Babylon Hill - Preserving the Trust

Amy Poehler may finally have to look beyond her old home town to find inspiration for her mockumentary, Parks and Recreation.

If allowed by Mayor Menino and the Boston City Council, the $250k remake and restoration of the Babylon Hill field at Mary Cummings Park has the potential to again make this 5 acre field home to a vibrant mix of public recreational uses. And reopening of on-site parking will allow direct public access to the many miles of trails both within the 210 acre public park and the adjoining 75 acres of Whispering Hill Woods soon to be acquired by the City of Woburn. The plans which have been prepared by the Burlington Park department look to be a promising start to the good stewardship of this area of the park.

There are many details to work out and concerns over environmental impacts to assess. Also, plans are still lacking for a replacement of the recently demolished rainy day shelter for children's activities and facilities. And regardless, a discussion of putting the overall management of the entire 200 acres of the park on a more sustainable path (hopefully to be returned to the Boston Park Department, with a board of trustees, and in collaboration with outside organizations) should not be deferred or delayed for yet another season. More coordination, care and maintenance of the trails will be needed if the public are to fully enjoy all 210 acres of their park.

I believe those are issues that can be addressed moving forward in good faith. The important thing is that Babylon Hill will be cared for and enjoyed by more people once again.

Sincerely,

Pat

Pat O'Reilly
Co-Founder and Treasurer of Friends of Mary Cummings Park Inc