Friends of NCBL,CP and 911 Memorial Peace Garden Inc.: NEWTON SERVES in CHAFFIN ESTATE 2009

Hi Friends

Come help out on April 26, 2009 for NEWTON SERVES. We will be organizing a clean up of the grounds of our beloved Newton Corner Branch and Chaffin Park.

We will be planting spring bulbs in our 911 Memorial Peace Garden. This garden was designed by Maryan Amaral after 911. The installation and art is from volunteers in the community. Come prepared to join in the fun!

For any questions about Newton Serves, please contact Beverly Stachowitz at Newton City Hall
at (617) 796-1290. For questions about the peace garden, please contact Maryan at gardensnewton@yahoo.com.

Thank you!

Maryan Amaral, Director
Friends of NCBL, Chaffin Park and 911 Memorial Peace Garden, Inc: A not-for-profit, (non-501(c)3) fully volunteer organization first established as a Friends group in the mid 1990's (Adopt A Space) and incorporated in 2007 to save our branch library grounds and our 911 Memorial Peace Garden.

Our beautiful gems

Our branch libraries are one of the most precious resources we have in Newton. However, in June 2008, Mayor Cohen demanded to close all our branch libraries. Enclosed is a story to restore our branch libraries.

Our Friends of Newton Corner Branch Library was formed in the mid 1990's. I founded it along with Ms. Grace Breslin when we saw the lights broken over the library, tulip tree branches falling on the porch unswept, a muddy driveway without any handicap parking spaces, holes in the middle of the stairs of the library, and many inaccessible problems. Our goal was to get funding and resources to support our beautiful branch library so as to make it accessible to everyone. We were able to petition the City to put in a new driveway with a HP parking space, put in a new wheelchair entrance on the west side and east side, repaint the library to restore it to its historic character, and add new lighting.

The Newton Corner Branch Library is located a stones throw from an assisted living facility (former main library) and two schools. It is well used and loved. This former Boys and Girls Library has a deed to protect it to stay forever as a library. However, now this appears to be violated.

We have put out petitions and stormed City Hall with hundreds of people demanding for our branch libraries to be reopened. We were taken by shock to watch the Trustees of the Library fight to close their branch libraries. It does not make sense.

In 1996, with the help of Leo Levi and our newly formed grassroots committee, we signed papers with the City of Newton to adopt the grounds of the Newton Corner Branch Library and Chaffin Park (Adopt-A- Space, former Alderman Terry O'Halloran). We were able to do research to this Chaffin Park historic significance called Rosedale. Ms. Breslin and I began to do fundraising and look for volunteers to get roses and shrubs for the grounds and brought in new rocks and bought mulch. The City of Newton's Parks and Recreation Dept (Buddy) helped out with bringing mulch.

In 2002, I designed our 911 Memorial Peace Garden in Chaffin Park, part of our Adopt A Space. The new adopt a space contractor agreed to our peace design.
We invited children and adults to create art work with painting "peace rocks" as a permanent installation.

In 2003-4, I learned that there was a new group called " Friends of Farlow Park." I listend to Stephanie Pelkowski and our Alderman support the removal of our 911 Memorial Peace Garden. They supported a red engine playground tot lot to be placed in Chaffin Park. They misnamed it " Farlow Tot Lot." They claimed our rock garden was not "historic" but allowed for the plastic garish structure to be erected in the park, a project supported with our public CDBG funds. There appears to be a discrepancy of supporting the historic nature of Chaffin Estate as we believe a Peace Garden with roses and flowers very much fits the historic structure of the grounds.

We incorporated our Friends group in 2007 as a result of the threat of removing our project. We believe the Friends of Farlow Park should stick with projects of Farlow Park, and we should be focused on supporting the volunteer efforts of accessible grounds of the NCBL. We do not agree with the Brown and Roe designs, as this Boston group's design has not included the existing trees, peace garden, or other projects on site. When I spoke to them, they were unaware of the existing structures. It appears then, it would have been impossible for this landscape design company to have reviewed the site and not seen the existing structures.

James Boynton, Kevin, Kris, and other volunteers have been invaluable to help us build our gardens around the park in 1996-2002. Newton Pride gave us several awards, including in 2007, for our beautification efforts. Thanks to Newton North-High School students for their great art work. You are amazing, my friends. The Rotary Club of Newton donated 1000 daffodils to us in the past. We are forever grateful for all your efforts. We will continue.

Thank you so much to Alderman Amy Sangiolo, Bill Brandel, and other Alderman for their great efforts in trying to save our branch libraries. Our precious gems serve people with disabilities, elders and the children at our schools. Education has to be the top priority in our city.

Our Friends of NCBL/CP and 911 Memorial Peace Garden is alive and well. Although our Mayor closed our libraries without our vote, our Friends group is alive and well.

Come volunteer with Newton Serves in April. We will be doing a cleanup of the grounds, and plant flowers. If you have any donations of spring bulbs, funds, or other services, please contact me at gardensnewton@yahoo.com.

Thank you!

Peace!

Maryan Amaral, Director
Friends of NCBL,CP and 911 MPG, Inc.
PO Box 600200
Newton, MA 02460

" No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." -Aesop

" Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." Henry Ford

" Why not go to the fullest length, and the silliest length, in exploiting yourself and turn the proceeds back to the community?" Paul Newman

Open our Newton Corner Branch Library- Letters from Children and older patrons

" ∂ear Mayor Cohen

I am 21 years old and entering my fourth college year. I came to the library today(Newton Corner) with my mother to find newspaper cutout of myself when I was age 10. When I was in elementary school, I would come here after school to read books and study. I am writing this letter to help keep this library open for future elementary school students to enjoy its many uses, and they too can also reflect in their own past history in many years to come." - Alex P.

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" Dear City of Newton,

My mom started reading to little kids here at the Newton Corner Branch Library 9 years ago. I was 5 then. I 've been coming to this library for practically all my life! I have always loved the friendly atmosphere and looking through all the books. One thing I remember especially is stopping here on my way home from Bigelow, on a cold day, and warming myself by the heater while browsing through the books.

Please don't close this library! It holds so many memories for so many people. While writing this letter, I overheard some ladies talking about the benefits of not closing the branch libraries. One of them was that if these libraries are closed, people will have to drive to the public library. As you should know, global warming is climbing the ladder of things that the earth has to watch out for! So don't close the library! Please! Thank you for reading my letter. I hope you have a good day (smiley face and heart)."- Linda B.

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Dear Mayor Cohen

" I am a sixth grade student at Bigelow Middle School. I think you should keep all of the branches because it would be a disappointment to see them close. I have a few questions.

1. Why are you closing the library when a good amount of people come to them?

2. Do you understand that many people are upset with you closing the branches?

3. I understand you have listened to some complaints, but why have you changed the librarian for the rest of the month?

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. "

- N.

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A letter from a 5 year old Newton Corner neighbor (picture).

"I love picig (sic) out the books. I like this library to0."

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Dear Mayor Cohen

"I am a student at Cabot and I am writing to you to ask you to reconsider your decision to close the branch libraries. I like to come here to Newton Corner Library to look at books with my mom. It is always great to get an extra opportunity to look for books." - M.G.

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" I love our libare (sic) " (Brent age 5)

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Dear Mayor Cohen

I am 62 years old. I grew up in Newton and attended Newton High School. Every afternoon I caught the bus from Newtonville with my friend and we explored the library. I remember the art books and poetry. Since then, I have lived in Belmont, Somerville, Waltham, and Watertown but "always" returned to the Newton branch libraries because their collection was so strong. My mother always had a big basket of books near the bed, and now I do. We have all supported money. Don't start chipping away at what makes Newton so special! - L.H.

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Dear friends:

Thank you to all the volunteers, the Rotary Club, Kevin, Jim, Tai, Kris, and everyone who has volunteered over the years with our Adopt A Space and Beautification Project at the Newton Corner Branch Library. We will not give up.

Below is a picture from 1997 when we planted 1000 daffodils around the perimeter of the branch library, in newly formed gardens. Peace!

- Maryan Amaral, President/Founder
Friends of Newton Corner Branch Library

Friends of NCBL,CP and 911 Memorial Peace Garden Inc.

911 Memorial Peace Garden in Chaffin Park, Newton, MA

NEWTON SERVES in CHAFFIN ESTATE 2009

Our beautiful gems

Open our Newton Corner Branch Library- Letters from Children and older patrons