Our Projects
Work with the Parks & Recreation Department to improve heavily eroded and frequently muddy or icy sections of the trail, thereby reducing tripping hazards, by building wooden walkways and restoring the stone dust surface.
Work with Newton Conservators to expand efforts to preserve native plants and wildlife by removing and controlling invasive species, and educating the public about its’ importance. We have planted a pollinator garden at the park entrance, and are slowly restoring the small meadow (intersection of the main LifeCourse trail with the trail from Beaconwood), which had been overrun with invasive Tree of Heaven, to native plants that support native wildlife.
Improve passage though the park with unobtrusive but clear signs to park features and construction of an information kiosk with a large map and timely information about the park.
Protect Cold Spring and other Newton Parks: An unexpected project we took on was dealing with the potential siting of a proposed Senior/Multi-generational Center, dubbed “NewCAL,” in Cold Spring Park. Cold Spring Park topped a list of 24 potential sites chosen by a city working group, of which 18 were parks or playgrounds. While not opposing a Senior Center, we decided to oppose siting in Cold Spring Park or any city park or playground,
We were the first group to raise an alarm over the proposed site list, and to convene other local conservation-oriented groups. We encouraged attending a public meeting on the proposal, urged writing the Mayor and City Council, and supported a petition to oppose taking any Newton green space for the proposed Senior Center.
After more than 6,000 people–almost 10 percent of the adult population of Newton!–signed the petition, the mayor announced that no green space would be taken for the Senior Center. The working group proposed to site the center on existing hardscape at Albermarle Park–the Gath Pool, field house, basketball and tennis courts. While withholding judgement on the Albemarle proposal, we spoke up at public meetings for following the procedure in the Parks & Rec manual that requires consideration of parks only as a last resort, after non-park sites have been found unfeasible. The Senior Center will now be built on the existing Newtonville site.
Longer term:
- Work with professionals, Parks & Rec, and others to create and help implement a management plan for a healthy park.
- Host public events in the park for educational purposes.
- Create a “virtual park tour” by implementing QR codes, iNaturalist, and more.