We're Approved

On Monday March 8, the Webster Conservation Commission approved our French River Park engineering plan with standard conditions, that is no modifications, simply the application of best management practices to protect the river during construction. On April 30, a plan to protect mussels in the river during construction was approved

On Wednesday March 10, MASS DEP approved our Water Quality Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan through 2012. There are document maintenance edits required every year, but real changes are becoming few and far between.

2010 Water Quality Monitoring Campaign Underway

On March 6, the French River Connection began its sixth water quality monitoring campaign on the French River and its tributaries. We visit 15 sites once per month from March through November. This year we started with young volunteers who work with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Shown using the TROLL 9500 at Clara Barton Road are Oxford residents Nicole Giles and Adam Carrier. Dodging the photo was park ranger Jean Hixson

French River Park Grant Application Submitted

On February 12, the Webster Office of Community Development submitted an application for the next round of Community Development Block Grant funding, which includes approximately $290,000 for French River Park. In order to demonstrate readiness to proceed, considerable engineering, cost estimating, and submission of permits was required in the last month by our engineers, Lenard Engineering of Auburn.

There is a very long list of people to thank for getting this far, but here is a good time to mention our membership and friends who have done the hard work over the last five years, whether related directly to the park or not, which has enabled us to show that this is a project which has gained community support and fits in with other goals. With the Office of Community Development also including funding for a downtown facade and signage program, there is a lot of synergy within the application.

While it is possible that the project will be done in 2010, that requires everything to fall into place optimally, so 2011 is more realistic.

We're Accepting Credit Cards

The French River Connection is now able to accept credit cards on its website for payment of membership dues and donations. Visitors to the site may also pay through PayPal. Those who prefer may still put a check in the mail.

Here is the payment page: Membership and Donations

Another Step for French River Park

On January 11, the Webster Office of Community Development held a public hearing to announce the projects for their next grant application due in February, among them French River Park. If successful, engineering would be completed in 2010 and a contractor selected to implement the park in Spring 2011.

Shoreline Survey Published

The French River Connection has completed a Shoreline Survey of the river between Greenbrier Park in Oxford and the Connecticut line. The Survey results are implemented in Google Maps. Click on any section of the map to see a Narrative Description, Recommended Actions, and the Survey Data. The survey was begun in 2005. Thanks to all the surveyors, and to Tom Ryzewski and Andrew LaBonte for shaping it up for publication.

Land trust purchases more riverside land

The Dudley Conservation Land Trust has entered into an agreement which will extend the Leovich Landing holdings to Charlton Street in Oxford. The trust will now own all the land between the railroad right-of-way owned by National Grid and the French River, between Dudley Road and Charlton Street, a distance of approximately 3000 feet on 10 acres. The new land offers beautiful views up the Little River as well as access to some wonderful open woodland along the French.