to provide additional details:

Ken noticed a problem with the bid documents when he came back from Labor Day vacation. The specification document that had been released for bid was from an earlier submission, not the 100% submission, submitted on August 14th. Once the problem was identified, Ken had designers send over another disc of the latest copy along with a hard copy. Mistakes happen. The error is caught.

With the ISTEA funding, the City signs a contract stating that any work added once the bids are open (that the city wants) the city has to pay 100% . This is why the city is very interested in making sure the bid documents are correct before bids are accepted (as opposed to making the changes with a change order after the bids are accepted).

Council members were glad that the mistake was caught, but requested that the Representative and Senator call MHD to make sure the delay keeps on schedule for October 6. Council members also requested that Valerie write a letter on behalf of the Council to express the Councils concerns and also requested (again) a copy of the advertisement and the construction documents.

Council members speculated whether it was possible or not to have the groundbreaking event before elections, most believing that it was not going to be possible.

They also expressed real concern about the remediation funding, which must be spent before the end of the calendar year. The EPA levied a fine against MHD and rather than paying the fine into a general fund, MHD is remediating various projects. The East Boston Greenway is one and there is also another parcel on MDC parkland along the Neponset. Members asked whether MHD was going to bear the responsibility for loosing the remediation funds if they do not complete the work before the end of the year.

2. Greenway/Porter to Neptune

Valerie began the discussion by saying there is a Bremen Street Park design meeting on Wednesday, the same night as a Massport meeting about the waterfront planning process (the Cecil Group and Carol Johnson and Associates are the consultants). Council members were upset about these conflicting meetings. Several people had not heard about the Massport meeting at all, although someone mentioned it had been advertised in the newspaper. There is another conflict on Thursday night: the MBTA Arts process meeting is running up against the CPI meeting and Land Use Council.

Carolyn and Edie expressed concern about Massport’s holding the meeting in Jeffries Point. Carolyn felt Massport was concentrating on Jeffries Point and this was an indication that they viewed the rest of East Boston as backwater. Both felt it was necessary for Massport to recognize that the waterfront belongs to all of East Boston. Karen Maddalena said she believes that Massport does understand that the waterfront belongs to all East Boston and that is why they are holding public meetings.

Some discussion about PIERS PAC, with some Council members resenting that this closed group represents the community’s interest. Edie explained 17 years of history with respect to PIERS PAC, that it is legislatively authorized to make all the final decisions about development on the piers. Valerie thought it would be helpful for everyone to have a copy of the actual legislation. David Christopher will see if he can find a copy of the legislation. PIERS PAC meeting are open to the public (although only those authorized can vote). The meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the CAT office in Day Square.

There is a concern that the legislation requires Massport to design the park, but not to build it. Has the money to build Piers Park II been committed?

Valerie handed ou the letter she wrote, at the Council’s direction, to Peter Zuk about the outstanding design issues on Bremen Street Park. The CAT design meeting on Wednesday night is in response to this letter. Valerie noted the week after she wrote this strong letter, she was requesting a letter of support from the Central Artery for the Lila Wallace Reader’s Digest proposal, which Mike Lewis graciously provided. Thank you to Etty Padmodipoetro for drafting the letter.

Valerie also handed out the letter she wrote to Peter Blute about the Council’s concern regarding the pedestrian entrance into Memorial Stadium. Blute’s response to her letter was also passed out. We have been told that Massport may make some announcement regarding this issue soon.

The Announcement regarding relocation of Park ‘n Fly was supposed to be announced at the end of September, as was the status of Memorial Stadium pedestrian entrance. Since Sal LaMattina has not yet arrived at this meeting (he had an earlier meeting with the Mount Carmel neighborhood) we do not have an update at this time.

3. UPDATES

Proposal to the Lila Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund

BNAF submitted a proposal to the Lila Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund for the 1998 Institutionalization Grants to "institutionalize" work done to date on East Boston and the Neponset Greenways. Council members provided many letters of support which greatly enhanced the proposal. Thank you. We did not bring copies of the proposal for everyone to this meeting because the it is more than 50 pages long, but if anyone would like a copy, just let us know and we’ll send you a copy.

Getting this grant is not a sure thing, although BNAF is committed to continue working on the Greenway. If we do get the grant, we will have to raise dollar for dollar matching funds, which will be very difficult. We will keep you posted on any news.

The East Boston Greenway Festival

The East Boston Greenway Festival was a big success. Saturday, kids found a horseshoe crab while shellfishing at Wood Island Park. Sunday was a beautiful day for Arts in the Park and a bike trip led by Mark Warren. On Monday night we bushwacked down the Greenway, ending up at Park ‘n Fly with the Bremen Street drawings. The canoe trip in Belle Isle Marsh was canceled due to thunderstorms. Wednesday night, Mr. Donovan led a walk through the Bennington Street Cemetery and Thursday night people studied the heavens with the Museum of Science at Belle Isle Marsh. At the Beach Party on Friday night, families enjoyed music, hotdogs and popcorn and 101 Dalmatians. At Harvest Festival, seven pies were entered in the apple pie contest, with the winner being Joanne Welch. BNAF sponsored kids crafts: there were pumpkins to paint or carve and bookmarks to stamp. The Council thanked Valerie Burns, BNAF staff and Karl Pastore for all their hard work on the East Boston Greenway Festival.

Buffer Parks

Massport has asked three consultant teams submit proposals for the Bayswater Buffer parks: Carol Johnson and Associates, Inc., Marion Pressley and the Halvorson Company.

4. Other Business

Council Mailing List to Massport

The Council consented to providing Massport with the Council’s mailing list requested by Cathy Leonard McClean for Massport’s waterfront planning process. They thought, however, we should use it to negotiate for Massport’s mailing list, which they refused to share with BNAF earlier.

Chelsea Creek Urban Wild - The City is going to talk about plans to clean-up the Urban Wild at an upcoming meeting on September 28. Valerie handed out flyers provided by Chelsea Creek Action Group.

A Float in the Columbus Day Parade

The Council agreed that it was a good idea for the East Boston Greenway Council to sponsor a float in the Columbus Day Parade on October 11, 1998. We already have some Council volunteers (Rose D’Amore and Rose Christopher) to be on the float. If you are interested in being on the float or helping to assemble it, please call BNAF and let us know! Thanks to Frank Durante for the invitation!

BNAF’s Annual Meeting

BNAF’s annual meeting "On the Road" is this Saturday, September 26, 1998 from 9 to 12 noon. Anyone interested in coming should give us a call. Valerie handed out invitations.

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

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