Support needed for state funding for construction documents for Mystic River Master Plan

This letter was sent by the Mystic River Water Shed Association about a project that is very important to the City of Medford. Please consider supporting this effort. Many of you have Paul Donato as your Representative, but it is still helpful for him to hear that there is a lot of support in Medford for this project.  We believe that once these construction  plans exist, we can get developers to help implement the Mystic River Master Plan and develop the river much the way the Charles River has been developed for recreational use. With their permission, I have included the complete text of their letter below, because I cannot say it better myself.
Alicia Hunt
Director of Energy & Environment
City of Medford

Dear Friend of the Mystic River,

It's Earth Day, and this weekend hundreds of volunteers will be out cleaning up and enjoying the Mystic River parklands. We are grateful for all your enthusiasm to maintain these critical, signature resources for our region. Now there is more that you can do to help!

By Friday 4/25, please call/email your State Representative to help this key amendment get into the final House budget. Amendment #424 sponsored by Representatives Paul Donato and Anne Gobi will add $250,000 to the DCR's budget to be specifically used to prepare all final planning, construction and permit documents for construction of the Mystic River Master Plan. Please ask your State Representative to support (and if possible co-sponsor) Amendment #424 to the House Budget. You can find your State Representative here.

Construction of the projects outlined in the Master Plan will significantly improve walking and cycling access along the Mystic River and implement many long overdue repairs and renovations in DCR parks. Now is the time to complete these important planning and engineering drawings and documents to ensure that our region and our communities are prepared when new funding is announced and made available for parkland improvement. MyRWA and its partners, including Livable Streets Alliance have worked to get this amendment filed. We want this project on the banks of the Mystic to be shovel-ready and first in line for funding whenever it appears. Please ask your Representative to support the amendment today! Click here for more information.

Thank you for all that you do to support the parklands and ensure they remain a destination for future generations.

Sincerely,

EkOngKar Singh Khalsa
Executive Director
Mystic River Watershed Association