The
Friends of Hemlock GorgeThe
Friends of Hemlock Gorge
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August: No Meeting | September |
| October | November | December |
The first meeting in 1993 vas attended by 6 people. The meeting was not called to order until 7:40 because we were busily examining the old maps of the Gorge which Ken Newcomb had brought. Particularly interesting was a map shoving the old dance hall, the bridge leading to it, and names of the different kinds of trees and their locations. Ken also brought a copy of a 1967 bulletin of the Newton Conservators containing a plan for parking space exactly where we hope to have parking. Vaunita will try to have the Conservators let us photocopy this plan to show Mayor Mann in our effort to establish our right to use the land in this way.
At 7:40 the meeting was called to order. Jo-Anne Carr told us that in late January she will attend a meeting co-chaired by the Appalachian Mountain Club and CANEPI to explore with the MDC that organization's commitment to the improvement of the park properties during this centennial year of the MDC. Is Central Services interested in serving the park sites? How can we develop a Mission Statement for the parks? No date for this meeting has been set.
Jo-Anne says our (Friends of Hemlock Gorge) agreement with CANEPI has expired and asks if we want to renew it. She feels that our group is not yet strong enough to function without CANEPI's help. We must review the Memorandum of Understanding so we know our rights. CANEPI gets 10% for helping us secure financial grants but takes a larger percentage for other services. The money pays for the service, not the individual staff from CANEPI.
Rob McArthur asks if the Friends would profit from having our own P.O. Box instead of having our mail go to Elm Bank to be forwarded to the addressee. Ken Newcomb suggests that the CDC might share their P.O. Box with us.
Vaunita Schnell says that Lee Fisher has an old membership list which we must up-date and that we must start to collect dues. She suggests sending the minutes to all who come on walks (or otherwise show interest but stop the mailings after one year if they show no further interest.
Rob McArthur says the Mass. Horticultural Society is really interested in using a building at Elm Bank. If this happens, the MDC will have to provide more staff for Elm Bank and we might get more staff, too!
Vaunita Schnell mentioned the deteriorating raceway dam. Rob says we should write to the MDC Commissioner with copies to the Deputy Commissioner and Paul DiPietro stating the possible results if the dam breaks. He says that the downstream properties on Quinobequin Rd., the Pillar House, and especially the businesses in the office park across the river might suffer water damage if the dam broke. Who is interested in writing this letter? The hole in the dam is growing.
At our Feb. 2 meeting we should plan our Spring Programs. Don Cusack will put reminders in the local papers so you can be sure to come with your ideas. Would you like more walks? Skating? Picnics? Weather permitting in all cases!
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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The Feb. meeting was attended by ten people, although not all were present at any one time.
First topic on our agenda was the voting to continue our connection with CANEPI. Jo-Anne Carr announced that CANEPI now issues the Memoranda of Understanding for periods of 6 months instead of 2 years, as they had been, with a view to encouraging the various Friends' groups to become self-sustaining sooner. We feel that we still need CANEPI's help. The fees for their services have changed, so we voted to renew the MOU, subject top revision of section 8. To become more self-sufficient we need to collect dues from our members. We discussed various plans for when dues should be paid. Every year at the same time for everybody? Or pay whenever your particular year expires? One possibility is to let people who pay their dues now be exempt from paying again until Oct.1994. This is a sort of bargain rate-1 1/2 years for the price of 1 year!!! Another step toward self-sufficiency is for us to have our own mailing address instead of relying on CANEPI or the Elm Bank address. We are investigating rental of a P.O. Box in Newton Upper Falls, or failing that, possibly Newton Highlands.
Our 2nd topic was the planning for the Centennial of the MDC and how it can include the Friends. Brian Yates says he will phone Brian Broderick to ask about this. Vaunita Schnell says repair of the Raceway Dam and/or building a bridge from the Devil's Den to the opposite side (as suggested by Rob McArthur) would be excellent projects to undertake as celebration of the Centennial. In Rob's last conversation with MDC engineer, Paul DiPietro, the latter remarked that the leak was "not as bad as it looks," but observers now say that the hole is growing and that water now gushes through it. We MUST write or phone the commissioner about this. The repair is still too far down on their priority list. If the public shows interest in having the repair made, perhaps it will happen sooner. Please DO WRITE! Send a postcard!
The possible bridge from the Devil's Den could be a rustic structure of planks on beams if we could get the Edison Co. to let us have some poles. Jim Purdy says that 2 weekend's work could build the bridge and that the best time to do it would be in Sept. or Oct. VOLUNTEERS?? Rob suggests naming the bridge "The Friends' Bridge".
Vaunita then reported on her trip to Newton City Hall to research the possibility of using a piece of land on the corner of Ellis St. and Rte.9 as parking space. We were referred to the Conservation Commission and told to attend their meeting at City Hall on Feb. 25.Brian Yates volunteered to assist us in this matter. Rob McArthur reports that the security lights for the old stone building have been ordered, and that the USGS will repair the door.
Rob announces SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY on the 2nd.Sat.in May which is MAY 8.
Please bring suggestions for any future projects to our March meeting.
This meeting adjourned at 9 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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Present at the March meeting were: Vaunita Schnell, Don Cusack, Brian Yates, Hannah Sherman, and Christine Samuelson who joined the Friends and paid her dues at this meeting.
Vaunita opened the meeting by explaining that Rob McArthur could not attend and then retelling his messages, as follows:
SCHEDULE for CLEAN-UP DAY,MAY 8:
10 A.M. Clean up the Gorge--trails, etc.
1:30 P.M. Lunch--bring your own food and Rob will provide beverages.
2 P.M. Walk through the Gorge
We approved the above schedule.
Vaunita details her plans for a walk in the Gorge for Newton South High School students in April. They prefer a Sunday. She will invite Upper Falls students especially to attend.
The report of our visit to the Conservation Commission followed. We showed the Commission a map drawn in 1967 showing plans for parking at the corner of Ellis St. and Rte. 9, to demonstrate that this is not purely our scheme for the site. Brian Yates helped us with the presentation and suggested a source of funds for the project. The Commissioners approved the presentation of the plan to the DPW (the Commission does not spend money for this but the DPW may) Our next move is to appear at the March 17 meeting of the Aldermanic Committee on the Capital Improvements Budget. Brian will then move to appropriate money to pave the lot. This would be in the budget for the fiscal year 1994. We must notify the neighboring landowners of our plans . This can be done over the summer. Allowing them to use the lot will help persuade them that our plan is worthy. Vaunita Schnell is not able to attend the March 17 meeting so we are asking other members to attend. NEWTON CITY HALL, MARCH 17 about 7:45 P.M.
The matter of the bridge from the Devil's Den is mentioned. There has been no progress on this matter.
Ellis Raceway Dam Project--also no progress.
The sub-committee on the Ellis Stone Barn plans to meet before our April meeting and will report then.
Following investigations at Upper Falls post office, it turns out that there is a waiting line for use of a P.O. Box there. We do prefer Upper Falls to any other location so decided to wait. Membership lists are still in a state of confusion. Vaunita did bring her list to this meeting and we went through it name by name to see who actually is a member. Jo-Anne Carr has another list but since she was not present we could not combine the two lists.
We decided that all members will be asked to pay dues now or at the Clean-up Day (May 8). People who do not answer this appeal will be dropped from the mailing list for one year. We hope to prepare this mailing at our April meeting (April 6). WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH SENDING THE MAIL ON APRIL 6! PLEASE COME!!
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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For the second month in a row, we welcomed a new member at a meeting This month's new member is Rob Fallon, a friend of John Mordes. He joined the organization on April 6. Last month's new member, Christine Samuelson, plans to bring 15 young people to the Clean-up Day in May to help with the work. Other members present on April 6 were: Vaunita Schnell, Brian Yates. Jo-Anne Carr, Rob McArthur, John Mordes, and Hannah Sherman.
The flooding after the spring storms inspired us to start the meeting by discussing the "old business" of the Raceway Dam. Those who have visited the Gorge recently report, that water is pouring over a and perhaps through the dam at a faster rate than ever. In an effort to do something about this, it was decided that the secretary will draft a letter to the MDC Commissioner and engineers asking that repair of the dam be given a higher priority. The letter will be written under the advice of President Schnell.
Further preparations for the CLEAN-UP DAY were discussed. The Friends can arrange to have Purity stores help supply soft drinks. Rob will bring posters to the May meeting so we can distribute them in the neighborhood.
Rob McArthur reports--new signs will be put up to replace the existing ones. The latter could be stored in the Old Stone Building. New railings, a new Ellis St. staircase, and a. new echo platform are scheduled to be installed in July. Rob wants to write to the MWRA about a new fence at the Chestnut St. entrance to the property, and new signs there, too.
Jo-Anne Carr reports that the Green Ribbon Committee for the MDC Centennial has not done anything involving the Friends of Hemlock Gorge. We discuss celebrating the Centennial in our own way. Rob suggests doing this in OCTOBER when we build a new bridge from the Devil's Den. Brian Yates knows how to contact the telephone company to get 2 telephone poles to use for the bridge. Rob suggests that the company might send men to help place the poles.
PARKING LOT--the Newton Capital Improvements Committee has put our request for paving a space at the corner of Ellis St. and Rte. 9 into their budget for fiscal 1995.
The Stone Building Committee did not meet this month, but Jo-Anne Carr described the presentation boards from the architects showing how they plan to restore the building. The plans are ready but now the architect is going out of business, or at least reorganizing(?). However, a short version of the plan (with costs) should be available to us for use in Fund-raising. Uses of the restored building could be: a stop on the Walking Tours or a repository for memorabilia of Upper Falls History. Space on the second floor could be reserved for the Friends. Rob says volunteers could staff the building. Therefore: WE STILL NEED A SUB-COMMITTEE on the Stone Building.
Membership letters requesting new members and/or payment of dues by old members must be sent out. Vaunita favors forming a Membership Committee, but, she agrees to draft a letter to send soon, encouraging payment of dues and attendance at meetings.
Our agreement with CANEPI was signed. Rob will return it to Brian Broderick for his signature.
This meeting adjourned at, 8:36.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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Present at this meeting were: Vaunita Schnell, John Mordes, Brian Yates, Rob McArthur, Tony Penna (our newest member and a neighbor of John Mordes) and Hannah Sherman.
For the second month in a row, John Mordes has brought us a new member. We welcome Tony Penna to our group.
Rob McArthur brought posters for the CLEAN-UP DAY on May 8. These were better than expected because radio station WZLX will be among those present with sound equipment (rock), T-shirts, and rotisserie chicken at lunch. We discuss the posting of the publicity they sent, and distribute the posters among those present to be placed in prominent places. Rob says that a Plexiglas panel will be placed on the bulletin board at the Gorge to cover the map and permanent posters and prevent their being ripped off by vandals.
A further effort to publicize CLEAN-UP DAY was the dividing of the membership list among us so that each person will call a few members to remind them of the event. Brian Yates says he will try to have notices in the News-Tribune and the Transcript.
On MAY 16 at 2 P.M. Rob will lead a walk through the Gorge for students from Newton South High School. Members are welcome to join this walk if they wish.
Brian Yates' letter to Commissioner Bhatti about the leak in the RACEWAY DAM was circulated. We all applaud his efforts as this letter was sent not only to the Commissioner but also to several public servants who may be interested in helping to spur the MDC to action in repairing the dam.
Brian also reports that telephone poles are no longer available from the phone companies (it's an environmental problem because of the creosote on the old poles.) We discuss other means of getting material for the new bridge from the Devil's Den. Rob suggests that on CLEAN-UP DAY we measure the length of the proposed new bridge to see if the 2 poles he has at Elm Bank would be long enough.
Again this past month the Stone Building Committee did not (meet, and since Jo-Anne Carr did not attend the May meeting, we have not yet seen the promised plans from the architect. (See postscript below) We hope to see these at the June 1 meeting.
Rob says that security lights have not yet been installed at the Stone Building. He says that Mass. is not getting much money this year but may get more in 1996. Since 1995 is the centennial of the Gorge as a property, this would be a good time to really do the work on the Stone Building. He says the Metropolitan Area Planning Councils should be told of our plans. Money can be directed to hiking and biking trails now that the highways are almost completed.
There will be no Village Day in Upper Falls this year. This deprives us of one opportunity to attract public interest. Shall we try to make an appearance at Newton Highlands Village Day?
Vaunita asks when the promised work on the Echo Bridge railings and the echo platform will be done? She wants to celebrate its conclusion with a party. At the moment the bridge is relatively free of graffiti. Rob says that to keep it clean we MUST REPORT ALL GRAFFITI ASAP. A clean surface does not attract marks as easily as one with existing graffiti. THEREFORE: PLEASE REPOR7. ANY GRAFFITI YOU SEE by phoning:
These people will be able to get the marks removed promptly.
This meeting adjourned at 8:50 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah M. Sherman, Secretary
PostScript: The plans are in from Doug Okun. Jo Anne will bring
them on June 1.
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Present at this meeting were: Vaunita Schnell, John Mordes, Brian Yates, Hannah Sherman.
An appeal from Jo-Anne Carr asks for somebody to represent us at meetings of the 40 groups of Friends of the various MDC properties working on the MDC Centennial. These meetings are held in the mornings this summer. Vaunita says they are at Joy St. in Boston. Kelly McClintock spearheads this effort.
John Mordes says that Jo-Anne has sent him a list of 150 names on our mailing list. He would prefer to have these on a diskette instead of just a written list. Could she do this for him?
Since Vaunita is going West this summer, there will be no meeting of the Ellis Stone Barn Committee until fall. Brian Yates reports that he called a trustee of the HMI (Historical Massachusetts, Inc.) to see if they would help to fund restoration of the barn. As an "endangered building" it may be eligible for their help. We should apply for a grant from them in the fall. It could be awarded next spring. We still have not estimated the present cost of the restoration. Inspired by an MDC relief map of all its properties, Brian suggests that we display the presentation boards, photos, etc. of the barn and the Gorge at the public libraries in Newton and Wellesley. He says the Needham Historical Society may be interested in such an exhibit. We should approach them this fall so they can be informed before their annual meeting, which is in the spring.
A phone call to Rob McArthur revealed that the Announced date for the "Echoes through Time" presentation at the Gorge is WRONG. THE CORRECT DATE IS AUGUST 21! We still do not, know the exact time, but we should send a mailing of postcards to those who may want to attend this exciting event.
John Mordes says the Waban Improvement Society might like a presentation about the Ellis Barn and the Gorge. Again they should be asked in the fall for a date in the spring. John also says the Friends should appear at a big block party in Waban in September. He feels that Waban residents would be interested to help with the Barn project.
Vaunita Schnell hopes that a thank-you note to Steven LeBlanc who wrote so well about the plight of the Raceway Dam will inspire him to more efforts on our behalf. We learn that the MDC told Rob McArthur that they do not want people to walk across the RACEWAY DAM. PLEASE KEEP OFF!!!
We must measure the span of the proposed bridge opposite the Devil's Den so we can perform this work as our Centennial Project in October.
Vaunita and Brian planned a letter to be sent out in the fall asking who is really interested in the Friends enough to be on the mailing list, to join the group, to PAY DUES.
They decide that dues paid in September,1993 will cover all of 1994,also! BARGAIN!!
This meeting adjourned at 8:34 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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This meeting was held at the Upper Falls Methodist Church when Ken Newcomb rescued us from the lock-out at Emerson Center. Ken brought a new member to this meeting-she is Cindy Edwards who lives on Ellis St. beside the Gorge and talked a lot about the traffic problems there.
Vaunita Schnell produced a congratulatory card and a plant as gifts to Rob McArthur from the Friends on the occasion of his recent marriage.
Vaunita showed us the notices from the MDC about walks Scheduled this year, including the walk on the aqueduct from Hemlock Gorge to Elm Bank.
Our agreement with CANEPI runs until Feb.1994,so dues checks written now should still be made out to CANEPI. A new mailing will include return envelopes so we can find out exactly how many people are interested in receiving more notices.
To our great joy, Rob McArthur announced that the Raceway Dam has been (at least temporarily) repaired. About a week after our Sept. meeting, the MDC mortared the hole and installed wooden boards in the spillway. Replacing the entire dam is a future possibility.
Brian Yates reports that our parking space project has been discussed by the Capital Improvements Committee who want the MDC to use its own land for parking instead of asking, as we did, for use of Newton-owned land.
Rob McArthur is asked to report on Nov.2 about the proposed "Friends' Bridge" opposite the Devil's Den. He says the MDC may, after all, be able to get telephone poles for part of the construction.
The Stone Barn Project: John Mordes gave Vaunita the name of the Wellesley librarian-in-charge-of-displays who may let us display our presentation boards at he Wellesley Library after the first of next year. Brian Yates says that we should contact the Needham Circle Society, since in that town there are no good library display opportunities.
IF YOU SEE GRAFFITI ON THE BRIDGE, please call Rob McArthur.
Vaunita suggests that Paul Welch be asked to monitor graffiti on the bridge, since he jogs there regularly.
Do we need a CLEAN-UP DAY this fall? Yes, we will have one SUNDAY,NOV.14 at 2 P.M.
Vaunita asks if the MDC could replace the security lights on the stone barn.
The agenda for our Nov.2 meeting will include final plans for the clean up day.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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Present at this meeting were: John Mordes, Rob McArthur, Cindy Edwards, Jo-Anne Carr, Vaunita Schnell, Tony Penna, Jim Purdy, and Hannah Sherman. Brian Yates made a cameo appearance.
Rob McArthur says he has paint all mixed to cover the graffiti now present on the bridge. We still hope that anybody who sees graffiti on the bridge will contact Rob at his Elm Bank number. Paul Welch has indeed agreed to monitor the graffiti on his jogging trips through the property. Cindy Edwards says she has spoken to Steve Davenport about repairing the staircase to the bridge, and was told that any repair is about 1 1/2 years distant. Cindy also reported that the door to the Ellis Stone Barn is unlocked, Rob promises to check it tonight. He says the lock belongs to the USGS.
Vaunita has invited students from Newton South High School to participate in the CLEAN-UP Day, Nov.14. The official starting time is 2 P.M. but Vaunita says being there at 1:30 is a good idea. Bring Friends (if you receive this before THE DAY). We will work from the Needham side to the meadow near the Raceway Dam where we will celebrate its repair with refreshments provided by local food purveyors. Don Cusack will send notices of this event to the local papers. Vaunita will ask Steve LeBlanc (whose article did so much to publicize the plight of the Dam) to cover this event.
The Stone Barn Committee invites volunteers to join its work. Vaunita plans a meeting of that group this month. She would like the committee to have 6 or 8 members. The Presentation Boards from the architect may be displayed at the Wellesley Library for a month beginning in late January. John Mordes brings us the name of another contact for arranging this display. Jo-Anne Carr suggests we try to have one meeting in Wellesley to publicize the display at the start of the month of display. After that, Rob wants to take the boards to show them to the "Director". Vaunita says she and Rob have already contacted several business men on the Needham St. section to ask for funding help. One prospective donor promised to help but then went bankrupt! Jo-Anne Carr will send copies of the Boards to the National Trust for Historical Preservations so they can see the results of the grant they gave us for preparing the Boards.
As a result of our recent mailing, John Mordes brought in several returned envelopes with dues-paying checks. We find this very encouraging!
Another encouraging note is that Jo-Anne Carr reports that an ad hoc committee of Friends groups of Friends of other MDC parks (to which she invites Brian Yates) is investigating the possibility of further staffing for the parks, i.e. more help for Rob!
The building of the Friends' Bridge opposite the Devil's Den will be discussed at our December meeting (DEC. 7, at Emerson Center).We welcome your interest and participation in all these projects.
This meeting adjourned at 8:35.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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Present at this meeting were: Ken Newcomb, Don Cusack, Brian Yates, Vaunita Schnell, Cindy Edwards, John Mordes, Tony Penna, and Hannah Sherman.
The absence of Rob McArthur prevented us from up-dating the mailing list (our chief objective at this meeting).
Cindy Edwards detailed her efforts to police Echo Bridge to prevent the accumulation of even more GRAFFITI and to have the present inscriptions erased. There is graffiti on the top of the bridge, she says, but this was disputed by some who have been there recently. Rob McArthur has been called but has done nothing but refer her to other people. She told of calling the police at 1:30 A.M. The police picked up16 boys but said they could make no arrests because there is no "NO TRESPASSING" sign posted! Brian Yates told of investigating a steam-removal process for the graffiti and being told that such a method would have to wait until spring due to the possibility of water dripping onto the street and freezing.
Cindy repeated our opinion that graffiti should be removed ASAP to discourage new graffiti.
Tony Penna suggests asking the police for the names of the offenders, and publishing the names in a local paper.
Vaunita wants to speak with the culprits.
Brian Yates suggests we invite Community Service or Youth officers from Newton and Needham to our January meeting to discuss means of enforcing the ban on graffiti. He will call the Newton police, and Don Cusack will call the Needham force. Cindy Edwards feels that lighting the bridge would be a deterrent to more inscriptions.
Vaunita Schnell says we should ask the MWRA to install lights when they finish the bridge railings. A letter to this effect should go to Tom Gowrys, says Brian Yates. Vaunita asks Cindy to write this letter, since she has spoken often to Mr. Gowrys in her efforts to police the bridge.
Vaunita reports that the Ellis St. sign is now fixed.
PARKING LOT: Attendance at another public hearing of the Newton Capital Improvements Committee (which would not happen until February) is necessary to remind them that we are in earnest in our desire to use the land at the corner of Ellis St. and Rte. 9 as a parking lot. Brian suggests that Vaunita try to interest the Newton Conservators in joining us for this appearance since they tried in the 1960's to accomplish a similar goal.
MEMBERSHIP John Mordes reports that only 20 or 30 people have paid dues through 1994. These are considered to be active members and we should not mail minutes to those who are not interested.
THE FRIEND'S BRIDGE. We still do not know the dimensions of this proposed foot bridge opposite the Devil's Den. This meeting dissolved as we examined old pictures of the original bridge at that site. The pictures were brought in by Ken Newcomb. They clearly show the zigzag shape of the bridge. This we intend to copy but there is dispute as to whether we can locate the bridge where its predecessor was because the land has eroded from its prior position.
The meeting broke up at about 8:30 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Hannah Sherman, Secretary
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