THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER, Winter, 2001….. Bob Triggs

Another wonderful year of activity for our organization has been completed, and I am honored to have served as your president
during this time. I look forward to another year of working with so many dedicated volunteers.

Some of our activities this past year have been traditional and on-going such as Illumination Night while others,
such as the Forest Park Partnership, are new.

our year in review:

· Semi-annual neighborhood

cleanups

· Awarded two scholarships to

students going to college

· Participated in hearings and meetings related to proposed rail trail; siting of cell-phone towers; Forest Park Middle
School; Park Department; Historic Commission;Liquor Commission; Planning Board; City Council; zoning issues;
X Main Street Corporation; A & P Food Mart; library; Zoo at Forest Park; DPW ; Community Police and more.

· Sponsored our third annual

historic homes tour

· Sponsored a Halloween party

for children

The Forest Park Partnership is a combination of private and public participants including Reps. Rivera, Candaras,
Sen. Melconian, The X Main Street Corporation, Concerned Citizens for Springfield, Mayor Albano and the FPCA.
Gateway signage, improved street lighting, and some safety and traffic issues are being discussed.
Rep. Rivera was instrumental in getting the various groups together.

As I look over this list I am amazed at how much is accomplished by a relatively small band of volunteers.
We want to increase our membership, and ask for your help in doing this. The FPCA works to improve the
quality of life for everyone in the neighborhood; we can work together to accomplish even more.

GRAFFITI: You have probably noticed that there is a ton of it in the neighborhood now. We can’t get
rid of it when it is cold, but we will do so when the temperature warms up. Call Belle Rita Novak at
737-1724 to offer your services. We are the ONLY neighborhood in the city that regularly gets rid of graffiti.
We need your help.

Concerned Citizens for Springfield: The rehabilitation of 46 Forest Park Ave. is underway. The rear
portion, not original to the house, has been removed. Other work is being done including deleading.
Eventually it will be two units, a large unit for the owner-occupant, and a smaller rental unit.
That house has been a TB sanitarium, an inn and a single room occupancy rooming house.
It will take about a year, but it will be lovely once again.

ANOTHER LIQUOR STORE: An application for an alcoholic beverage license has been filed with the city.
Joseph Calabrese, 105 Cayenne St., West Springfield, wants to open a liquor store at the corner of Oakland and Dickinson
Streets where the Salvation Army was. Planning Board Meeting Feb. 21, 6 pm at City Hall in Room 220.

Perhaps we should just not fight anymore and offer our neighborhood up to anyone who wants to put in a liquor store,
bar, junk store, used car lot, or drive through anything. Imagine the time we would save over the years.
Imagine the value of our property over those same years. Imagine the blight that would overtake our neighborhood.
Imagine all of the interesting places we could visit our friends in after they move from Forest Park.....

If you value where you live, then these issues are worth your time.
Don’t make the same people fight for OUR neighborhood all of the time. Join in!

President........Bob Triggs