Banks Support French River Park Opening Day

Two local banks, Webster Five Cents Savings Bank through its foundation, and Webster First Federal Credit Union, have made generous sponsorship donations to the opening celebration of French River Park to be held August 20 from 11 am to 4 pm.




The park is coming along nicely, with seeding being completed. Still left to do: plantings, lighting, furniture. You can follow the progress in a slide show.

The park is now represented by its own logo, donated by Ryan Wade.

French River Park Opening Day will feature music by the Yankee Dogs and the Pulaski Brass Band, balloon twisting by Bella the Clown, a duck race (river flow permitting), moonwalk, children's activities by the Webster-Dudley Boys and Girls Club, informational displays by the USACE, Turtle Rescue League, and The Last Green Valley, and food vendors.

Massachusetts Audubon Paddle

On May 22, the Massachusetts Audubon Society launched an interpreted paddling event from Leovich Landing, believed to be the first organized group to do so since the site opened in September 2010. The group planned to paddle upstream to Hodges Village and back.

French River Paddle

On May 21, a group of paddlers set out from Hodges Village Dam and paddled to Webster North Village, enjoying the sunshine and spring river life. The water was high and swift for this time of year, as shown above as a paddler shoots a beaver dam.

Perryville Trace Walk

On May 21, enjoying the first sunshine in days, nine walkers took a stroll on the Perryville Trace, one of the "1000 great places in Massachusetts." Participants enjoyed the green woods, and were able to take note of all the beaver activity along the river. Another walk is scheduled for August 13 at 10am.

French River Park Opening Day Receives Funding

Funding for the opening of French River Park, now scheduled for August 20, has been received from two sources. The Janet Malser Humanities Trust has fully funded a request for $600 to support the musical portion of the day. The Webster Lake Association has donated $100 to help defray other costs of the event. We thank these and all our donors for their interest and generosity.

French River Park Opening Day will feature music by the Yankee Dogs and the Pulaski Brass Band, balloon twisting by Bella the Clown, a duck race (river flow permitting), moonwalk, children's activities by the Webster-Dudley Boys and Girls Club, informational displays by the USACE and Turtle Rescue League, and food vendors.

Earth Day 2011

The French River Connection celebrated Earth Day by cleaning up the river along Chase Avenue in Dudley. Thanks to the efforts of Judy Perrault, John Dignam, Mike Branniff, Charles Perzanoski, Kathy DiVeglia, Darin Bazinet, Jack Josti, Ken Butkiewicz, Ed Bazinet, and Ken Parker, forty bags of trash were collected, along with tires, a shopping cart, luggage, and other items which were taken to the Dudley highway barn. Items collected earlier in the week from Oxford Avenue and Lower Perryville Road were also taken in. The Webster side of the river was also cleaned earlier in the week, with the collected trash taken in by the Webster Department of Public Works.

The Chase Avenue area, located just downstream of downtown and featuring several small channels, remains a common collection point for floating trash, and its proximity to the bridge means dumping occurs there.

French River Paddle Scheduled May 21

The French River Connection will host a paddle on the French River on Saturday May 21, 2011. This leisurely paddle will begin at Agguteback Pond just below Hodges Village Dam on Howarth Road in Oxford and end at North Village in Webster, a distance of about 4 miles. Paddlers will enjoy an easy flowing river that meanders through marshlands and woodlands. There should be opportunities to see some of the wildlife that inhabit the French River, including turtles, great blue heron, geese, ducks, and beavers.

This trip is suitable for paddlers with moving water experience. PFDs are absolutely required and must be worn. There is no charge for this trip.

To register, email trip leader Jay Wade or call 860-928-5599 (work) or 508-461-9813 (home). The number of registrations accepted, and the ability of paddlers to participate, is at the discretion of the trip leader.

Meet at 9:00 AM at Hodges Village; bring your lunch and clothing appropriate for the weather. We will shuttle cars down to the takeout starting at 9:30

The paddle is listed on the French River Connection web site at http://www.frenchriverconnection.org

Here is a map

You may refer to our Shoreline Survey sections 2 though 6 to see where we’ll be paddling.