Thank you to all volunteers and partners for the Candy Cane Light Path Clean-Up and Tour!

The Rutherford Corridor Improvement Coalition (RCIC) extends a BIG thank you to all the volunteers and partners who helped with a hugely successful clean-up and tour of the "Candy Cane Light Path" this past Saturday and Sunday, August 11-12th.

We first had a great turn-out for the clean-up: 16 smiling grown-ups plus 4 hard-working kiddos, and a better-than-expected result: a completely weeded and cleaned path and bank all the way from the Rutherford entrance to the end of the yellow walkway. Enough to fill a dumpster. We couldn't have done it without advance heavy lifting and equipment from the Mayor's office and Mass DCR. Special shout-out to Rep. Gene O'Flaherty and Danielle Fitzgerald from the Mayor's office for helping coordinate and lending their hands in person. Full list of volunteers below.

Then on Sunday, 15 others enjoyed the first tour of the newly-cleaned path, led by Charlestown residents Michael Kelleher and Monica Lamboy. Michael did his homework first...explaining the industrial and transportation history of the waterfront and showing historic photos and maps from the earliest days of Boston to today. Starting in Paul Revere park, the group toured the new North Bank Bridge, saw the duckboats, pedestrians, cyclists, and drawbridge opening. They then went up the Candy Cane Light path and learned about the history of the Millers river and the Middlesex canal.  They ended at Rutherford and noted the dramatic contrast between that area and where they had just come from. 

If you haven't seen the Candy Cane Light Path yet, there's never been a better time to check out Charlestown's new gateway to North Point Park, Cambridge, and beyond.

FULL LIST OF CLEAN-UP VOLUNTEERS:

From Charlestown:Raffo Berberian, Guy Maccarone, Ken Stone, John MacDonald, Denise Mooney, Gerald Robbins, Sean Getchell, Barbara Ton Ferullo, Michael Kelleher, Eve Fitzgerald, Diane Valle, Danielle Valle-Fitzgerald, Daniel Ryan (and two junior Ryans), Val Mulcahy (with Noah & Aiden, two hard workers!), Ivey St. John, and Nathan Blanchet

From Chelsea: Rep. Gene O'Flaherty

From Lexington: John L. McCune (who made the mistake of stopping by and got recruited)

AND THANKS TO PARTNERS: Mayor Menino's office and Boston Dept. of Public Works, Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, John Doherty of Zume’s (provided drinks), and a drive-by good Samaritan who provided pink lemonade (believe his name was Jack Delaney of Bunker Hill Street?)

Apologies for any name omissions or misspellings...please correct me in the comments section.