Mary Cummings Park “forever open”

● What is it? ● Why it is important. ● What are people doing? ● What can we do?

Mary Cummings Park ● acres. ● Also 3 non-contiguous areas 1 in Burlington and 2 in Woburn. (11.9, 1.97 and 4.35 acres respectively) ● Held in trust by the City of Boston as a “public pleasure ground” ● Maintenance Trust Fund at $470,000 as of 2004

Lets get the legal out of the way ● Mary Cummings gave this land to the City of Boston under the condition that it be “kept forever open as a public pleasure ground” In her letter she referred to it as a “recreational park”

What would they need to do to make it something else? ● The Middlesex Probate Court would need to approve a Cy Pres. ● The Attorney General would need to support it.

And what else? ● Article 97 of the State Constitution requires a 2/3 vote of the State legislature to change the use as a public park or playground or to sell or transfer it.

Are all these scenarios possible? Are they likely?

So what can we do without special permission? ● Walk ● Run ● Enjoy observing wildlife ● Keep the park clean ● Keep the trails groomed ● Other so called “passive” recreation

Other Historic uses ● Day Camps (YMCA, Kamp for Kidz) ● Public Gardens ● RC Flyers ● Horseback riding ● others?

What is good ● Over 3 miles of trails ● Mixed terrain ● Woods ● Fields ● Wetlands ● Places for both “Prospect and refuge”

What could use a little help

What can we do?

● Get together for trash pick ups, WREN has already done a few. ● Decide which trails people want to use and which ones can be left to grow back ● Fix the ruts left by the ATVs ● Help promote the park ● Keep talking... s, online messageboard, newsletter?

Isn't so called “passive” recreation by its nature supposed to be unorganized?

Our parks need friends ● The Friends of the Blue Hills ● The Friends of Lynn Woods ● Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation ● Newton Conservators (Cutler Park and all of Newton's parks) ● The Friends of Breakheart Reservation ● The Friends of the Arnold Arboretum ● The Friends of the Public Garden ● WREN of course!

Who's else civic responsibility is it?

Or maybe just who's responsibility is this Civic?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. -Robert Frost