#walkboston

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Wendy Landman, WalkBoston, 617-367-9255, [email protected] Contact: Julie DeSilva, Cummings Foundation, 781-932-7093, [email protected]

WalkBoston awarded $100,000 Boston nonprofit receives Cummings Foundation grant

Boston, May 26, 2017 – WalkBoston is one of 100 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s “$100K for 100” program. The Boston-based organization was chosen from a total of 549 applicants, during a competitive review process.

WalkBoston is a non-profit pedestrian advocacy organization dedicated to improving walking conditions in cities and towns across Massachusetts.

Representing WalkBoston, Wendy Landman, Executive Director, and Stacey Beuttell, Deputy Executive Director, will join approximately 300 other guests at a reception at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn to celebrate the $10 million infusion into Greater Boston’s nonprofit sector. With the conclusion of this grant cycle, Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $170 million to local nonprofits alone.

“This wonderful grant will enable us to work with community based organizations to help them create safer pedestrian environments in communities supported by the Cummings Foundation,” said Wendy Landman.

WalkBoston will use these funds to train and empower residents to be change agents for safe streets.

The $100K for 100 program supports nonprofits that are not only based in but also primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. This year, the program is benefiting 35 different cities and towns within the Commonwealth.

Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the area where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate Cummings Properties. Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings of Winchester, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages more than 10 million square feet of space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

“Nonprofit organizations like WalkBoston are vital to the local communities where our colleagues and clients live and work,” said Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s executive director. “We are delighted to invest in their efforts.”

This year’s diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including homelessness prevention and affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. Most of the grants will be paid over two to five years.

The complete list of 100 grant winners is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

About WalkBoston WalkBoston was founded in 1990, becoming the first organization in America dedicated to pedestrian advocacy. We strive to bring walking and pedestrian needs into the transportation discussion, collaborating closely with other advocacy, community and civic/educational groups. WalkBoston makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment and more vibrant communities. For more information, visit www.walkboston.org.

About Cummings Foundation Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester. With assets exceeding $1.4 billion, it is one of the largest foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including two New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn. Its largest single commitment to date was $50 million to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

By Joseph Cutrufo  Joseph Cutrufo is a former member of the WalkBoston staff and current Director of Communications and Connecticut Policy at Tri-State Transportation Campaign.  In March 2015, Connecticut cut the ribbon on CTfastrak, New England’s first bus rapid transit system. CTfastrak features a 9.4-mile bus-only guideway which runs from downtown New Britain through Newington and West Hartford to its terminus in downtown Hartford. CTfastrak has outpaced ridership projections so far. But the real test for CTfastrak will be whether it can transform the way people travel in greater Hartford, where 81 percent of commuters drive to work alone — even higher than the national average of 76 percent. Not long after the system launched, prospective riders bemoaned the lack of parking near stations. Predictably, the Connecticut Department of Transportation responded by building more parking. But when people won’t use the system due to a lack of parking, we shouldn’t ask, “Where can we build more parking.” We should ask, “Why can’t people get here without a car?” In greater Hartford, the answer is simple: the neighborhoods surrounding CTfastrak stations aren’t dense enough, and the streets in station areas don’t safely accommodate walking.  Some in the CTfastrak corridor recognize these challenges. The City of New Britain hired a consultant to run a series of public workshops to identify what kind of developments would be most appropriate for the city’s three CTfastrak stations. And in West Hartford, town officials amended local zoning regulations to allow mixed-used development around CTfastrak stations, where much of the land is currently zoned for industrial uses. But in suburban Newington, the town’s zoning board passed a moratorium on “high density development” shortly after CTfastrak service launched. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has set aside funds to help speed along transit-oriented development projects, but ultimately the region needs a more holistic approach to making greater Hartford a more walkable region. The state had a chance to start the process through legislation in 2015, but a bill proposing a “Transit Corridor Development Authority” was viewed unfavorably by towns that saw it as a threat to home rule. That won’t be the end of the movement to unchain the greater Hartford area from car-dominant planning. One place to look for inspiration is the city of Hartford, where a major zoning overhaul seeks to undo a half-century in which the city’s parking inventory increased by 30,000 as the population declined by 40,000 people. 

This article was featured in WalkBoston’s Winter 2017 newsletter.

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Jane's Walk is happening the first weekend of May (5th-6th-7th). Last year, 1,000+ walks happened all over the globe! Think of this as an opportunity to:

start a conversation with your neighbors,

continue highlighting safety issues that have been identified through initiatives like Boston's Neighborhood Slow Streets application process

get outside and enjoy a weekend in May!

Create your walk idea on Janeswalk.org, or get in touch with us at WalkBoston (contact Brendan!). We're happy to help you or your neighbors with suggestions, promote your walk, and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to helping you get out walking! Edit: We’ll add neighborhoods/cities/towns below that will be hosting walks on this post (and include links to the separate walks within the communities as we find out about them.) 

Boston - West End - “Jane’s Walk West End Tour”  Meet at the West End Museum  Saturday, May 6, 2pm http://janeswalk.org/united-states/boston/janes-walk-west-end-tour/

Boston - West Roxbury - “West Roxbury Walk Audit”  Meet at the Hastings Street Lot Saturday, May 6, 2pm  http://janeswalk.org/united-states/boston/west-roxbury-walk-audit/

Boston - Jamaica Plain - “Growing the City: Washington St from Forest Hills to Green St”  Meet at Brassica Kitchen & Cafe Sunday, May 7, 11am  http://janeswalk.org/united-states/boston/growing-city-washington-st-forest-hills-green-st/

Boston - Roslindale - “Roslindale Gateway Path & proposed Blackwell Path Extension” Meet at SE corner of the Arboretum (look for Walk UP Roslindale Banner) Sunday, May 7, 1pm  http://www.walkuproslindale.org/weblog/2017/04/21/janes-walk-planned-sunday-may-7-at-1-pm-start-at-the-southeast-corner-of-the-arboretum/

Cambridge - “The Dense Layers of History in Old Cambridge” Meet at Out of Town News Kiosk, Harvard Square Saturday, May 6, 10:30am  http://www.janejacobswalk.org/upcoming-2017-walks/the-dense-layers-of-history-in-old-cambridge

Worcester - Jane Week (May 1 - 7, 2017) gives Worcester residents and visitors a chance to connect to each other, explore Worcester by foot and participate in interesting discussions on how we can enhance the design and function of our city. - 20+ events and walks throughout Worcester. http://janeswalk.org/united-states/worcester-ma/

Lowell - “Labor Movement in Lowell” Meet at Lowell National Park Visitor Center, 246 Market St Saturday, May 6, 10:30am http://richardhowe.com/event/labor-movement-in-lowell-walk/

Dedham - “Walking Tour of Proposed Dedham Heritage Rail Trail” Meet at the parking lot by the football field/track on Whiting Ave Sunday, May 7, 4:00pm Saturday, May 13, 10:00am http://mailchi.mp/f20ef35375c4/rail-trail-happenings-this-spring

Somerville - “A Metamorphosis of Industrial Buildings Along the Rails” Kickoff to Somerville’s Preservation Month, ending at Aeronaut Brewery Saturday, May 13, 9:30am http://janeswalk.org/united-states/somerville-ma/meta/

As presented at this year’s annual event on March 29, 2017 See the list of all time winners: http://walkboston.org/events/goldenshoe-award

Alison Pultinas | Persistent, effective Mission Hill/Roxbury citizen activist  Alison Pultinas is a leading Mission Hill activist and a key member of the Friends of Melnea Cass Boulevard. Alison has been a guiding hand for the design of the Melnea Cass roadway as it has evolved from a roadway widening project to a Complete Street. Throughout the five-year advocacy effort, Alison has been persistent and effective, providing key institutional memory, recalling comment letters sent and informal decisions reached. Alison is a strong advocate for development that is not dependent upon automobiles. She is a key ally of WalkBoston and consistently encourages WalkBoston to attend meetings and to respond to projects, like the proposed Tremont Crossing mixed-use development. She keeps watch over several of the outdoor stairways which connect walking routes on the hilly landscape of Mission Hill, cleaning and shoveling when needed. Alison is happy to report that the reconstruction of the Hayden Street Stairs, a City of Boston Public Works project, is upcoming. She also writes for the monthly community newspaper, The Fenway News, with a focus on development and historic preservation issues. Sarah Bankert, Healthy Hampshire | Rural walking advocate in Western Massachusetts Sarah Bankert conceived of the Route 202 – Common to Courthouse Corridor Study in Belchertown, which brought together municipal staff, Belchertown seniors, and economic development entities to work toward a shared goal of a safer, higher quality walking experience along Route 202. Sarah and her team’s efforts attracted the attention of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Design & Resiliency Team (DART) who conducted a multi-day workshop which resulted in a “Three Villages & A Farm: Belchertown Beyond” case study report. She is also leading efforts to improve health and walkability in 14 towns in Hampshire County as part of the MDPH 1422 grant. Caitlin Marquis, Healthy Hampshire | Rural walking advocate in Western Massachusetts  Caitlin Marquis has been a committed voice for incorporating physical activity – particularly walking – into town-wide planning efforts in Williamsburg. She contributed to the formation of the Facilities Master Plan Committee, plays an advisory role with seniors at the Williamsburg Council on Aging, and promotes healthy food choices at the local town center market. Her efforts demonstrate how walkability permeates so many aspects of the daily lives of Williamsburg residents. Caitlin also works to improve health and walkability in 14 towns in Hampshire County as part of the MDPH 1422 grant. Dillon Sussman, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission | Rural walking advocate in Western Massachusetts Dillon Sussman, a land use planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), has also brought walkability to the rural towns of Hampshire County. Dillon conducted a Health Aging and Community Design regulatory review in Williamsburg and directed the town’s Facilities Master Planning efforts. He also authored the adaptation of PVPC’s Healthy Community Design Tool-Kit to include age-friendly design elements that are applicable across the Commonwealth. Michelle Wu, Boston City Council President Boston City Council President Michelle Wu has elevated the conversation about walking (and bicycling and transit) at the City Council, in City Hall, and among many Bostonians. Her proactive efforts to reach out to WalkBoston and many of our fellow activists about the importance of making Boston safer for people walking in the City has helped keep active transportation efforts alive in Boston. Partnership with Councilor Wu is particularly powerful as we work with many City departments, grassroots organizations and residents to implement Vision Zero.

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