Franklin Park Coalition Inc

OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY THE FRANKLIN PARK COALITION (FPC), AS "A COMMUNITY VOICE FOR THE PARK," MAINTAINS STRONG COMMUNICATION LINES WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND PARK USERS. WE TAKE CONCERNS TO THE CITY OF BOSTON'S PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT, AND OVERSIGHT OF THE PARK. IN ADDITION, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL POLICE, INSTITUTIONS WITHIN AND ABUTTING FRANKLIN PARK, ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENTING THE PARK, AND OTHER RELEVANT CITY AND STATE AGENCIES. OVER THE PAST YEAR, FPC ADVOCACY HAS BEEN FOCUSED IN THREE AREAS: 1)THE FRANKLIN PARK TRUST FUND - A NEW SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR PARK MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING. DUE TO BUREAUCRATIC CHALLENGES, THE COALITION HAS HAD TO WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THE TRUST FUND WAS SET-UP AND IS OPERATING. THE EFFORT HAS REQUIRED REPEATED BOARD OUTREACH AND MEETINGS WITH CITY OF BOSTON OFFICIALS. THE WORK IS ONGOING. 2)FRANKLIN PARK ACTION PLAN - A NEW EFFORT UTILIZING TRUST FUND MONEY TO CREATE A MASTER PLAN, OR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF FRANKLIN PARK. FPC PUBLICIZES AND PARTICIPATES IN COMMUNITY MEETINGS, OFFERS FEEDBACK THROUGH AN ADVISORY BOARD, AND ADVOCATES TO MAKE SURE OUTCOMES STAY RELEVANT TO IMMEDIATE NEEDS IN THE PARK. 3)PARK MAINTENANCE - FPC SPEARHEADED A MAINTENANCE SURVEY THAT RESULTED IN 160 RESPONSES ABOUT KEY ISSUES NOTED BY PARK USERS. THE GOAL WAS TO FEED THIS INPUT TO THE BOSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE MANAGERS OF THE PARK, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIRECTION OF THE ACTION PLAN AND THE MAINTENANCE WORK PLANNED WITH THE TRUST FUND MONEY. IN ADDITION TO ADVOCACY, THE FRANKLIN PARK COALITION RUNS SEASONAL PARK PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. DURING FY 2022, THE ELMA LEWIS PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK BROUGHT FOUR FREE CONCERTS TO THE PARK COMMUNITY, ATTRACTING SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE, AND A FIFTH EVENT, AN INAUGURAL FRANKLIN PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER. IN MAY, THE ANNUAL KITE & BIKE FESTIVAL DREW THOUSANDS FOR A SPRING DAY OF KITE FLYING AND BICYCLE ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IN THE FALL AND SPRING A FEW VOLUNTEER CLEAN-UP DAYS HELPED MANAGE LITTER IN OUT-OF-THE-WAY PLACES IN THE PARK THAT DO NOT RECEIVE PARKS DEPARTMENT MAINTENANCE ATTENTION. DURING WARMER MONTHS FPC PROMOTES AND SUPPORT FITNESS ACTIVITIES: WALKING GROUPS, LINE DANCING, AND YOGA. A WEEKLY OR BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, AND THE FPC WEBSITE HELP PUBLICIZE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS IN THE PARK.