Field Notes: Friends of Albemarle Spring 2025 Newsletter

Dear Friends, 

Have you SEEN Albemarle lately? Because there is a LOT to see! We’ve got 7 things in particular:

1. Feats of Climate Engineering:https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/05/12/albemarlengineering

Work is underway to mitigate the effects of climate change by accommodating flooding under the field at Albemarle. It’s a fascinating feat of engineering that models the way for how we can adapt…and it’s pretty cool to watch the progress.

In fact, Albemarle is now officially a case study for watershed resiliency!

https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/04/29/albemarle-a-case-study-for-watershed-resiliency

ICYMI, here we are at the groundbreaking: https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/02/14/exciting-groundbreaking and here is a link to the overall renovation plan: https://www.newtonma.gov/Home/Components/News/News/680/15

2. Back-In Parking Still Working:https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/05/12/back-in-parking-worked-all-fall-winter-and-into-spring

Yes, we’re still pointing it out, because…remember all the doubts when the program first rolled out? We’ve learned quite a bit, including that people CAN change, and that safety CAN be prioritized over convenience, and that, well, back-in parking DOES work! We should make it permanent—and maybe try it in other parts of Newton. (!)

3. Cheesecake Brook Getting Revitalized

Webinar: https://www.crwa.org/events/rediscovering-revitalizing-cheesecake-brook

Rediscovering and Revitalizing Cheesecake Brook – with Max Rome, of the Charles River Watershed Association

Thursday, 05/22/2025

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FRvyWu6YSjupb0Odgnel1w#/registration

4. Field House Fielding Compliments: https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/05/14/field-house-fielding-compliments

I biked by the Field House this morning and did a double take at the chic new windows! What!!! Newton Building Commissioner Josh Morse says, “New roof, restroom upgrades, flooring, ceiling, lighting, masonry repairs…”  This is a very happy surprise! Thank you to Josh Morse and all in Newton who are making these improvements happen.

5. Murals in Motion!

Your very own FOA board members are part of the adjudication committee to choose a mural artist who will create inviting art for four panels on the sides of the Gath Pool bathhouse under the direction and funding of Newton Community Pride. All we can say right now about the submissions is that the pool of talent (hee hee) is exceptional and we’re VERY excited. 

6. Crashes Still Happening:https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/04/09/crash-today

Yes, the park is safer with additional traffic infrastructure, but we’re still seeing out-of-control drivers threaten the safety of everyone at Albemarle.

7. And the Friends of Albemarle Annual Meeting is on the books:https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2025/05/12/annual-meeting-date

Sunday, June 8 from 11-12 at the newly sleek chic boutique Field House. (We’ve Keeled and Reeled over the Field House…OK, I’ll stop.)

Join us!

And please help out by forwarding this and encouraging others to join….it’s still free and still easy!

Update: Jenn Martin, Newton’s Director of Transportation Planning, shares that she is coordinating the re-installation of the speed cushions around work on the gas mains at Albemarle, so please know that attention is being paid to managing speed at Albemarle.

Enjoy this glorious community and springtime, 

Cedar

Friends of Albemarle

Field House Fielding Compliments

Well, just take a GANDER at this chic stop on the Albemarle tour!! The new windows are an eyeful from the street, and Newton Building Commissioner Josh Morse says that improvements also include the restrooms (yes!!), masonry, lighting, ceiling, flooring, roof… Wow! Build a good field and a good Field House will come! I’m pretty sure that’s what people say.

18 Months In: Back-in parking worked all fall, winter and continues into spring

To Mayor Fuller and the Newton City Council,

I’m reaching out to share the success, at Albemarle, of back-in parking. I know we’ve shared it before, and I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, but I have learned that we need to speak up about the positive wins rather than take them for granted. 

In November 2023, Back-In Parking went into effect at Albemarle. The board of Friends of Albemarle championed this initiative because of the high number of accidents, reckless driving and a general culture of anxiety and fear around the many uses of this road.

Since then, compliance around the new parking approach has been so high that it is often at 100%. As a year-round visitor to the park at all times of day and throughout the week and weekend, I can attest that it is consistently successful. Pictures and details are linked below.

When has Back-In Parking worked at Albemarle?

-When 280 Day Middle students came in on 5 buses late at night in the rain from an award-winning musical performance in Central MA and had to all be picked up by their waiting parents – everyone was parked correctly!

-When contractors and inspectors came to review work being done on the fields – everyone parked correctly!

-During the transition to spring sports, for the second year in a row! (Check out a video from a year ago)

-When families arrive to use the playground

-When a massive flag football tournament was held at Albemarle in the fall

-During snowy days, rainy days, and sunny days…

-Early in the morning and later in the evening!

There has been a dramatic decrease in honking; there are many examples of people getting into trunks and more easily and safely getting gear out of their cars; and generally MUCH safer situations for kids exiting car doors that now face the park. It is also safer for the cyclists, drivers and pedestrians sharing the road.

Many doubts were shared at the beginning of this pilot, but the adoption has been nothing short of splendid.

What have we learned?

-People can learn new, safer habits.

-Change can work well, even when it seems inconvenient at first.

-This is a program that should absolutely be permanent at Albemarle.

-We should consider implementing it in other parts of Newton.

One notable element is that as soon as the speed bumps were removed for winter use, cars began driving more quickly down the street once again. We do need continuous infrastructure in place to ensure the safety of everyone who wants to share and enjoy this phenomenal Newton asset.

A huge THANK YOU to Newton’s Mayor, City Council, DPW, Transportation Director, Transportation Planning, Newton Police, Neighborways and ALL those who have worked hard to create a safer environment at Albemarle. 

Call for Artists

The group Newton Community Pride has put out a call for artists to create murals at Gath Pool! If you are an artist or muralist, or know of any who might be interested, please share this notice, as the May 1st deadline is fast approaching. 

Albemarle is a great place for art and community spirit, and we look forward to this exciting installation.

2025 Gath Poolhouse Request for Qualifications

Exciting Groundbreaking

What a thrill to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for the second round of $10mm investment in Albemarle. After inspiring remarks made by so many passionate officials in Newton, we tossed the dirt into the air and they moved on with the field work. Details are in the below article.

Read the Newton Beacon article

Not everyone reading this remembers August of 2019, when we heard that Newton was considering building on this park. But I do. I remember sitting on my couch in my living room at 9pm on a hot weekday night and seeing the news. My stomach dropped, and I realized that the community voice on this just didn’t exist. On February 13, 2025, we all stood around together on a cool, drizzly day, and celebrated the community, teamwork, creative thinking and persistence that got us here, transforming this park into a crown jewel of outdoor recreation for Newton, open and accessible to all. This is a very tough time in our country, and a good time to remember that what seems insurmountable is not; what seems impossible can be done when people push through barriers – and they do it together, with active listening, compromise and flexibility.

Field Notes: Friends of Albemarle Winter Newsletter 2025

Dear Friends, 

A brief but link-packed mid-winter update: 

1. Construction has begun on the fields! Woohoo! It’s been detailed in our local news, complete with aerial pictures, so linking directly to that: https://figcitynews.com/2025/01/construction-begins-on-renovation-of-north-side-of-albemarle-field

We’ve heard questions about the mature trees, especially those magnificent oaks – we all love them, and the designs fully accommodate them, just so you know. 

Early efforts focus on stormwater filtration and management. Speaking of….

2. …There is a meeting THIS Tuesday that you might be interested in attending, and so sorry for the short notice – it was short for us too, and I can’t make it. But I hope you can. 

Tuesday 1/21 at 6:30pm at the Ed Center and also on zoom – Stormwater Solutions Coming to Cheesecake Brook.See details here and register at crwa.org.

3. Albemarle looks so pretty in the snow. File under views. 🙂

4. Back-in Parking STILL WORKS and is a MAJOR SUCCESS…in case you were wondering! Everyone is doing it, from the weekend playground parent crew to the sporadic cybertruck. There is much less honking, fewer near misses and a FAR safer environment. Thanks Newton City Council, the Mayor, DPW and everyone!

5. Thank you for —or, as appropriate, I encourage you to join us in–continually pulling plastic out of Cheesecake Brook – it’s an easy way to keep plastic out of our oceans, as a tributary of the river. This inspiring young lady was cleaning up plastic even before it rolled into the brook!

Thankful for this community. Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Cedar

Cedar Pruitt

President, Friends of Albemarle

Newton, MA