Almost 100 neighbors and friends joined us Sunday night at our Benefit Party for Magazine Beach Park. Riverside’s powerful rowers removed their erg machines and transformed the second floor of their 1912 club into the social hall it was earlier in the century. Best Ever Chicken (parts) serenaded us from the original bandstand. A cool breeze blew through the club and the balcony, with its colorful hanging baskets of flowers, offered amazing views of the Charles River. Food and drink were superb.
Riverside Boat Club (RBC) historian Richard Garver shared a brief history of the club and Senator Anthony Petruccelli, DCR’s Director of External Partnerships Conrad Crawford, and Ex. Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission Charles Sullivan each shared a few words.
Here are quips of their speeches:
About the Riverside Boat Club:
About the History of the Powder Magazine and Captain’s Island:
About Senator Petruccelli’s efforts to make see improvements at the park:
About DCR’s efforts at Magazine Beach:
Each has been critical to moving this project forward. Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association President Bill August thanked and recognized City officials: Dennis Carlone, Tim Toomey, Nadeem Mazen, Fred Fantini and emeritus Minka van Beuzekom and Alice Turkel. Magazine Beach Committee Chair Cathie Zusy thanked Sanofi, lead sponsor for 2014 summer programs, and partners the Riverside Boat Club and Charles River Conservancy. Zusy also introduced and thanked party organizers Decia Goodwin and Brian Conway, and CNA board members Olivia Fiske, Jay Shetterly, Marge Amster, Colleen Clark, Leslie Greis and Bill August, who with Richard Garver of the RBC, Brian Conway, Decia Goodwin, Tom Scanlon and Tori Cheah, are leading park improvement efforts.
Many thanks to all who joined us and to the many others who made donations in-kind or in cash. TRILL Foods and Whole Foods—delicious treats, cheeses and veggies. Thank you. Rowing together, we are making Magazine Beach a nicer park!
Photographs courtesy of Michael Schaffer (above) and Julie O’Neil (below). Thanks also to Werner Grundl for his videos. For a fuller account of the evening, see
Mary Holbrow’s article for CCTV Neighborhood Media.
Magazine Beach 
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