Brewster Among Towns to Get State Funds for Open Space

brewster01BREWSTER – Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett has announced more than $1.1 million in investments for parks, open space and recreation improvements in five southeastern Massachusetts communities, including Brewster on Cape Cod.

The announced was made in Brewster, where a Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity grant of $260,364 will fund the acquisition of Cedar Ridge Preserve, which will increase the size of the popular Drummer Boy Park and provide critical access to town-owned Wing Island. This project will build upon the outdoor recreation and community gathering opportunities for Brewster.

“The Patrick Administration is committed to improving our parks and open spaces across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary Bartlett. “Under Governor Patrick’s leadership we have invested in access to critical access to recreation for residents in every kind of community. In addition to protecting the Commonwealth’s natural resources, these investments will create economic growth across the region.”

The PARC Program (formerly the Urban Self-Help Program) was established in 1977 to assist cities and towns in acquiring and developing land for park and outdoor recreation purposes. Any community with an up-to-date Open Space and Recreation Plan is eligible to apply for the program.

Since 1961, these grants have helped cities and towns acquire land for conservation and outdoor recreational uses. To qualify for the reimbursement grants, communities must fund projects upfront and the protected open space must be open to the public.

The Drinking Water Supply Protection program provides funds to assist cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth in protecting the quality and quantity of public drinking water supply sources. The Conservation Partnership Program provides funding to assist non-public, not-for-profit corporations in acquiring interests in lands suitable for conservation or recreation purposes

Since taking office, Governor Patrick has made a investment of more than $360 million in land conservation focused on three goals: investing in urban parks, preserving working farms and forests and protecting large natural landscapes for habitat. This investment has resulted in the permanent protection of more than 125,000 acres of land and the renovation or creation of more than 190 parks. The new parks and open space created are within a 10 minute walk of 1.5 million residents – about a quarter of the Commonwealth’s population.



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