A few headlines in March:

Our friends at Bike Newton are circulating a petition for stronger support of bike-friendly infrastructure in Newton. The pandemic has brought out a passion for cycling in many people, and there are many reasons to make this environmentally-friendly, healthy, fun activity a daily habit. But for that to happen, it does need to be safer to bike in our city. Let’s work together to prioritize it.

With half of city council having joined Friends of Albemarle, we’ve added a new category: Members who are also Massachusetts State Legislators. Welcome, Senator Creem! We’re so glad to have you. Elected officials have an important role to play in advocating for our parks.

In March, the work continues on investing in keeping Gath pool functional and welcoming for the long term as we support efforts of Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture to fund a pool assessment.

Also in March, the merch continues. Have you gotten your “I Heart Albemarle” T-shirt/water bottle/tote bag/magnet yet? Yes? In that case, have you gotten your shower curtain?

I wasn’t exactly surprised when I realized that our first 200 members represented all 8 wards (multiple times over) — but it confirmed what we all know. Albemarle is a treasured city asset. It hasn’t always been acknowledged as such, but it is dear to this neighborhood and to the Newton community overall. We need the space, the sky, the fields, the pool, the stars, the lights. And they need us.

As word has spread, and our numbers creep upwards to 300, I see that the cross-city distribution continues. I’m excited to see our progress toward 1,000 and beyond!

It’s nice to think about parks. Parks are democratic. Everyone can use them. And there are so many different ways to enjoy them. Especially at Albemarle, with its big swaths of green open space. Model planes cross that blue sky when my husband and children have a free afternoon, and my son had both his fifth and seventh birthday parties there – a swim at Gath and then free running and playing on the vast grassy fields. This summer, during the pandemic, I set up a camp chair and worked on my laptop under the soaring hawks.

There’s a lot that has to be fixed in the world, but getting a breath of fresh air in a park isn’t one of them – it’s perfect just the way it is.

That gratitude and knowledge binds our community together, and it might be what spurred so many sign-ups on our members page when we sent an email this week announcing the launch of this organization.

We now have members from every ward in Newton, because this park is an asset to the entire city. It’s a neighborhood space that is generous enough to be a regional sanctuary. Enjoy Albemarle, and join the Friends group today. We’re all in it together.