| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July: No Meeting | August: Picnic Meeting | September |
| October | November | December |
Present: Don Ross, Jean Fisher, Robin Dexter, Evan
Weststrate, John Mordes, Emily Gelbert, Vaunita Schnell, Lauren Commando, Paul
Roberts, Sheila Purdy
The January meeting focused on long and short term goals
for the year ahead as well as recognition of the past year’s accomplishments and
challenges.
Treasurer Report: Robin stated that the account balance
was $5,603. 35. This included the donations from the holiday yearly report and
mailing. A fee of$25.00 will be due to pay the state for a change in status to
501c3 non profit.The paperwork has
finally gone through.
April 25 was picked as the tentative Spring cleanup day.
Outreach: In an effort to increase volunteer efforts and
possible new Friends members, John, Andreae, and Robin attended the Newton
Volunteer Day. A request was made for materials to use for future visibility
events such as poster boards, flyers, and business cards.
3 people had expressed interest in participating in future cleanups.
Although 80-90 people are on the mailing list, very few attend the monthly
Friends’ meetings. Sheila suggested networking with local non-profits such as
churches and schools to increase awareness of the park and possible attendance
at meetings.
Suggestions were made about events which could be
advertised and bring new people to learn about the park. These included:
scheduled tours, concerts, art shows, exhibitions, other events that could be
publicized in the Tab or Upper Falls newsletter. Emily suggested linking up with
Newton Serves, a city-wide volunteer day. Also, to reach out to people at
Village Day, Earth Day, and the local Soup Social.
Other suggestions included outreach to
local Scout troops for projects and birding expeditions.
“The Hemlock Gorge Project”: Wellesley College student,
Laura Prebble, sent John a copy of her school paper. She had met with the
Friends last year as part of her background research for the project. John
summarized some of the points raised by the paper and encouraged members to read
it. He tried to email the paper but it was too large a data file to reach
everyone and it is protected by a password.
Laura made a number of suggestions and points including the fact that the
park is a “neglected” asset because of it’s perceived inaccessibility.
She made a number of suggestions for landscaping and
upgrades to increase the ease with which people could use the park and find it
more user friendly. These included trail markers which indicated dead end
trails, a crosswalk to the echo platform, cleaning out the vistas and invasive
plants, public art, rebuilding the Friends Bridge, placing boxes of maps at the
entrance, making trash cans and picnic tables available.
She included a significant number of
thoughtful observations and
suggestions for improvement. Some of these suggestions were more workable than
others, especially if they involved private property.
She is currently open to suggestions and reactions from
Friends who have read the paper.
Old Business: Other ongoing business was tabled until
Erica could attend a future meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present: Evan Weststrate,
Jean Fisher, Emily Gelbert, Rena Getz, Lee Fisher, Robin Dexter, Sheila Purdy
Administrative Business: As
John Mordes could not be present, Evan Weststrate chaired the meeting in his
absence. The meeting for March will be rescheduled for 3/10 because of the local
election. Carol Stapleton will need to be notified of the change. Robin
presented an update on dues and tax filings. The IRS filings are currently up to
date. The response to the method of collecting dues and donations gave a mixed
result. Some Friends wanted to continue the mailings, while others preferred an
online option. There was no overriding consensus. The issue of changing the
regular meeting day was raised as the city council met at the same time, and
councilors were not available to attend Friends’ meetings as well. It was
decided to leave the current schedule unchanged for the present.
Recruiting New Members: The
group discussed the materials to be used for outreach events. Evan is helping
with this effort to redesign business cards and posters. Rena has used a graphic
designer who might be able to assist the Friends to prepare for outreach events.
Proposed events included the March Soup Social and Village Day in the Fall.
Emily volunteered to help with outreach at these events. Lee suggested a free
tour of the Gorge to be scheduled after Village Day to familiarized residents
with its attractions, history, and charm. The tour will be restricted to Friends
and potential new members. Non-members would be charged a fee. Visibility
materials need to be ready for distribution at f the March Soup Social. Sheila
is helping to coordinate with Tzu Chi. No one is currently connected with Mary
Immaculate to act as liaison. A revised map could be printed including some
newly designated sites such as Reservoir Hill. This map could show new trails
and be ready for distribution soon.
Projects: Rena said that
there are 3 boxes of documents from Brian’s estate that need to be stored. Evan
offered to digitize them. Erica was not present, so the roof project could not
be updated. Rena pointed out that Wellesley was building an extensive housing
and office project on Route 9 that may affect the park indirectly.
A list of projects -summarized by John in the agenda-was addressed by the group. There were a large number of small and large projects. Some of these were more long term and extensive.
Current concerns discussed
included:
1.
Invasive plants,
especially poison ivy. Evan had been investigating goatscaping as a solution.
This could also be used to clear vista sightlines .
2.
The Friends Bridge
could be made more rustic to recreate the ambience of the earlier bridge.
Replacing the bridge would be too large a project at this time.
3.
According to Lara Prebble, the Echo
Platform is not safe and needs to be more readily visible. The stairway to the
platform is also unsafe. An organization, the Student Conservation Association,
has been used in the past to help with projects. Erica needs to be consulted
about the downed tree and resulting safety hazards.
4.
4. Lee suggested
that some volunteers spruce up the painted signs before spring cleanup day
scheduled for the last Saturday in April.
Wheelchair accessibility and
working with private property owners were not addressed at this time.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary ry
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Present: Bill Humphrey,
Maureen Riley-Meagher, John Mordes, Besty Hewitt, Erica Aubin, Emily Gelbart,
Tom O’Connor, Robin Dexter, Evan Weststrate, Vaunita Schnell, Don Ross, Sheila
Purdy
Outreach: A soup social has
been scheduled for 3/21 at the Emerson. Emily has offered to provide the
outreach connection at the event. Evan has prepared business cards and a display
to be set up. Sheila is maintaining contact with Tzu Chi, and John has connected
with Upper Falls Newsletter.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present online: John Mordes,
Rena Getz, Bob Burke, Robin Dexter, Betsy Hewitt, Lee Fisher, Jean Fisher, Evan
Weststrate, Sheila Purdy
Administrative Business: The
New P.O. Box has been renewed for a year. John, Robin, and Evan are working on
establishing a working Paypal link on the website, and John is working on
updating the website. The corona virus pandemic has necessitated more online
activity including the monthly meetings. This was the first online meeting. John
is looking into getting password protection for future meetings to avoid
unwelcome interference. There are now two informal members lists: one for
general members and the other for people only interested in organized cleanups.
Outreach: Business cards
have been printed but not picked up yet due to the lockdown. Poster boards are
being constructed but potential visibility events have been cancelled because of
the pandemic. This includes the soup social and possible future events. The park
is more heavily used because of the quarantine restrictions. Outdoor activities
are more popular. Evan is posting maps to let people know more about the park
and to reference The Friends.
Historical Activities: Rena
is continuing to follow artifacts in Brian’s estate which is getting more
difficult over time. Bob Burke is researching articles in the former
Newton
Graphic newspaper for background
information useful for research. John is trying to establish a connection
between the Friends and the Mass State Archives. Formal arrangements for storage
of materials is still being planned for 2020-2031. The Massachusetts Historical
Society and Historic Newton are also available to store archival materials.
Locating artifacts that have been previously stored and be very challenging.
Sean Fisher at DCR has written about
archiving but was “not encouraging”.
Ongoing Projects: Lee
updated the group on the bridge railings. That project was refused National
Landmark status which was a roadblock to that avenue of funding. The group
offered suggestions for other avenues or possible appeal of the decision. Betsy
has been following the Friends Bridge project and the Barn roof and reported on
progress. Vince McKay wrote an email to the group about unfinished work at
Hamilton Place following the reconstruction of the historic bridge there. Should
DPW be notified? Graffiti continues to be a problem on Echo Bridge and MWRA
needs to be notified. Lara Prebble was unable to attend the April meeting but
may be present for the meeting in May to discuss the findings in her paper.
Footnote: John has included
Mark Bridger’s bluegrass performance of “Echo Bridge” on the website. He played
it for the group.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present Online: John Mordes,
Bill Humphrey, Evan Weststrate, Rena Getz, Don Ross, Robin Dexter,
Lara Prebble, Bob Ellertson,
Sheila Purdy
The website has now been upgraded to
allow for online donations. Robin reports no
Because of the pandemic, the spring
cleanup was held as a more informal event.
The weather was good and the turnout was moderate. Lee helped to repaint
some path signs. Evan posted an updated park map and bar code at the entrance to
the bridge and also online. Emily and her son pitched in to help collect trash.
Other volunteers also collected trash bags and left them by the stone barn. Some
have not been collected yet. Jerry Riley was written up in The Boston Globe
about his naturalist scavenger hunt
posted for the park. Pictures of some of the volunteers were also posted on the
website. Attendance at the park and
use of the trails has been enhanced by the pandemic. A dead raccoon was
discovered and needs to be removed.
Lara Prebble:
The meeting was attended by Lara
Prebble, a recent Wellesley graduate, who wrote an extensive report on the Gorge
as her senior project. The detailed report was entitled “Redesigning a Forgotten
and Hidden Gem: Hemock Gorge Reservation”. The report was made available to
members as a PDF but did not include all of her extensive maps, drawings, and
historic photographs. She made numerous suggestion for enhancement projects,
both large and small. Some of her suggestions have already been implemented e.g.
signage upgrades. Lee has followed through with a number of sign improvements to
the park and the trail markers. The
group was interested in clearing some of the brush to enhance the overlook
vistas as Lara suggested and possibly installing a bench. There was also
discussion about rebuilding the Friends’ Bridge to reproduce it original Z
configuration. Members were also interested in planning a use for the Stone Barn
after the roof was repaired in June, as scheduled. Robin suggested the building
be used as a visitors’ center. It has electricity but no plumbing. Lara said
that her advisor at Wellesley might be interested in contributing some ideas.
Sheila offered to contact Lara’s advisor at the school to invite her input into
future uses for the stone barn. One of the suggested projects was safer street
crossing to the echo platform due to very poor street sight lines. This would be
difficult . Ellen Katz was reported as working with the city traffic council on
this issue. Graffiti has been mostly
removed but requires ongoing
attention. Also, people are starting to
attach locks on the bridge which need to be discarded. John offered “an
industrial boltcutter” to aid in this effort.
Future Meetings:
John asked if the Friends
should continue offer Zoom meeting participating in the future when in person
meetings resume. This might increase participation. Thoughts on this subject are
welcome.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Virtual
Meeting Via Zoom
Present online: John Mordes,
Robin Dexter, Evan Weststrate, Rena Getz, Bill Humphrey, Don Ross,
Administrative
Business:
Robin said that the balance of the Friends’ account is currently $5,603 and had
not increased from last month.
Stone Building
Update:
Ruth Balser wrote to say that work on the stone building roof will begin in
early June. No one has seen any activity so far, but Ruth is reported to be
monitoring the progress of the project. Evan offered to keep a photo journal
barn project activity. Some objects have disappeared from the barn premises:
e.g. handiwipes. It was suggested
that important objects be stored in the geohydrology room and that they be
carefully labeled. John suggested that the barn site be used for the summer
picnic planned for August 7. John would oversee compliance with state pandemic
regulations about social distancing.
Sheila said that the Buddhist church is currently closed because of the pandemic
and there is no recent contact. She will reach out to Martha McNamara, at Lara’s
suggestion, to begin to plan for the stone barn once the roof has been completed
and to get an outside perspective . Robin suggested that the barn be used as a
visitors’ center for the park.
Summer Projects:
Trail
Markers. Trail markers using bar codes can be placed to direct visitors,
identify plants, and warn of poison ivy. Evan has used them to integrate the
updated map of the park and also the Friends’ website.
Overlook Bench. Lara identified a scenic overlook that would be an ideal place
for a bench. It would be a difficult site for placing the last granite bench but
might be a good place for a wooden bench of some type. Lara offered to make
suggestions about what type of bench would be a good fit.
Redesigning the Friends Bridge. The scenic bridge would be a great project to
recreate the original historic Z configuration of the bridge. It is a very large
and complex project and may not be feasible at this time.
Granite Bench at the Stone Barn. Erica has one slab of granite left that could
be used in front of the renovated barn as a “Friends’ Bench”.
The barn could also benefit from window screens.
Reworking Trails. Placing walking trails closer to the river could be a “DCR
project for the future”.
Echo
Platform. The platform is reported to be in good condition for the moment. Some
updated signage and bar coding could upgrade the site.
Other
Issues: Emily has reported the constant problem of graffiti. Prior removals were
just painting over it with gray paint.
It occurs between 12 and 2 am. Different suggestions were made about
security such as solar panels for lighting and motion sensitive security
cameras. Rena and Karen have some original drawings and documents that have been
saved from Brian’s estate which could be used for future projects. A Friends
meeting has been planned for July to prepare for the August picnic. This is a
change from past years when there was no meeting scheduled in July.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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June 30 Special Meeting: Present: Bob Burke, Don Ross, John Mordes, Robin Dexter, Jerry Riley, Erica Aubin, Sheila Purdy
A special meeting was called by John to address 2l issues concerning both the Stone Barn and the Echo Staircase. John had just been made aware of an opportunity to apply for public-private partnership funds from the DCR. The time of the meeting was influenced by the imminent PPP deadline to apply for funding. The agenda of the meeting was restricted to these two subjects. \\
The Stone Barn Floor: John is applying for a PPP grant to enhance the concrete floor with the addition of waterproof tile flooring and the creation of a French drain to help eliminate the excessive dampness in the building. Since the due date of the application is July 10, the Friends needed to approve the proposal in advance of the regularly scheduled meeting for July 7. John included pictures of the proposed tile flooring which will cost $1,500. No preparation of the existing concrete flooring is required. The existing concrete floor was installed 12 years ago. That floor did not include the installation of a French drain to eliminate water in the building. A drain can be installed for $7,000. John has spoken with a contractor to estimate the work of installing the drain. Erica signed off on the project with the support of the Friends. Pictures were made available of the proposed flooring which is easy to install in the form of tiles.
The Echo Staircase: The staircase is markedly deteriorating and had been temporarily unsafe. Pictures of the structure were included with the agenda. The wooden stairs are coming off, but the underlying metal frame is becoming unstable for affixing the wooden stairs. Evan and Jerry repaired some of the stairs, but it was agreed that this was a temporary fix for the summer The staircase is property of the MWRA. The staircase is used regularly with increased traffic during the pandemic. A long term plan needs to be proposed to keep the staircase safe and usable for the future.
Other Business: During the repair of the stone barn floor and roof, repairs can also be made to the 2nd floor of the barn which has totally deteriorated including the supporting beams. Erica will look into supplies and labor for this project. The question was raised of bringing water into the site for washing as well as potential restroom use.
It was suggested that the Friends plan a party in August to celebrate the completion of the wooden barn roof. This would be in place of the regular Friends’ picnic. Sheila will send early invitation to Martha McNamara at Wellesley College. The party could take place near the newly repaired barn. John would oversee compliance with current health regulations.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present: John Mordes, Maria
Mouia, Bill Humphrey, Lee Fisher, Loumona Petroff, Evan Weststrate, Tanya
Karpiak, Robin Dexter, Bob Burke, Lara Prebble, Chris Pitts, Don Ross, Bob
Ellertson, Jean Fisher, Maureen Riley-Meagher, Paul Roberts, Sheila Purdy
John is looking into ways to safely link
Hemlock Gorge with the Quinobequin trail. He met with Chris Pitts, Maureen
Riley, and Bill Humphrey to discuss how to reconfigure the crosswalks and curb
cuts to make the trail safer and easier to navigate. He has photographs of the
problems including the need for a fully finished curb cut to avoid climbing over
the guardrail for trail access. The Friends reviewed the
proposal for upgrades including illustrations and approved the proposal
unanimously. The proposal will be submitted to Ruth
Balser for future action.
It was suggested that the fall cleanup
could also be used as an opportunity to dedicate the new barn roof. The barn has
been suggested as a possible visitors’ center for the parklands. Erica Aubin at
DCR was consulted and approved combining the cleanup and dedication. Ruth Balser
will be invited as a special guest. Approved date is
October 24th with a raindate of October 31st.
There has been no feedback as yet about
upgrading the barn and using it as a visitors’ center. Proposed
public/private upgrades include finishing
the floor with a French drain and completing the second floor. Erica said that
DCR capabilities have been reduced due to Covid.
Ellis Street Stairs Repair:
The stairway is under the jurisdiction of
MWRA not DCR. An engineering team will inspect it by the end of the week. Lee
has the original technical drawings and can make them available on the website.
He offered to meet with the engineer.
Evan is monitoring the state of the stairway that continues to develop
safety issues. He believes that it is still structurally OK. The original work
was done by a local foundry in 1900. Friends have continued to contribute to
maintaining the stairway but need a comprehensive plan.
Lara showed a photographs of different
bench options and went over options for placement in the park. The bench must
conform to DCR regulations. Discussion continued on repurposing downed trees for
the project. No final decision was made.
Friends’ Bridge Project;
Discussion followed about rebuilding the
original scenic Z shaped bridge that connected Devil’s Den to New Pond. The
original design was beautiful and unique. Some of the original hard structures
still remain. One model for rebuilding the bridge is Broadmoor Audubon park
which has lovely structural enhancements. At this time, however, this project
was deemed a “luxury” and would need
to wait.
Window Screen Repair:
John said 2 or 3 people are needed to put
a screen on the open barn window. DCR has approved the repair. It would prevent
wildlife from entering the barn. Volunteers needed. It could be part of the
cleanup.
This was described as an “endless
problem”. New graffiti appears regularly despite efforts to cover or remove it.
Could a webcam be set up? Police do not enforce graffiti laws. John talked to a
state police officer who checks up on the park. The police do not find the
vandals responsible. Bill will talk to Andreae Downs to discuss options.
Vegitation Changes. Bob pointed
out that the original vegetation in the park has changed significantly over the
years with an increase in invasive species and poison ivy. Evan noted that the
weed whacking near the bridge has cleared out overgrowth; However,
poison ivy overgrowth is an ongoing problem for the park.
Publicity:
Sheila suggested having a picture of the park included in the new member
registration packet. Vaunita has a prize-winning photo that could be used as an
premium for members. Chris pointed out that he is also affiliated with an arts
organization.
Mailing:
Robin pointed out that having a holiday party/ mailing meeting would be
difficult with Covid restrictions. Other options need to be considered.
Parking Lot:
A lot of trash has been building up in the Ellis Street parking lot. A trash
barrel is needed, which would require regular emptying. Could Deb Crossley help?
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present: Robin Dexter, John
Mordes, Lee Fisher, Jean Fisher, Rena Getz, Bob Ellertson,
Erica Aubin, Sallie
Lipschutz, Evan Weststrate, Don Ross, Sheila Purdy
The meeting addressed
planning for fall cleanup and December annual year end
outreach mailing to members.
Treasurer Report: Robin
stated that the account was not $5,600 including a donation that came via the
new Paypal link.
Cleanup Plans: The Cleanup
scheduled for October 24th will start at Hamilton Place where
volunteers can pick up gloves and bags. There will be a required release form
for volunteers to sign. The starting time is 9:30. John and Evan will use the
occasion to repair the screen on the stone barn. Erica supported the repair.
Although it was originally considered using the
cleanup as an opportunity to hold a roof dedication event, this will be
rescheduled in the spring. No firm plans were set to provide a lunch for
volunteers at the stone barn. John will supervise pandemic protocol adherence.
December
Meeting/Party/Mailing: A number of decisions need to be made about the December
meeting. Should it be in person (with distancing) or virtually? Can it be a
party as well? Where could it be held? Should the year end annual letter be
mailed, sent as an email, or a combination of both? John is requesting
suggestions for the year end letter
Website Issues: John is
considering updating the website and is asking for suggestions and assistance.
The website is getting a lot of activity with “a few hundred hits a week”. Rena
offered suggestions from her experience with her own outreach to make it more
user friendly. John said he began the effort in 1995 and hand coded it.
Social media was not a consideration at that time, and a more coordinated
effort could now streamline access to information and accessibility. It would
take considerable effort and expertise. Evan said a Facebook page has been set
up for the park that gets a “steady stream” of activity and includes a printable
map.
Quinobequin Park Linkage:
Ruth Balser is continuing to be the point person for this project and acting as
liaison between the numerous agencies and groups involved. She will continue to
keep the Friends updated on progress as the project evolves.
Ellis Street Stairs and
Parking Lot: The MWRA owns the stairs and has sent engineers to look at the
construction. They will provide a report on their findings. The parking lot has
been described as “a real mess” with trash collecting on the lot. A trash can
has been installed and will be emptied on a regular basis.
Stone Barn 2nd
Floor: DCR is sourcing supplies and exploring the use of support beams. The 2nd
floor will be used for storage, but the request to open the barn for use as a
visitors’ center had been formally denied in a letter. Discussion continued
about fixing the first floor and installing a drain or partial drain. Finding a
community use for the building is still open to suggestions. Literature could be
made available as well as selling copies of the Ken Newcomb book,
The Makers of the Mold. The
upgraded barn could be used as a gathering place for meetings and special
events.
Esvelt Letters: Ann Esvelt
and her grandson, Ian, wrote to the Friends about Ian’s concern about foam in
the river and possible problematic drainage. Evan responded with appreciation
for their concern and a link to information
about USGS measuring system assuring that the bubbles and flow were intentional.
Other Business: Lee and Jean
reported that a “huge” American flag has been chained to the Bridge. MWRA needs
to respond. Maybe Andreae Downs needs to respond. No new news about the railing
project at this time. New Friends Bridge
project on hold.
Due to the election on 11/3,
the next meeting of FOHG has been scheduled for November 10, at 7:15. Once again
this will be a remote meeting via Zoom. Contact the Friends website to obtain a
link to the meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present: John Mordes, Robin
Dexter, Tanya Karpiak, Bill Humphrey, Don Ross, Bob Burke,
Evan Weststrate, Lee Fisher,
Jean Fisher, Sheila Purdy
Treasurer Report: Robin
reported a balance of $5716.00 including recent donations using the newly
installed Paypal link.
October 24th
Cleanup Report: The cleanup activity “went well” Erica brought supplies . The
barn window was repaired by John and Evan, and volunteers were provided lunch.
The volume of trash collected was less than previously collected in cleanups.
The park seems to be more carefully maintained by visitors than in the past.
There is now a trashcan in the parking lot that is being used by visitors and
maintained by the city.
Visitors’ Center: The plan
for a public/private partnership to develop the barn into a visitors’ center has
been rejected. Erica relayed that DCR does not currently have the funds for
small projects. Nonetheless, building materials are currently stored in the barn
for the reconstruction of the second floor. John continues to explore
improvements to the first floor to prevent water damage. This includes new
flooring and installation of a drainage system.
December Holiday Meeting:
The meeting date has been rescheduled for December 8, 2020. The place for the
meeting has not been determined due to changes brought by Covid regulations.
These may determine whether the meeting can be held in person or virtually. John
is finalizing the annual report. Most of the mailing will be digital with some
physical mailings available for those members who expressed a preference for
that format.
Ellis Street Crossing
Proposal: A proposal to improve the
crosswalk between Hemlock Gorge and Qunobequin is being explored by the city and
DCR. There is a meeting set up for Thursday to discuss plans. The improvements
would include improved crosswalk visibility and opening up the guardrail so that
there is an open pathway put in place. These changes would improve safety and
encourage more use of the conjoined parks.
Ellis Street Parking Lot
and Park Graffiti: Maria Rose from MA Parks and Rec is monitoring the
graffiti and should be contacted at
[email protected] to report graffiti activity.
Despite regular removal, it continues to be a problem.
Ellis Street Stairs: Ruth
Balser is waiting for the formal report from MWRA on the status of the stairs.
“Lara” Bench status: A
number of ideas were presented on the type and placement of additional benches
in the park. These were initially
proposed by Lara Prebble, Wellesley student, in her final
report and at previous FoHG meetings. Examples were offered of existing
benches . Concerns about costs could be offset by having local businesses
sponsor a bench. A final plan was not put in place at this meeting.
Bob Burke’s Proposal:
Bob has observed changes to the park’s
natural plants over the years and has noticed the increase of invasive species.
He would like to collect information on the plant species that used to grow in
the park and is reaching out to members to contribute information from any
sources, formal or informal, to complete a comprehensive old plant inventory of
Hemlock Gorge. He can be contacted through the Friends of Hemlock Gorge email
address.
MassTrails Grant: A proposal
is due on 2/1/21 for improvements to proposed or existing trails in MA
parklands. It was suggested that funds could be used to replace missing steps on
the steep trail section.
Website Update: The site has
been getting “loads and loads” of hits on a regular basis. It was pointed out
that most of these came from bots rather than interested persons, but there is
an ongoing public interest in getting information including Ken Newcomb’s book.
Echo Bridge Railings
Project: According to Lee there has been no change since last report.
Other Business: Information
will be updated on the December Meeting. Election for officers and Board members
needs to take place at this time. In the past the meeting was also used for the
end of year mailing and a holiday celebration. Due to pandemic regulations,
members are encouraged to remain updated on changes in the schedule.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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Present: Emily Gelbert, John
Mordes, Bill Humphrey, Bob Burke, Lara Prebble, Tanya Karpiak, Allen Downs,
Robin Dexter, Loumona Petrov, Don Ross, Lee Fisher, Jean Fisher, Evan Westrate,
Rena Getz, Vaunita Schnell, Sheila Purdy
This is the last meeting of
2020 which is dedicated to electing Officers and Board Members for 2021. The
meeting has been traditionally dedicated to mailing the year end letter along
with a request for yearly dues and donations. It has also been the time for the
annual holiday party. John recounted
the history of the meeting over past years. It was initially held at the Mills
Falls Restaurant and later moved to Karen Osborne’s house. Last year the Friends
became a 501c3 which required elections of officers and a board of directors.
That took place one year ago. The bylaws require that elections take place
yearly. Because of the ongoing pandemic, the election is taking place online.
With the approval and vote of the members, the slate of officers and board
members will remain the same for 2021.
Officers:
President- John Mordes; Vice
President- Evan Weststrate
FOHG Board:
John Mordes, Evan
Weststrate, Robin Dexter, Rena Getz, Seana Gehrin, Andreae Downs, Vaunita
Schnell
Board Members were contacted
prior to the election and have agreed to serve for the next year. The length of
future terms will be addressed at a subsequent meeting. Two or three year terms
have been suggested.
Dues:
An additional dues
notification will be sent out online and some members have requested paper
mailings. The use of a Paypal option has been instituted this year but is not
yet widely used.
Agenda:
There is no formal agenda
for this meeting and John opened up discussion for comments and ideas going
forward. The Friends acknowledged the presence of Allen Downs who was attending
the meeting from New Mexico. He used to live in the area and wanted to stay
connected to memories of Hemlock Gorge. He shared his recollections with the
members.
A meeting with Ruth Balser
took place with members of the Friends of Hemlock Gorge and Quinobequin to plan
for crosswalks to be put in place to safely connect the parks.
Lee would like to continue
the option for ice skating on the pond if conditions are safe.
Trees have fallen on the
paths but there have been cuts to DCR and they are short handed to make repairs
at this time.
The Friends website has
photos that are suitable to use as backgrounds for online meetings.
Bob is looking for extra
copies of Ken Newcomb’s book, Makers of the Mold.
Lara’s bench project is
still in an exploratory phase, looking into placements and options (formal or
rustic).
Sheila would like to send
photos of the Gorge to paid up members as a visual reminder of what the park
experience is like when the weather is better. Paul Roberts could help get
copies of Vaunita’s prize-winning photograph. Newton Electric also has a poster
of the Gorge. Emily shared a poster from Crystal Lake Conservancy. Rena has
photographs from Brian’s collection.
Emily and Evan are keeping
track of the graffiti and helping to remove it from the Echo Platform.
A trash barrel has been
installed near the parking lot which is being used and emptied. The park looks a
lot better.
John also has a sound
recording of the falls that he made years ago.
Lumber has been dropped off
in the barn to complete the work on the 2nd floor.
There is no news yet about
the inspection of the Ellis Street Staircase.
John proposed a toast to the
accomplishments and challenges of 2020. All acknowledged it has been a very
eventful year.
Present: Robin Dexter, Evan
Weststrate, John Mordes, Sheila Purdy
A brief meeting was held to
establish a policy for expenditure reimbursement from the FOHG treasury for
members’ activities for park enhancement. Examples are: graffiti removal,
publicity, trail improvements, etc. Expenditure expenses need to be approved in
advance by the officers or the FOHG members at a meeting. Hard copy receipts
should be sent to the treasurer to be kept in the file.
After submission of the receipts, a check will be issued.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sheila Purdy, Secretary
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