CPC FY18 Recommendation Blessing of the Bay Extension 4-27-22 — File 213752

    COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR CONTRACT EXTENSION: BLESSING OF THE BAY PARK REVITALIZATION PHASE 2, MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION AND MASS. DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION PROJECT DESCRIPTION This project implements improvements to the Blessing of the Bay Park. Awarded CPA funds in FY2018, the original contract was extended by one year in 2021, and the Mystic River Watershed Association requests extension again by an additional year due to a change in the planting schedule. See attached memorandum for further description. RECOMMENDATION On April 27, 2022, by a vote of 6-0, the Community Preservation Committee recommended extending the contract for the Mystic River Watershed Association, for the Blessing of the Bay Park Revitalization Phase 2’s FY18 Community Preservation Act grant for an additional 12 months for the overall purposes summarized in this document.   KATJANA BALLANTYNE MAYOR CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

MysticRiver.org | 20 Academy Street, Suite 306 | Arlington, MA 02476 | [phone removed] April 25, 2022 Roberta Cameron Community Preservation Manager Dear Community Preservation Committee, The Mystic River Watershed Association is formally requesting a one-year extension on our grant titled “Blessing of the Bay Boathouse Park Revitalization” Contract # 180033. This grant was to end 5/21/2022, and we are asking for an extension to 5/21/2023. We anticipated that the meadow plantings would be done by spring 2022 but this plan changed based on the planting methods that were determined during the permitting process in spring 2021 (i.e. no herbicide was allowed and we could not prep the soil until later in fall 2021). So we now have to seed in June and July 2021 and plant additional plugs in September and October 2021. We can then status year two of the meadow growth in spring 2023. Follow the meadow progress on our Instagram account: blessing_meadows. Though not part of the CPA application itself, MyRWA is pleased to inform you that we completed an art installation at the boathouse in August 2021. This was funded by a MassDevelopment grant along with 20+ individual donors. No CPA funds were used toward this effort; however, it will draw attention to this park and the in-progress improvements. Please let me know if there is additional information you need for this formal extension request. Sincerely, Amber Christoffersen Greenways Director