2011 Officers and Committee Chairs of the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park
President Joanne Hayes-Rines (3rd from left), Vice-President Trish Baumer (not pictured), Clerk Sandra Harcourt (4th from left), Treasurer Virginia Kimball (right), Directors At Large Joe Bono (2nd from right) and Meghan Denenberg (2nd from left), Fundraising Chair Anne Devlin Tagliaferro (not pictured), Horticulture Chair Mary Ann Esparo (not pictured), Infrastructure Chair Cole Landers (4th from right), Membership Chair Beverly Knight (left), Website & Internet Communications Chair Audrey Tortolani (3rd from right), Park Lighting Chair Jay Thompson (not pictured) and Dan Nuzzo, Past President and Advisor (not pictured).
The Friends of Christopher Columbus Park tends to be an inclusive group and that is the way the annual election of officers came out at this Tuesday’s Mariner’s House meeting with all candidates being elected for the coming year.
President Joanne Hayes-Rines reviewed the accomplishments of FOCCP in the past year including new by-laws, tot lot clean-up, bulletin board painting, 2010 Gala, new trellis lights, improved website and newsletter, continued maintenance of the Rose Garden and Crescent, Columbus Day celebration, membership outreach and a park infrastructure analysis.
The Friends have big plans for 2011, their 10th Anniversary. Here is a sampling:
June 2nd: FOCCP Summer Kick Off at the Living Room (new members welcome)
June 11th: Tot Lot Clean Up!
June, July and August: Movies in the Park
July 20th: Member’s Only Sunset Cruise on the Harbor
September 10th and 11th: “Ahts” in the Park
October 9th Christopher Columbus Day celebration
November 18th: The 10th Anniversary Gala
November: Trellis Lighting
A brand new initiative was announced to include an art sculpture in the circle area on the Marriott side of the park. Several members have already started working on this project and look forward to bringing more information to officials and the neighborhood in the near future.
In terms of the park itself, the Friends are increasingly frustrated with the trash can situation and continue to work with city officials to replace the oil drum barrels. Public Works did paint the light poles, although the Parks Department has yet to respond to FOCCP’s other maintenance requests.
Members of FOCCP are supporting the “Shadow Bill,” An Act protecting sunlight in certain public parks (including Christopher Columbus Park) that would prevent new shadows from impacting CCP as a result of future development. A petition was circulated in support.
Sunday Night Movies in the Park – Director at Large, Joe Bono, is organizing 7 movie events at CCP on Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m., starting June 26th. Movie titles have yet to be determined.
The Horticulture Committee has started working for the season and meets on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings.
FOCCP membership, committee and event information can be found at www.foccp.org.
