Field Notes: Friends of Albemarle Winter 2024 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Nothing like sending yet another good-news newsletter!!

Fair warning that exclamation points are in abundant (over!)use below.

The short version:

1. The Gath rebuild is currently on schedule

2. Increase in traffic safety through success of new back-in parking and RRFB

3. Exciting plans in play* for the fields, trees, lights, courts and paths…and your input is requested in an informal poll about bench styles and colors!

4. Interesting discussion series about Cheesecake Brook as wetland and tributary 

5. Upcoming work includes a new bridge over the brook

*pun intended

1. Gath Pool Rebuild

The concrete for the lap pool has been poured, and the shell is fully formed! (!!) 

Also, the concrete for the recreation pool has been poured, and the shell is fully formed! (!!)

The ADA ramp and stairs in front of the bathhouse have been poured.

Both pools exist!

See for yourself:

https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2024/02/23/gath-pool-rebuild

The front of the pool and bathhouse are under development and also on schedule (!) – and the remaining work now is to finish the overall facility.

At the beginning of the project, there were plenty of unknowns, but with current assessments – all parameters are fairly well known now.

I think we can all agree that this is amazing and thrilling. 

Want even more good news?

The contracting teams are receiving appreciation from neighbors – for being clean, timely, polite, focused while working weekend days, holidays and all weekdays. Wow!

2. Traffic Safety

The new Back-In Parking Pilot continues to be successful with 95-100% compliance at all times of day. Wow! Thank you to Newton DPW and to everyone who parks in the new way to make change happen. It takes all of us working together to make it happen. 

We found that it takes about 3 tries to get the angle right, and then you’re a pro.

What’s the result of learning this new skill?

-People can now bike on Albemarle and be seen. (!)

-Drivers don’t blast horns anymore when someone is pulling into the roadway, since they aren’t doing it blind. (!!)

-It’s easier and safer to access the park from a vehicle since no one needs to walk broadly around open doors or to trunks exposed to passing cars.

More thoughts: 

https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2023/12/08/in-support-of-the-back-in-parking-at-albemarle

There is also a new RRFB (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon) in place – and it’s working!

That’s right…we can now all cross the street!! (!!)

https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2023/12/06/new-rrfb-at-albemarle

3. Fields, Lights, Trees, Courts and Paths – Moving Forward with No Delays

A beautiful plan exists to upgrade Albemarle with more trees, better footpaths, rain gardens, playing fields, pickleball courts and better, smarter lighting (like Newton North). It’s approved, funded and in place. Now we just need to finalize the design and find a contractor.

As a riverfront area (it’s a wetland and tributary of the Charles River), this project will be given a permit for the entire site. Once that permit moves forward, much like the pool redesign, the design team can swiftly move to finalizing construction documents and bidding this summer. Any delay will result in the delay of significant benefits to the community.

We do not want a delay. All of these improvements are badly needed.

They include:

·      Park accessibility for all residents

·      Upgraded equipment

·      Safer routes for kids to go to school at Day, Fessenden and NECP

·      Better and safer 4th of July, Indigenous Peoples day and other events.

·      Newton Fire and Police Departments will get better and cleaner access to area

·      Many multi-generational opportunities abound including pickleball courts and easier path use

·      Addition of many trees throughout the park

·      Environmental benefits of better, smarter irrigation and maintenance systems and process

·      Improved traffic conditions by providing alternate modes of transportation through the park’s multi-use path

·      Rain gardens that capture any run off into the brook, leading to a cleaner river and ocean

·      Equitable access to athletic environments for the North side of Newton

We’re confident that, working as a community, we can all rally together to ensure that the entire permit moves forward on time to get these badly needed improvements for the north side of Newton.

Tell Us What Furniture You’d Like to See at Albemarle!

Please take a few minutes to complete this informal poll and share your preferred outdoor furniture styles and colors. 

Feel free to share!

https://forms.gle/M1w1oScSeohPtgvh8

4. Cheesecake Brook

Watch last week’s public meeting co-hosted by Charles River Watershed Association and the City of Newton about a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management looking to keep pollution out of Cheesecake Brook, evaluate fish and wildlife passage, and help green the Albemarle corridor. 

Learn more at www.crwa.org/stream-restoration

Meeting recording: 

The slides from the meeting and recording are now available.

There are also educational resources on how you can help protect the water quality of the Charles River Watershed by making small changes to your property like adding rain gardens and other natural features!

Please save the date for the next public meeting in this series: Thursday, April 25th at 7:00 PM. 

5. Upcoming Work

A new bridge will be built across Cheesecake Brook to support pedestrian crossings to the upgraded park and pool. It will line up with the path through Fessenden School and connect easily to Gath Pool and the new fields and courts.

There is a plan to formalize parking near Fessenden School as well.

This will be an ADA compliant-bridge that exists alongside the one placed just upstream back in 2021.

https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2021/11/15/bridge-building

Phew! That’s a lot of information for just one winter newsletter, and if we keep writing it, well, it’ll be spring. Thanks for reading!

Cedar Pruitt

President, Friends of Albemarle

Gath Pool Rebuild (!!)

Thank you to Commissioner Josh Morse for these many awesome pictures! My pics just aren’t as good, but everytime I want a dose of awe I go and stand at this site.

Just IMAGINE the joy, connection, health, learning, and development that will happen here for generations.

Wow!

Still on schedule to open in June 2024. Double wow! A tremendous thank you to Luis Perez Demorizi for his phenomenal leadership of this project, and to Commissioner Banks and the Newton Parks, Rec and Culture team.

In Support of Planned Synthetic Turf Fields at North and Albemarle

Dear Newton City Council,

Having invested our time and energy into supporting safe and accessible community use of Albemarle over the past few years, we, the board of Friends of Albemarle, are writing to encourage you to please push forward with planned synthetic turf fields at both North and Albemarle. This letter is intended to represent the opinion of the board. 

The organization for which we volunteer as board, Friends of Albemarle, is a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit with more than 500 members including two state representatives and half of Newton city council.

We care deeply about the environment and have fought consistently for open green space. In fact, it is this concern that makes us write to you today. 

Newton has taken many steps to ensure the greatest level of environmental responsibility in the use of synthetic turf, including recycling the old turf. These two turf installations would bring us to a mere 6% of our total fields (118 acres total), leaving the other 110 acres to remain as grass fields. No other synthetic turf is planned. This is simply a way to manage extremely high-volume areas of use, much like we choose to use asphalt instead of dirt on our main roads. 

Please be aware that any delay of the synthetic turf at Albemarle will also delay the installation of a planned bike and walking path that will create significantly safer conditions at Albemarle, not to mention improved grass fields, wetlands integration and rainwater management, and better lighting that allows for the healthy outdoor community recreation for which we have worked so very hard.

We don’t see a reason to unfairly limit the recreation of North students and Albemarle community users, especially based on the idea that a turf field is somehow different and more concerning than the many other uses of plastics in our homes and schools, from take-out containers to classroom chairs to playgrounds. With two synthetic turf fields on the south side of the city, we think the time is right for two functional fields on the north side as well (including a replacement of North’s turf so that games can proceed as planned).

Please reach out to us if you have questions.  

Sincerely,

The Board of the Friends of Albemarle

In Support of the Back-In Parking at Albemarle

To the Newton City Council and Mayor Fuller, 

We’re writing to celebrate and praise the new back-in parking format and painted bike lane for Albemarle. It is safer than it has ever been.The new signage is abundantly clear, the stripes are visible and usefully placed, and we are observing nearly 100% compliance. On both weekend and weekend mornings and afternoons, whether 1 car is parked at Albemarle (a rarity) or 40 cars (much more common), just about everyone is parking correctly (pictures here and here). 

This leaves drivers able to pull forward with full visibility of the road and also of anyone using the new bike path that runs alongside Cheesecake Brook. It also means that each car’s trunk space is now easily accessible to field users, and parents of young children don’t need to catch and shepherd them around open car doors, but instead send them safely and directly to the sidewalk.

While it’s not easy to measure things like “less honking,” or “more relaxed users who have less fear and anxiety than before,” the fact is that those things are palpable nonetheless. As a city, we’re changing the culture and accessibility of Albemarle. Add to that the benefit that people can start to use the bike path instead of the sidewalk when biking, and pedestrians can breathe easier, too.

As you know, we saw the flex posts working very well at Albemarle and Crafts, so with those gone for the winter, we’re thankful to have the enhanced safety of back-in parking. We’re looking forward to having flex posts back in the spring, but also excited about the new RRFB (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon) at Albemarle and Crafts, which is fantastic for pedestrian safety. 

Thank you for your continued attention and support for community access at Albemarle. As great as we make it together, it must be safe to access. 

Sincerely,

The Board of the Friends of Albemarle

Back-in Parking Success

It is working! Morning, noon and night….whether for weekday work or weekend meet-ups on the playground, the people of Newton are expertly back-in parking at Albemarle. This road never been safer or less anxiety-provoking than it is today. Thank you to the Newton DPW, Transportation Department, Neighborways Team and others who made it happen!

WOW!

It is SO. MUCH. SAFER.
wow!!!

Look at all these cars back-in parking on Albemarle. Hooray!! This is the first time this road has been safe since it has perhaps existed (or at least in decades!).

thank you to everyone who worked on this!!

Road Safety Update Nov 2023

Hi friends, 

In our Fall Newsletter, we promised a separate update on road safety. Voila!

Road Safety Update 

1. Flex Posts

2. This Thursday: 4 Proposals About Albemarle/Crafts

3. Back-in Striping in Effect NOW at Albemarle

4. FOA Magnets and You

FLEX POSTS

All flex posts have been removed from the intersection of Albemarle and Crafts. 

Within 24 hours of removal this weekend, debris from a vehicle was scattered in the road, suggesting an accident. 

We know first-hand that those flex posts created so much safety for cyclists and pedestrians. We wrote to Newton City Council about it in August, applauding their installation. We’re worried about increased safety risk with their removal. Be cautious!

FOUR PROPOSALS THIS THURSDAY

Speaking of, this Thursday 11/16 at 7pm, the Newton Traffic Council will convene and discuss multiple proposals for Albemarle road. All four are listed below. Some have been suggested by FOA members. Thank you for using your voice and participating in thinking through solutions for this area.

Agenda and zoom info is below:

https://www.newtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/113698/638351171225084976

A little context for the RRFB proposal, which we enthusiastically support – signalization is still scheduled for that intersection in 2026. But these pedestrian flashers would be more permanent than flex posts and are badly needed in that area. (More info: What is an RRFB?)

TC58-23

ADRIAN AYALA, CITY TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER, requesting to add a RRFB to the intersection of Crafts Street at Albemarle Road

TC58 -22

JASON SOBEL, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS, requesting to permanently close the northbound block of Albemarle Road to vehicular traffic, in both directions, between Crafts Street and North Street, except for bicycles. This portion of Albemarle Road has been closed since September 2020 as part of an on-going Traffic Council trial. (Wards 2 & 3) [11/22/22 @

12:05 PM]

HELD 5-0 on 12/15/22. Trial will continue to be held.

TC17-23

MATTHEW MAZER, 24 Maynard Street, requesting consideration of a trial to close Albemarle Road, southbound at North Street between North Street (Newtonville) and Maynard Street. (Wards 2 & 3) [04/12/23 @ 12:11 PM]

TC26-23

JESSE COREY, 64 Oak Cliff Road, on behalf of neighborhood residents, requesting the following changes for the block of Albemarle Road between North Street and Crafts Street (western leg): Convert to a 2-way traffic circulation pattern; add a “Do Not Enter” restriction at the intersection of Albemarle Road at Crafts Street; add a “right turn only” restriction from Albemarle Road Southbound onto Crafts Street; and add a stop sign at the intersection of Albemarle Road at North Street. (Wards 2 & 3) [05/24/23 @ 4:23 PM]

BACK-IN PARKING

Most of the striping is in and the back-in parking trial has started. Work crews will be out for additional pavement markings in the coming days.

When we started Friends of Albemarle, we realized that, at times, safety for park users would need to be prioritized over convenience, and this project is an example of that commitment. While some people will find it to be an adjustment, it is safer for everyone to have drivers backing into their spaces rather than backing out into the active road where cyclists and pedestrians are, as well as other cars in motion and students crossing. 

What about speed humps and flex posts? This part of the trial will be delayed until the spring due to snow removal needs. 

From the City of Newton:

What’s changing?

• New bike lanes on the side of Albemarle alongside Cheesecake Brook

• New crosswalks on Albemarle and at the intersections with Watertown

Street and Crafts Street

• We are changing from head-in to back-in angle parking on the

northbound side of Albemarle between Watertown and Crafts.

• Bicycles will be allowed in both directions on the northbound side of

Albemarle south of Watertown Street

• In 2024, the city will install speed cushions and flex posts on Albemarle

Why are we doing this?

• Safety! This is a heavily used area with many conflict points and

hundreds of school age children using Albemarle. We need to slow cars down, and

establish clear paths for cycling and walking.

• Back-in or head-out parking gives drivers a clear view when exiting a parking space.

You can practice at Auburndale Cove, and watch the Mayor’s video linked HERE.

What about the intersection of Crafts and Albemarle?

• Design of this project is underway, and we expect that the intersection will be signalized in a couple of years.

Learn more about this pilot at NewtonMA.gov/Albemarle or contact Josh Ostroff, Director of Transportation Planning, jostroff@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1481.

CAR MAGNETS

Nothing makes us happier than seeing a beautiful FOA car magnet in the wild! Please buy one today and show your Albemarle pride. 

Honors system – Just leave $5 per magnet in the side porch at 29 North St. and take one today!

Field Notes: Fall 2023 Newsletter

Dear Friends, 

A short check-in to wish everyone happy fall days and long walks in the woods, whether they are Avery Woods or otherwise. Albemarle is still in full swing for a range of sports, although athletes, walkers, students and everyone else are occasionally reshuffling to support the construction of the new Gath Pool.

Gath Pool

We were honored to be part of the pool’s groundbreaking ceremony in September, and excited to see so much progress being made every day in the demolition and development (even though it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to a pool we loved so much). Some pictures: https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2023/09/28/gath-pool-groundbreaking

Election

It’s also election season, and after ten years of steadfast support from Emily Norton, Albemarle will get a new ward councilor. While we don’t endorse any particular candidate, we asked both candidates for Ward 2 the same question about the future of Albemarle. The responses received are here. Only those who live in Ward 2 can vote for this seat. 

Whomever you choose – please vote! Democracy requires our participation. 

Traffic

Plenty of future work is slated for the Albemarle area, and a seperate update will go out on traffic safety projects once we get more dates and timelines. In the short term, we’re happy to see stop signs installed at the intersection of Eliot and Watertown St., as road safety in the wider area of Albemarle is crucial to the safety of all park users.

Donate to FOA

Finally, please remember that Friends of Albemarle is accepting donations. We are a certified 501c3 nonprofit organization and put all current donations toward our operating expenses. 

Easy new way to donate –  through our new Venmo account: @FriendsofAlbemarle – check it out here.

You can send us a check or donate by credit card – details here on our site!

Donation Levels:

Field of Dreams – $500 and up
Make a Splash – $250
Mighty Oak – $100
Friend – Any Amount

Back to Gath Pool

For now, enjoy this view from Albemarle, which has drama, intrigue, shock, excitement, hope, passion and vision all in one (OK, OK, it’s just the demolition…but it’s pretty amazing what we can all do together!): 

https://friendsofalbemarle.wordpress.com/2023/10/28/quite-a-view

Ward 2 Candidates Weigh In

Question sent to both candidates: As a ward 2 city councilor, what is your vision for the future of Albemarle and its role in our community?

Candidate David Micley replied: 

I am grateful to the Friends of Albemarle for your fierce advocacy for Albemarle Park, a vital community resource for Ward 2 and the entire city. According to city staff I have spoken with, Albemarle is the most-used park in our entire city. I am excited about recent upgrades such as the playground that former Horace-Mann parents raised money for and installed, as well as the new Gath Pool that is expected to open in spring 2024. The park is in need of attention in several ways however, and I would be honored if the voters of Ward 2 give me the chance to be their voice on the City Council advocating for these improvements. One example is flooding. Cheesecake Brook overtops its banks in large rainstorms, and thanks to climate change, those flooding incidents are coming with more frequency. I know plans have been drawn up to address flooding by way of rain gardens and an underground storage tank, but we need to identify the funding source and get those plans implemented as quickly as possible. Another concern is graffiti and general upkeep. I know from speaking with abutters that too often park facilities and surfaces are defaced and it takes a long time for the city to address it. In addition the quality of the field is not what it should be, and as the father of three kids, I know how important it is for parents to feel that their children will be safe when using our fields, and not be in danger of tripping in holes or dirt patches. Lastly I will oppose any efforts to install solar panels along Albemarle Road that involves removing trees. While I strongly support clean energy, it is my understanding that over the years the executive branch has periodically proposed removing trees along Albemarle Road in order to install solar panels there. Trees provide shade, clean the air, hold stormwater, provide habitat for birds and wildlife, and more. If anything I’d like to see more trees in the park, not fewer. I am intrigued by a plan by Charles River Watershed Association to restore natural banks and sinuosity to the Cheesecake Brook, as well as additional trees along the banks, and if elected, would work with Friends of Albemarle Park to ensure the park gets the investments necessary to be the truly world-class park our residents deserve. If you have particular feedback or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My email is micleyfornewton at gmail.com and my cell is 617-413-6330 – call or text anytime.

Candidate Dan Gaynor replied:

As a hometown kid, born and raised on Cabot Street, I’ve been a life-long visitor to Albemarle. It’s the gem of the Garden City: a place to play for kids across the City, particularly for students at Day, Horace Mann, and Newton North; fields for generations of Little Leaguers (including me, a former right fielder); and even the home of annual events like July 4th festivities and Newton Indigenous Peoples Day. It’s the most active park in our City. As a member of Green Newton, a career environmental advocate, and as a dad, I believe we’ve got to invest in protecting our community’s most dynamic green space.

I’m glad to say that the future of Albemarle looks strong. With the groundbreaking of the new Gath Pool behind us, I’m looking forward to taking my daughter to the new splash pad (and eventually, racing me in the swimming lanes). Indeed, I just chatted with the Pohlman’s about ways to ensure more kids access the incredible learning opportunities offered by the Newton Bluefish. I’m also glad to see the new 20 MPH Safety Zone signs up around Albemarle, ensuring our kids can walk and bike safely. Lastly, as we aim to foster more walkable villages across the City, I’m encouraged by the new traffic calming plans. With 4,000 children going to school around Albemarle, along with abutters Fessenden and NECP, it’s essential we mitigate any potential for accidents. 

Looking ahead, though, there’s more we can do to ensure the continued vitality of Albemarle. That starts with Cheesecake Brook. On the heels of the second-rainiest summer in Massachusetts history, we need to enact flood mitigation plans that both protect vulnerable homes and strengthen environmental protections around runoff that extends into the Charles River. I support the plan to install an underground storage tank, restore the sloping, natural banks of the brook, and augment it with bioretention basins. For more on my thoughts, please check out my comments on Cheesecake Brook in a recent debate by clicking here.

We also need to invest in our tree canopy throughout and around Albemarle. Newton has lost 20,000 trees since 1983, and we must do more to protect them. Trees play an essential role throughout Albemarle: mitigating floods, reducing runoff, preventing heat islands, offering shade to athletes and families, and creating the inviting green atmosphere our City is renowned for. 

Lastly, we can always make Albemarle more welcoming to even more residents. When it comes to concerns around turf fields, we should include both environmental and public health experts in the dialogue to dig into the potential risks and benefits. When it comes to graffiti, trash, and vandalism, we should seek to augment oversight of the park with more City funding for police or engaging community groups to deter such activities. And when it comes to access, we should continue to let more community groups — from musicians to educators — know how to work with the Friends of Albemarle Park to access space to teach and play. 

Above all, being a City Councilor means asking great questions — and acting on the answers. Call or text me anytime at 617-947-8550, and my email is dan at gaynorforma.com