On the message and order, referred on November 3, 2021, Docket #1146, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend an amount not to exceed Three Hundred Eighty Seven Thousand One Hundred Sixty Four Dollars ($387,164.00) from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Division of Conservation Services for the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) Program grant, to be administered by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. The grant will help fund the acquisition of two parcels on the western shore of Sprague Pond at 0-4 Lakeside Avenue in Hyde Park as a permanently protected parkland to be known as the Sprague Pond Shoreline Reserve, the Committee submitted a report recommending the order ought to pass.
Docket 1146 The Committee on Environment, Resiliency and Parks, to which was referred on November three, 2021. Docket number 1146 message in order authorizing City of Boston to accept an expanding amount not to exceed $387,164 from the amass Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Division of Conservation Services for the Park Land Acquisition and Renovation for communities known as the Park Program Grant to be administered by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. The grant will help fund the acquisition of two parcels on the western shore of Sprague Pond at 024 Lakeside Avenue and Hyde Park. As a permanently protected parkland to be known as the Sprague Pond, Shoreline Reserve submits a report recommending that the order of £2. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Council tells the President. Email you have the floor. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. On Friday, December 3rd, we chair to hear. I chaired a hearing on these two dockets. I wanted to thank councilors Braden, Arroyo, Flynn and Flaherty for their participation. I also wanted to note former councilor and current state representative Rob Consalvo also testified and offered his support. This is really exciting. These are two Park Fund program opportunities or funding fundraising opportunities. What is a $400,000 grant that will help allow for renovations at the Winthrop Park in Dorchester, Roxbury? Eldercare and Garran, the senior planner for Parks and Recreation, noted that the renovations for the playground will include a new basketball and multi-sport sport court, a splash pad and new exercise equipment with a paved exercise circuit, a refurbished lawn area for open play and new tables and benches. The renovations will also improve accessibility by meeting ADA compliance and would include new tree planting and plantings. There will be a net gain of eight new trees. The proposed completion date for this project is June of 2023. Docket 1146 is another park land acquisition grant in just under 400,385 $87,164, which will help fund acquisition of two parcels on the western shore of Sprague Pond at 024 Lakeside Avenue and Hyde Park as a permanently protected park land to be known as the Spragg Pond Shoreline Reserve. This is something that is really, really, really interesting. I think many of you know that this is the site of the encampment of the 54th Massachusetts Voluntary Volunteer Infantry Regiment. I believe it was the first regiment of black Americans who fought and fought in the Civil War. It's a place of incredible pride that it was in not only our city limits, but so close. And we will not only be protecting that space and really giving that space the reverence that it deserves, being almost like an outdoor educational classroom we firmly protect it from development, will make sure that we're able to get resources. And it's a really, really exciting not only environmental justice investment, but also historically historical investment. Joe Bagley, who is our city archeologist, offered testimony to support the historic, historical and archeological sensitivity for the site. This is without landmark designation, the city and state or federal protections. The city cannot enforce archeological preservation without acquiring the lands. One of the reasons why this is so, so important. So a vote on this would be a vote to accept the grant money which would then work towards an acquisition. We will not be voting to acquire the land at this moment. I am very hopeful that this will happen in very short order next year. But both of these dockets are incredibly important, incredibly transformative for our city. And again, I think we all I know everyone in this chamber is a fervent defender and lover of our outdoor space in our Boston parks. There's a renewed sense of importance after nearly whatever. What are we at now? 20, 22 months of pandemic to see how important it is for to protect and grow these outdoor spaces. It's not only an environmental justice issue, it's a public health issue, it's a public safety issue. It's obviously a huge environmental issue. And in this particular case, as it relates to Sprague Pond, it's also a vital part of our history that we need to protect and preserve. So I urge you all through you, Madam Chair, all colleagues, to please vote in support of both of these dockets. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor O'Malley. Anyone else wanting to speak on these dockets at this time? Councilor O'Malley, who's the chair of the Committee on Environmental Resiliency and Parks, seeks not suspension of the rule, seeks passage of docket 1145 and docket one one for six will take them separately. All those in favor of passage of docket one, one, four or five say any opposing nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1145 has been passed. All those in favor of passage of docket 1146. Say I. Any opposing. The ayes have it at 1146 has been passed. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you very much, Councilor Campbell. Madam Clerk, would you now please read docket 1210?