##VIDEO ID:2JKibx0rQYM##  OF 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON. DOUG GOV FORD'S LAST CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT TCC DOT $0.08 IS AND PETER AT BOSTON DOUG GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.  PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.  INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON CORA MANTRA AT C 0RA DOT M0NTROND AT BOSTON. GO FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 1300. ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS BOSTON'S WALKING TRAIL AN URBAN HIKING ROUTE CONNECTING 27 MILES OF BOSTON'S PARKS GARDENS URBAN FORESTS AND STREETS THROUGH 17 BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS . THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS HENRY SANTANA MYSELF AND BENJAMIN WEBER AND WAS REFERRED TO THIS COMMITTEE ON 28TH 2024. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. WE HAVE COUNCILOR MURPHY,  COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR NOW AND COUNCILOR WEBER. NOW I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS THEY MAY HAVE. STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN FOLKS THAT CAME IN IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL.  COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR HOSTING US HERE THIS MORNING. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS HEARING AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR FROM OUR PANELS BOTH FROM A COMMUNITY PANEL, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION PANEL. I HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT THE BOSTON'S WALKING CITY TRAIL . AS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF CIVIC ORGANIZING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON UNDER MAYOR WU'S ADMINISTRATION, I GOT THE CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH MILES BACK THEN AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THIS WALKING CITY TRAIL, HOW IT'S CONNECTING DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY, CONNECTING DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND DIFFERENT RESIDENTS AND A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS CAME OUT OF THAT. I AM SOMEONE AND I KNOW THE CITY IS ALWAYS YOU KNOW, I THINK MOTIVATING RESIDENTS TO BECOME MORE CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO AND I THINK THE CITY SHOULD DO ITS PART IN INVESTING IN RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS IN ORDER TO YOU KNOW, TO BRING MORE GOOD TO OUR CITY. THIS IS GOOD FOR OUR RESIDENTS ,OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR OUTSIDE RESIDENTS WHO ARE COMING IN AND WHO WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THE WALKING CITY TRAIL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCILOR WEBER AND THANK YOU. I JUST LIKE TO THANK THE YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL FILERS FOR FOR ADDING ME TO THIS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN AS A LONG TIME RESIDENT JAMAICA PLAIN, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WALKING AROUND CITY AND ON OUR TRAILS AND I THINK THIS IS THIS IS A GREAT THING. IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST WANT TO THANK MILES HOWARD, YOU KNOW MY CONSTITUENT FOR ALL OF HIS HARD WORK ON THIS AND YOU KNOW FOR HAVING GOTTEN IT THIS FAR AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CARRIED OVER THE FINISH LINE AND YOU KNOW, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR MURPHY.  Q MADAM CHAIR, TO THE SPONSORS THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I JUST GOT HOME LAST NIGHT. I WAS VISITING MY SON IN GEORGIA. HE DESCRIBED AWAY FROM THE ARMY AND WE SPENT MOST OF OUR FOUR DAYS ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER RIVERWALK 15 MILES WHICH WAS AMAZING. WE WERE WALKING IT BIKING IT AND MY KIDS KEPT REMINDING ME LIKE THIS IS A LOT LIKE HOME. I LIVE IN DORCHESTER AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE NIPPON GREENWAY RIVER TRAIL. I THINK HALF THE DISTANCE A LITTLE OVER EIGHT MILES BUT IT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS NOW.  BUT JUST ONCE WE INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS SAFE,  IT WAS CONNECTED THAT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NOW CAN GO ALL THE WAY FROM MATTAPAN TO PORT NORFOLK. IT'S USED MORE SO AND JUST KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS SO HELPFUL FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH, FOR OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, FOR COMMUNITY AND GATHERING PEOPLE TOGETHER. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND ANY WAY I CAN SUPPORT IT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS.  THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS. THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC EYE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET HERE THIS MORNING EARLY AND READ SOME TESTIMONY AND ONE OF THE PIECES OF TESTIMONY WAS FROM BENJAMIN BUT I ENJOYED READING HIS DESCRIPTION ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT WALKING IS AND I AGREE WITH THEM IT REALLY HAS A WAY OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHETHER THEY'RE YOUNG PEOPLE OR OLDER PEOPLE.  BUT ALSO IT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.  IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO FRIENDS AND SOME EXERCISE AND AS OF AS A VETERAN, YOU KNOW, WALKING HELP ME WHEN I'M OUT BREATHING IN THE FRESH AIR AND WALKING WITH MY WIFE TO A PARTICULAR AREA OF THE CITY. IT DOES REDUCE THE STRESS. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.  THEY RESONATED WITH ME . THEY PROBABLY RESONATED WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE AS WELL.  SO HONORED TO BE HERE AND HONORED TO LISTEN REALLY LISTEN TO THE PANEL ABOUT ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN.  AND WE'VE ALSO UH WE'VE GOT AN A IN ABSENCE LETTER FROM COUNCILOR WORRELL WHICH READS DEAR CHAIR COLETTE CLAUDIA ZAPATA, COUNCILOR WEBER STANTON AND COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. I WILL BE UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S HEARING. MY STAFF WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE AND I WILL REVIEW THE VIDEO THE VIDEO WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAD A HAND IN THIS PROJECT FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN CREATING A WALKING CITY TRAIL FOR BOSTON AN INITIATIVE THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BRING ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS TO MANY OF US BOSTONIANS.  I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING AND FOLLOWING ALONG AS THE TRAIL CONTINUES TO DEVELOP. THANK YOU BRIAN WORLD CITY COUNCILOR DISTRICT FOR VERY QUICKLY I WILL JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THE ADVOCATES MILES AND YOLANDA FOR BEING HERE. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN JOINED BY.  EXCUSE ME I WANT TO GET YOUR NAME CORRECT RAY EDINGER FROM THE NEW ENGLAND CONSERVANCY EXCUSE ME NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATION OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE VIRTUALLY.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TESTIMONY VERY QUICKLY I WILL SAY THAT I DO NOT HAVE A CAR.  I DON'T HAVE A BIKE. I RIDE PUBLIC TRANSIT AND SO I AM A STAUNCH ADVOCATE IN PUBLIC TRANSIT BUT ALSO WALKING I TRY TO WALK EVERYWHERE THERE'S MANY TIMES WHILE I'LL TAKE THE T FROM AIRPORT TO AQUARIUM AND THEN WALK FROM AQUARIUM TO CHARLESTOWN TO GET TO EVENTS AND BACK IN. SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PEDESTRIANS SAFETY IS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND IN OUR PUBLIC REALM. BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE THESE TRAILS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVE ACCESS TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD AS COUNCILOR FLYNN MENTIONED. AND SO SUPPORTING SPONSORING,  MAINTAINING A CITY WALKING OR WALKING TRAIL CAN PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH BUT IT IS ALSO AN ECONOMIC ENGINE.  SO MY DISTRICT IS THE BENEFICIARY OF THE FREEDOM TRAIL WHICH BRINGS IN OVER 2 MILLION VISITORS TO NOT JUST DOWNTOWN BUT TO THE NORTH END AND TO CHARLESTOWN AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HAVE THEIR THEIR ECONOMIC BOTTOM LINE INCREASED BECAUSE OF FOLKS THAT COME THROUGH IN THE SUMMERTIME. SO I KNOW THE POWER OF WHAT THIS WALKING TRAIL CAN BRING. THE POINT OF THIS HEARING BECAUSE WE DID HAVE ONE IN 2022 OR 2023 WE ARE HERE TODAY JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS PROGRESSED IN TERMS OF THE CITY WALKING TRAIL SINCE 2022 AND DISCUSSING OUR CITY'S MOBILITY GOALS AND NEXT STEPS AND CHALLENGES WITH MAKING THIS TRAIL OFFICIALLY PART OF THE CITY. BOSTON SO NOW I WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO THE PANEL OF COMMUNITY ADVOCATES INCLUDING MILES HOWARD WHO IS THE TRAIL CREATOR OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL RAY EDINGER AS I MENTIONED FROM THE APPALACHIAN COTTON CLUB AND YOLANDA ESPANOLA WHO'S THE SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER FROM WALK BOSTON THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TO UTILIZE YOUR DISCRETION ON WHO GOES FIRST. THANKS.  WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. MY NAME IS MILES HOWARD. I AM THE FOUNDER AND LEAD ORGANIZER FOR THE WALKING CITY TRAIL. AND BEFORE I BEGIN I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR CARLOTTA ZAPATA AND COUNCILOR WEBER FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS HEARING AND BRINGING US ALL HERE TODAY. THANK YOU TO MY FELLOW PANELISTS AND ALLIES WHO WILL BE SPEAKING LATER TODAY AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MATTHEW BRODY, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR COUNCILOR SANTANA AND ONE OF THE VERY FIRST ADVOCATES AND VOLUNTEERS BEHIND THE WALKING CITY TRAIL PROJECT FOR HELPING US ORCHESTRATE THIS CONVERSATION.  I'M GOING TO SPEND THE NEXT FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL.  WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THESE LAST TWO YEARS IS THE TRAIL HAS BECOME A BONA FIDE BOSTON DESTINATION AND WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE YEARS AHEAD.  SO IN THE SUMMER OF 2022 AMIDST ONGOING DISRUPTIONS AND LINGERING TRAUMAS OF THE PANDEMIC, A SMALL GROUP OF BOSTONIANS CAME TOGETHER TO EXPLORE AN IDEA WHICH WE HAD SEEN REALIZED IN CITIES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO AND WORCESTER THE IDEA THAT YOU COULD CREATE A TRAIL ACROSS THE CITY WITHOUT FIRING UP A SINGLE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE OR HAVING A SIX FIGURE PROJECT BUDGET TO DIP INTO.  NOW IN BOTH OF THESE TWO CITIES GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS WHO KNEW AND LOVED THE CITY PARKS AND STREETS LEVERAGED DIGITAL MAPPING TOOLS LIKE ALL TRAILS AND GOOGLE MAPS TO CREATE THESE TRANSIT ACCESSIBLE WALKING ROUTES THROUGH THE CITY SCAPE PARKS WERE THE BACKBONE STREETS WERE THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE AND IN BOTH CASES THESE CURATION BASED TRAILS WERE MADE VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC WITH DEDICATED WEBSITES WHICH OFFERED FREE MAPS WRITTEN DIRECTIONS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR CURIOUS CITY EXPLORERS.  WORCESTER, MASS. INTRODUCED THIS CONCEPT WITH THE 14 MILE EAST-WEST TRAIL WITH WHICH GOES FROM LAKE AND SIGMUND TO THE CASCADES RIGHT ACROSS THE CITY. SAN FRANCISCANS CREATED THESE 710 MILE CROSSTOWN TRAIL WHICH ACTUALLY GARNERED COVERAGE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WITHIN TWO YEARS OF ITS LAUNCH. THAT'S HOW WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS PROJECT, THIS CONCEPT AND SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE 27 MILE BOSTON WALKING CITY TRAIL WHICH GOES THROUGH 30 PARKS AND URBAN WILDS ACROSS 17 CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS HAVE EMBARKED UPON THE TRAIL LOCAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS RANGING FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE AND YANKEE MAGAZINE TO MEN'S HEALTH AND SPOTLIGHT BE WCT AS SOME NOW CALL IT AS ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE AND ILLUMINATING WAYS TO DISCOVER THE HIDDEN BEAUTY OF BOSTON'S RESPLENDENT GREEN SPACES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. THE TOTALITY OF THE CITY SINCE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL WAS BORN, MYSELF AND MY FELLOW VOLUNTEERS HAVE BASICALLY BEEN USING THREE TOOLS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE TRAIL AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ACTIVATE IT. THE FIRST AND MAYBE THE MOST INTUITIVE OF THESE TOOLS HAS BEEN OFFERING FREE GROUP WALKING EVENTS ON SEGMENTS OF THE TRAIL PUBLIC EVENTS IN WHICH ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS SIMPLY SHOW UP WITH A GOOD PAIR OF SHOES, A BACKPACK AND AN APPETITE FOR ADVENTURE AND CONVERSATION WITHIN 15 MINUTES EVERY ONE OF THESE WALKS HAS EVOLVED INTO AN ACTIVE SOCIAL CROSS-POLLINATION IN WHICH WALKERS ASK QUESTIONS OF EACH OTHER AND CONNECT OVER THE SHARED ACT OF A FOOT JOURNEY TOGETHER SIMPLY BEING OUTDOORS TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY AND IN THE FIELD ALL AT ONCE HAS A WAY OF ENCOURAGING THIS. I HAVE SELF-HOSTED MANY OF THESE WALKING EVENTS AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN CO-HOSTED WITH PARTNERS INCLUDING LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCH AS PATAGONIA,  JA AND CTO AND LEADERS LIKE BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR KENDRA LAURA AND ORGANIZERS WITH THE BOSTON CHAPTER OF MOTHERS OUT FRONT COUNCILOR LAURA AND COUNCILOR CARLOTTA ZAPATA ALSO CO-SPONSORED OUR FIRST HEARING WITH THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL IN 2023 AT WHICH WE DISCUSSED THE UTILITY OF INSTALLING PHYSICAL SIGNS ALONG THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AS A MEANS OF MAKING THE TRAIL VISIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE AND AS AN ADDITIONAL WAYFINDING RESOURCE FOR WALKERS AT THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE COUNCILORS WHO ATTENDED THAT HEARING, WE MANUFACTURED OUR OWN PRINTED TRAIL SIGNS FEATURING QR CODES THAT CAN BE SCANNED FOR DIRECT ACCESS TO THE WCT WEBSITE WITH MAPS, DIRECTIONS, ETC. WE INSTALLED TWO WAVES OF THESE SIGNS OVER THE LAST TWO SUMMERS. THE FIRST SIGNS WERE SCANNED BY CLOSE TO 1200 PEOPLE BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF JUNE THROUGH DECEMBER 20, 23 THIS PAST SUMMER'S NEW AND WEATHERPROOF TRAIL SIGNS WHICH WE POSTED BACK IN LATE MAY WERE SCANNED BY OVER 1200 PEOPLE IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 2024 ALONE. LASTLY, WE'VE APPROACHED PRESS AND PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE UNDERLYING HOOK THAT A TRAIL ACROSS THE CITY CAN YIELD JUST AS MUCH BEAUTY AND DISCOVERY AS A TRAIL THROUGH THE WHITE MOUNTAINS WITH THE MAINE HIGHLANDS THIS SUMMER AT THE URGING OF SEVERAL WCT ENTHUSIASTS, WE ACTUALLY POSED A CHALLENGE TO THE PUBLIC WALK THE ENTIRE WALKING CITY TRAIL IN AS MANY SEGMENTS AS YOU LIKE. LET US KNOW THROUGH THE TRAIL WEBSITE AND WE WILL SEND YOU SORRY ONE MOMENT ONE OF THESE FREE WALKING CITY TRAIL PATCHES JUST LIKE FINISHERS OF THE BAY CIRCUIT TRAIL CAN EARN A FREE COMMEMORATIVE PIN FROM THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB. BUT MY ESTIMATE WE'RE A MONTH OR TWO AWAY FROM OUR PATCH SUPPLY RUNNING OUT WELL BEFORE THIS PROGRAM GOT UNDERWAY, OUR PRESS OUTREACH YIELDED A VERY BIG SURPRISE IN 2023 OUTSIDE MAGAZINE NAMED THE CITY OF BOSTON AS ONE OF THE TOP HIKING DESTINATIONS IN AMERICA NOT THE GREATER BOSTON AREA OR THE WOODS NEAR BOSTON. THE LITERAL CITY OF BOSTON. WE WERE NAMED A HIKING DESTINATION ALONGSIDE PLACES LIKE GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK. WHY?  BECAUSE BOSTON IS A CITY OF TRAILS. THE CITY IS JUST THE LATEST RENEWAL OF THIS TRADITION IN A CITY WHERE MILLIONS HAVE WALKED THE FREEDOM TRAIL, THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL, THE WOMEN'S HERITAGE TRAILS AND MANY MORE. THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS RIGHTLY EMBRACED THESE TRAILS AS ASSETS FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS USING CITY INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP MAKE THESE TRAILS MORE EASILY VISIBLE TO THE WIDER PUBLIC.  TODAY I ASK OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL AND ALL ATTENDING COLLEAGUES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION CONSIDER ADDING THE WALKING CITY TRAIL TO THAT ROSTER OF OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED TRAILS. EVERY TRAIL TELLS A STORY AND THE WALKING CITY TRAIL IS A STORY ABOUT THE NATURAL AND BUILT WONDERS OF THE BOSTON CITYSCAPE. BUT IT'S ALSO A STORY ABOUT WHAT CAN TAKE ROOT IN JUST A HANDFUL OF MONTHS WHEN BOSTON RESIDENTS COME TOGETHER TO POOL THEIR COLLECTIVE INTEL ABOUT GREENSPACES CITY STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND START TINKERING AWAY AT A MUTUALLY HATCHED IDEA AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY OF US IN BOSTON ARE SUFFERING FROM ISOLATION OFTEN PARADOXICALLY SILOED WITHIN OUR FAMILIAR ROUTINES AND LOCALES. I BELIEVE THAT A STORY ABOUT CITY RESIDENTS HIGHLIGHTING THE MANY HIDDEN CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND OUR LIVES IS A STORY WORTH SHARING FAR AND WIDE. THE BEST OF ALL THIS STORY ISN'T OVER YET. IN FACT IT'S ONLY JUST BEGINNING.  BACK IN OCTOBER I SPENT SEVERAL DAYS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ONE OF THE WORLD CAPITALS OF WALKING WAYS WHERE RIGHT TO ROAM LAWS GIVE THE PUBLIC SWEEPING ACCESS TO THE LANDSCAPE. I WENT THERE TO MEET THE FOUNDERS OF AN INITIATIVE THAT'S SIMILAR TO OURS A PROJECT CALLED SLOW WAYS. WHAT THE SLOW WAYS BUILDERS ARE CREATING THERE IS ESSENTIALLY A NATIONAL VERSION OF BOSTON'S WALKING CITY TRAIL A MAP OF OVER 7000 GORGEOUS WALKING ROUTES CONNECTING EVERY TOWN AND CITY IN THE UK CRAFTED AND VETTED BY VOLUNTEERS. AND JUST AS AMAZING IS THE SCALE AND AMBITION OF SLOW WAYS IS HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN THEM TO DO THIS. FOUR YEARS IN 2025 AND BEYOND WE PLAN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN IN BOSTON TO BEGIN THE WORK OF CREATING A NETWORK OF TRAILS LIKE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL THAT WILL CONNECT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY.  THANKS TO NEW AND USER FRIENDLY MAPPING TECH THAT'S BEGINNING TO EMERGE, WE ASPIRE TO LAUNCH THIS UPCOMING PHASE OF THE WCT PROJECT IN A MANNER WHICH IS EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE WIDER PUBLIC SO THAT ANY BOSTON RESIDENT WITH AN IDEA FOR A TRAIL CAN START BUILDING IT SO THAT OTHERS CAN HIKE AND APPRAISE THEIR ROUTE AND SO THAT MORE BOSTON RESIDENTS CAN BECOME CITIZEN GEOGRAPHERS AND SHARE THEIR LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CITYSCAPE. THAT IS WHERE WE'RE GOING. THAT'S WHERE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL IS GOING TO LEAD US.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL NOW PASS IT TO E LANDO FROM WALK BOSTON. THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL HOSTING US TODAY. MY NAME IS YOLANDA PAROLA.  I'M WITH WALK MASSACHUSETTS. WE STARTED OFF AS WALK BOSTON.  WE ARE ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN DOING WORK ON WALKABILITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND WE STARTED OFF HERE IN BOSTON TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE WALKABILITY IN THE CITY AND WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS AND THE CITY HAS MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON IMPROVING WALKABILITY AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. BUT WE HAVE CHANGED OUR SCOPE AND WE'RE NOW COVERING THE WHOLE STATE TO SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND ALSO IMPROVING WALKABILITY. AND WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT THIS WORK IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW BY MILES AND HIS GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS IMPROVING WALKABILITY AND JUST PROVIDING AN ACCESS PROVIDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY FOR FOLKS TO CHOOSE WALKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS. WALKING IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE.  IT'S NOT SOMETIMES YES, IT DOES HAPPEN ORGANICALLY AND PEOPLE DO CHOOSE TO GO ONTO TRAILS BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IT'S A BIT MORE DIFFICULT. SO IF THERE IS INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE WALKING AND THAT WILL HAVE SOME GREAT DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH, ON MENTAL HEALTH. JUST IN REGARDS TO SOCIAL COHESION AND WALKING IF YOU HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE IT'S A TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO MOVE AROUND TO ACCESS SERVICES, TO ACCESS RECREATION AND ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO ACCESS WHEN MOVING AROUND A COMMUNITY.  BUT IT ALSO STARTS TO BECOME A SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. SO IF WE HAVE THESE WALKING TRAILS AVAILABLE AND WE HAVE I'M SORRY IF WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PEOPLE TO CHOOSE WALKING MORE, WE'RE STARTING TO NOW BUILD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT AND TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT STRESSORS THAT THEY SEE IN THEIR LIVES. SO WALKING IS A REAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT BLEEDS INTO SUPPORTING SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE.  AND WALK MASSACHUSETTS HAS BEEN TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO CHOOSE WALKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.  WE'VE BEEN PUTTING UP WAYFINDING AND BUILDING OUT OUR OWN MAPS SINCE 2015 AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT WITH INSTALLING SOME OF THESE WAYFINDING INFORMATION IN BRIGHTON, DORCHESTER, EAST BOSTON AND NEAR JACKSON SQUARE. MY COLLEAGUES HAVE WORKED IN MEDFORD IN THE CODMAN SQUARE AREA PUTTING SIGNS THERE AND DURING THE ASHMONT BRANCH AND BETTY SHUTDOWN WE WERE WE ACTUALLY WORKED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY TO SEE HOW WE CAN USE WAYFINDING TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO ACCESSING THE ASHMONT TRAIN STATION AND ALL OF THIS HAS TO BE DONE IN A MEANINGFUL AND AN INTENTIONAL WAY.  IT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST HAPPEN,  YOU KNOW, HAPHAZARDLY. SO WE YOU KNOW, WE WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND WE COLLECT KEY INSIGHTS AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING WALKABILITY AND IMPROVING IT IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY SO THEY WILL PROVIDE YOU THE INSIGHTS NECESSARY TO DESIGN IT WITH THE USER IN MIND WITH THEM IN MIND AND THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LIKE GET THE OUTCOMES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. PEOPLE UTILIZING THESE TRAILS, PEOPLE WALKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IMPROVING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES AND I'M HERE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AROUND THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE AS WALK MASSACHUSETTS IN REGARDS TO OUR WAYFINDING WORK IN REGARDS TO SOME OF OUR MAPPING WORK OR WALKABILITY.  BUT WE'RE JUST REALLY HAPPY WITH WHAT MYLES AND HIS GROUP HAS DONE SO FAR AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO CHAMPION THAT.  SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  RAY HI. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME ? YES, WE CAN. OKAY, GREAT. GOOD MORNING. DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL . MY NAME IS RAY ETTINGER. I USE THEY THEM PRONOUNS AND IN MY ROLE WITH THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB I ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES RELATED TO TRAILS OUTDOOR RECREATION AND LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. BUT I'M ALSO A BOSTONIAN WHO LIVES IN THE OFTEN BRIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT A CAR AND I WORK REGIONALLY REGIONALLY THROUGH MASSACHUSETTS, CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND. SO I'M VERY PERSISTENT PUBLIC TRANSIT AND WALKER ENTHUSIASTS. I'M SPEAKING HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB'S ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO RECOGNIZE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AS AN OFFICIAL TRAIL OF THE CITY TRAILS INCREASE OUR COMMUNITIES CONNECTEDNESS, CONNECTEDNESS, HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING AND SUPPORTED TOURISM ECONOMY. THE BOSTON WALKING CITY TRAIL SHOULD BE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE IMPORTANT RECREATIONAL ASSET FOR THE CITY THAT IT IS. THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB IS THE NATION'S FIRST CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ORGANIZATION AND WAS FOUNDED 148 YEARS AGO IN BOSTON AS A PEOPLE CENTRIC CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION. OUR CORE ACTIVITIES ARE ALL ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE OUTDOORS. WE BELIEVE THAT TIME SPENT OUTDOORS FOSTERS A DEEP AND MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AND EACH OTHER. AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS IS BY GETTING OUT ON THE TRAIL ESPECIALLY AREA TRAILS AND LOCAL TRAILS THAT ARE CLOSE TO HOME LIKE THE BOSTON WALKING CITY TRAIL AMC IS A LEADER IN DESIGNING, BUILDING AND MANAGING MANY TRAILS HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS INCLUDING THE BAY CIRCUIT TRAIL WHICH YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF WHICH IS A 230 MILE ROUTE AROUND GREATER BOSTON THAT IS ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSIT. AMC IS BASED HERE IN BOSTON BUT WE WERE ACROSS THE ENTIRE NORTHEAST FROM MAINE TO VIRGINIA. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING JOYOUS OUTDOOR RECREATION, EXPERIENCING FOSTERING EQUITY IN THE OUTDOORS AND BUILDING A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ENTHUSIASTS AND ADVOCATES ON THESE PRINCIPLES. AMC AND THE WALKING CITY TRAIL SHARE MANY CORE VALUES INCLUDING THE BELIEF THAT ALL PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO CLOSE TO HOME AND HIGH QUALITY TRAILS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION EXPERIENCES ESPECIALLY PEOPLE LIVING AND VISITING AND VISITING URBAN AREAS.  BOSTON IS ALREADY LIKE SO MANY HAVE MENTIONED A CITY OF TRAILS AND IT JUST MAKES GOOD SENSE TO HAVE A TRAIL ROUTE THAT CONNECTS THE CITY'S ICONIC GREEN SPACES, CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.  THE WALKING CITY TRAIL IS A LOW BARRIER AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITY THAT GOES RIGHT THROUGH MANY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT BENEFIT FROM THE TRAIL AND THE GREEN SPACES THAT THE TRAIL CROSSES. PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT THINK HIKING IS FOR THEM MAY FIND A WALKING CITY TRAIL TO BE A MORE WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE TRAIL THAN THOSE THAT ARE FURTHER AFIELD LIKE MILES MENTIONED IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS OR IN MAINE. AND SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I WANT TO MENTION THAT THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO CARE ABOUT PROTECTING THE PLACES THEY ENJOY AND LOVE AND URBAN SPACES LIKE THE ONES THE WALKING CITY TRAILS CONNECTS AND TRAVERSES ARE CRITICAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR CITY IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE,  URBAN GREEN SPACES AND TRAILS LIKE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT BY REDUCING ITS FLOOD RISK. ACTING AS A COOLING ISLAND AND PROVIDING HABITAT FOR LOCAL FLORA AND FAUNA AND NOT TO MENTION THE IMMENSE POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR URBAN RESIDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE THEM. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT PROTECTING AND INCREASING URBAN GREENSPACE AND TRAILS AND BOSTON IS A GREAT CITY TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THAT CONCEPT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING AMY'S COMMENTS TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY RECOGNIZING THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AS AN OFFICIAL TRAIL WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON. DOING SO WILL SUPPORT THE TRAILS LONGEVITY SUSTAINABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL THOSE WHO LIVE FOR ALL THOSE WHO LIVE AND VISIT BOSTON AND WILL BRING INCREDIBLE RECREATIONAL HEALTH AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT.  THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING TO OUR COMMENTS. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TODAY.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BREADON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE. STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN GO TO FOLKS IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILORS INTENDING TO HAVE THE FOURTH. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OUR PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE AND GIVING US THAT OVERVIEW OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALWAYS HOPEFULLY DO IT AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON ON BEHALF OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL. MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR MILES. I WANT YOU TO KIND OF JUST ELABORATE AND REPEAT TOWARDS THE END OF YOUR YOUR STATEMENT. YOU KNOW YOU WANT THIS WALKING TO REACH OUT TO BE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS A AS A TRAIL.  ARE THERE CAN YOU GO OVER THE CONCRETE STEPS OF OF OF OF WHAT WE WILL ACTUALLY WANT. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN TERMS OF SIGNAGE IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW COMMUNITY INPUT? JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ON THE CITY COUNCIL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR TO MAKE THIS OFFICIAL. ABSOLUTELY. SO I THINK THAT YOU CAN BOIL IT DOWN INTO THREE STEPS THE FIRST OF WHICH IS PROBABLY THE SIMPLEST AND MOST REASONABLE AT THIS POINT WHICH IS BOSTON HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF CREATING THESE REPOSITORIES WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WALKING WAYS WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED RESOURCES ON THE TOURISM WEBSITE, RESOURCES ELSEWHERE ON THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT COME AND CERTAINLY YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGNS HIGHLIGHTING THE WALKABILITY OF BOSTON AND DESTINATIONS WITHIN THAT YOU CAN ACCESS VIA ROUTES SUCH AS THE FREEDOM TRAIL OR THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL AND WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THE WALKING CITY TRAIL STARTING TO APPEAR IN THESE REPOSITORIES IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN EXPERIENCE AND DISCOVER THE TOTALITY OF BOSTON BY FOOT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS CAN BE A, YOU KNOW, JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN TOURISM, BETWEEN STREETS AND PARKS POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, SIMPLY HAVING THE TRAIL LISTED IN THESE SPACES WILL MAKE IT SO MUCH MORE VISIBLE TO PEOPLE MORE SO THAN IT ALREADY IS BECAUSE IT WILL BE SEEN BY MORE PEOPLE AS A VETTED AND MORE ACCESSIBLE PROJECT. I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE TRAIL HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY IN VISIBILITY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT CAN STILL HAVE THE AFFECT OF LOOKING LIKE A GUERRILLA PROJECT IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE IT KIND OF IS TO SOME DEGREE AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY A FIRST AND HUGELY IMPACTFUL STEP RIGHT THERE. THE SECOND STEP WOULD BE AND THIS IS PROBABLY A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT BUT MAYBE FINDING A WAY TO HAVE SOME PERMANENT PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OUT IN THE FIELD CONFIRMING FOR PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, THERE IS A TRAIL HERE THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW ON OUR TRAIL SIGNS.  MATTHEW ACTUALLY HAD THE IDEA EARLY ON TO BASICALLY PUT THE WORDS YOU'RE ON A TRAIL AT THE TOP OF EACH SIGN AND THAT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL BECAUSE IT'S A CURATION OF NOT JUST PATHS BUT STREETS AS WELL ALL STITCHED INTO ONE WALKING ROUTE. AND SO I THINK THAT ONE OF THE BEST UTILITIES OF SIGNAGE IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO STUMBLE UPON THAT REALIZATION NATURALLY.  AND SO WHILE THERE ARE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS THAT COME UP WITH UTILIZING PHYSICAL SIGNS AS A WAYFINDING INSTRUMENT WHERE YOU HAVE THEM POSTED AT EVERY JUNCTION OF THE TRAIL, I THINK THAT ONE THING WHICH COULD BE MORE FEASIBLE AND HUGELY IMPACTFUL WOULD BE MAYBE POSTING A SIGN OR TWO AT THE END IN THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAIL FOR INSTANCE OR AT ANY OF THE POINTS ALONG THE TRAIL WHERE A SECTION ENDS AND BEGINS FOR REFERENCE THE TRAIL IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR DIFFERENT SEGMENTS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE FOR PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW DOING SIGNAGE IN THAT FASHION WOULD ACTUALLY KIND OF MIRROR HOW WE'VE APPROACHED OUR DIY SIGNS. AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THEM AT EVERY TURN A JUNCTURE BECAUSE IF ONE OF THEM GOES DOWN THEN THE WHOLE WAYFINDING SYSTEM IS KIND OF COMPROMISED AT THAT POINT. INSTEAD WE'VE KIND OF POSTED THE MORE AS A CONFIRMATION THAT THERE'S A TRAIL HERE AND AS A PORTAL TO ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO HIKE THE TRAIL ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE SO YOU KNOW THAT MAY BE A LONGER TERM GOAL TO MOVE TOWARD BUT I THINK THAT IT COULD BE A NATURAL STEP TO FOLLOW THE TRAIL APPEARING IN THESE REPOSITORIES OF INFORMATION FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS.  AND YOU KNOW, I CAN GET INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER BUT I THINK THAT THE YOU KNOW, FINAL STEP IN RECOGNIZING THE TRAIL IN THIS WAY MIGHT BE IDENTIFYING RESOURCES THAT COULD SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF FURTHER NAVIGATION TOOLS FOR THE PUBLIC YOU KNOW, EXPANDING UPON THE WEBSITE AND MORE IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, COULD AGAIN BE A LONG TERM PROJECT. BUT I THINK THAT IS THE THREE STEPS THAT IF IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO HERE.  GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MILES.  JUST UNDER ON YOUR SECOND POINT THERE IN TERMS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BEING A LONG TERM PROJECT, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THE CITY HAS ALREADY MENTIONED I THINK IS I THINK THEY'RE HAPPY TO REALLY SUPPORT IT. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE CITY THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING UP IN IN THE FOLLOWING PANEL. BUT I THEN WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT KIND OF THE YOU KNOW, PROMOTING AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WEBSITES WHETHER THAT'S THE TOURISM WEBSITE THE I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTAINING AND WHO'S OVERSEEING IT I THINK THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE RUN INTO QUESTIONS HAVE HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THAT? YEAH, I THINK THAT ONE IDEA WHICH I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO EXPLORE IF THERE IS SOME APPETITE FOR HAVING A COUPLE OF PIECES OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE UP THERE IS THE MANAGEMENT QUESTION THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY TAKES OWNERSHIP AND MANAGES OR WHETHER IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS MANAGED BY US FROM THE OUTSIDE IS A THIRD PARTY AND YOU KNOW MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE SOME PARALLELS WITH BOARDWALK, MASSACHUSETTS WAYFINDING SIGNAGE PROJECT HERE WE'RE IN THERE IS BASICALLY A APPROVAL FOR THESE SIGNS TO BE UP BUT THE MAINTENANCE WORK IS ACTUALLY PERFORMED BY MEMBERS OF WALK MASSACHUSETTS ACTUALLY AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING IN PRACTICE WITH OUR CURRENT DIY SIGNS ON THE TRAIL. I MEAN WE CERTAINLY CAN'T REPLACE ALL OF THEM WHEN THEY COME DOWN. BUT YOU KNOW, I WE SEVERAL OF US WILL BE OUT ON SECTIONS HERE AND THERE OCCASIONALLY MONITORING, YOU KNOW, IS ONE SIDE DETERIORATING? IS ONE BEEN REMOVED? I'VE GOTTEN IN THE HABIT OF ACTUALLY TAKING SPARE SIGNS AND TIES AND CLIPPERS OUT WITH ME WHEN I'M GOING ON AN ERRAND SOMETIMES AND YOU KNOW IF THIS WERE YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TALKING OF LIKE 5 TO 10 SIGNS POSTED ALONG THE ROUTE OR EVEN 1 TO 5 SIGNS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING AN EYE AND REPLACING THEM AS NEEDED WOULD BE A VERY, VERY MANAGEABLE THING IN THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF PROJECTS THAT WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO BE HANDLING WITH THIS INITIATIVE GOING FORWARD. AWESOME. THANK YOU.  I THINK YOU ACTUALLY ANSWERED MY THIRD QUESTION ON THAT IN THAT ANSWER SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE FULLY SUPPORT OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT RESOURCES THE CITY CAN OFFER TO TO MAKE THIS A REALITY AND MAKE THIS OFFICIAL SO I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR WEBER SURE.  THANK YOU.  YEAH, I GUESS I HAD JUST GENERALLY MY QUESTION IS LIKE HOW IS WHOSE MANAGING ALL THIS AND HOW'S HOW'S IT GOING SO IN TERMS OF LIKE THE WEBSITE WHO'S WORKING ON THAT?  SO MOST OF THESE PROJECTS ARE THINGS THAT I MANAGE INDIVIDUALLY GOING FORWARD HERE WE HAVE A GROUP OF ABOUT 5 TO 6 REGULAR VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED WITH PROJECTS SUCH AS THE INSTALLATION OF THE PHYSICAL SIGNAGE ALONG THE ROUTE DISCUSS PLANNED UPDATES AND CHANGES TO THE WEBSITE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXECUTION PHASE OF THOSE KIND OF DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT IS MOSTLY BEEN IN MY HANDS AT THIS POINT AND ONE THING THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN DOING IS FINDING INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSIVE PHASE OF THIS PROJECT THAT IS COMING YOU KNOW, MOVING TOWARD THE CREATION OF MORE TRAILS HERE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE ON THE VOLUNTEER POWER OF A VERY SMALL GROUP ALONE RIGHT HERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND A FISCAL SPONSOR TO SUPPORT SOME OF THIS WORK WHO MIGHT WHO A SPONSOR WHO COULD POTENTIALLY HELP US TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF MAYBE BECOMING AN ORGANIZATIONAL ENTITY.  AND YOU KNOW, THIS JUNCTURE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THE WALKING CITY TRAIL IS VISIBLE AS IT IS AND THE PROSPECT OF A NETWORK COMING ONLINE DOES NECESSITATE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION RIGHT NOW. SO AT THE MOMENT IT IS STILL A QUITE SMALL AND DIY STYLE EFFORT REALLY TO MAINTAIN THESE RESOURCES. WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH THE CAPACITY AND POWER THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WE'VE BEEN ABLE WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD ABOUT NOT OVEREXTENDING OURSELVES AT THIS POINT AND SO MOVING FORWARD AND PURSUING THIS GOAL OF CREATING A TRAIL NETWORK AND INTRODUCING DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE TAKE PART IN THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH FINDING INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT AND SO INITIALLY YOU RAISE MONEY THROUGH TO CROWD FUNDING OR GO FUND ME . IS THAT STILL GOING ON? YOU TAKING IN MONEY THAT WAY? YEAH. SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY OUR FIRST EFFORT AT DOING FULL ON FUNDRAISING FOR A PROJECT. IT WAS KIND OF AN EARLY TEST.  THAT CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN WHICH HAPPENED THIS SPRING WAS BASICALLY AN EFFORT TO FUND THE CREATION OF OUR NEW WEATHERPROOF SIGNS A REBUILD OF THE TRAIL WEBSITE TO MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY AND ATTRACTIVE AND ALSO DID FUND THE CREATION OF THE TRAIL PATCH PROGRAM PRETTY MUCH AND SO IT WAS VERY MUCH A PROJECT SPECIFIC FUNDRAISING EFFORT THERE. WE HAVE NOT EMBRACED THE MODEL OF DOING ONGOING REGULAR CROWD FUNDING PARTICULARLY BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE ARE STRETCHED QUITE THIN THESE DAYS. WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR GRANTED IN THIS WAY AND SO OUR APPROACH HAS BEEN TO EMBRACE THIS METHOD OF FUNDRAISING WITHIN CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT ARE TANGIBLE AND ACHIEVABLE ARE ON THE LINE.  THERE MAY BE ANOTHER ROUND OF THAT COMING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IF WE DO DECIDE TO EXPAND THE WEBSITE FURTHER TO INCLUDE THIS NEW MAPPING TECHNOLOGY THAT MAY BE OUT IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHICH WILL HELP US BASICALLY OPEN UP THE PROCESS OF TRAIL PROPOSALS AND TRAIL VETTING TO A WIDER NUMBER OF PEOPLE. BUT YOU KNOW IN THE LONG TERM OUR HOPE IS TO BE ABLE TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT FUNDING GOING FORWARD BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT IS TRADITIONALLY HOW A LOT OF THIS WORK IS FUNDED. THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE THAT HAVE A LOT OF MISSION ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING THE ROAD MAP TO FINDING A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT LINEAR AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF NAVIGATING RIGHT NOW BUT THAT IS OUR HOPE TO BE ABLE TO I DON'T WANT TO SAY MOVE BEYOND CROWD FUNDING BUT TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THESE MORE INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES GIVEN THAT THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH YOU CAN TURN TO THE COMMUNITY AND ASK PEOPLE TO CHIP IN FOR WORK LIKE THIS AND DO YOU KNOW HOW THE TRAILS IN WORCESTER AND SAN FRANCISCO ARE FUNDED?  WHO'S MANAGING THEM? YEAH. SO IN SAN FRANCISCO THE CROSSTOWN TRAIL HAS JOINED WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO PARKS ALLIANCE WHICH IS A GREEN SPACE ADVOCACY CENTRIC NONPROFIT OUT THERE AND THEY ARE BASICALLY A FISCAL AGENT FOR GRANTS THAT COME IN TO SUPPORT THE VA ACROSS TONE TRAIL WORK ONE ONE DIFFERENCE WITH THE CROSSTOWN TRAIL IS THAT THEY HAVE NOT PURSUED THE PROJECT OF PHYSICAL SIGNAGE IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE IN BOSTON. I THINK IT MIGHT BE A REFLECTION OF JUST HOW TECH CENTRIC SAN FRANCISCO IS THESE DAYS BUT THEY SEE THE DIGITAL RESOURCES AS SUFFICIENT FOR MAKING THE TRAIL VISIBLE FOR PEOPLE IN WORCESTER IT'S A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENT. THE EAST WEST TRAIL ACTUALLY IS A PROJECT THAT IS WITHIN THE UMBRELLA OF THEIR PARKS DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.  THE IDEA FOR IT WAS ACTUALLY PARTIALLY HATCHED BY A MEMBER OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND SO NOT ONLY HAS THERE BEEN SOME DIRECT PUBLIC FUNDING OF ELEMENTS OF THE EAST-WEST TRAIL BUT THAT TRAIL ACTUALLY CONTAINS PHYSICAL SIGNAGE THAT IS USED AS A WAYFINDING DEVICE FIRST AND FOREMOST WHEN YOU WALK THAT TRAIL ON TREES ON STREET POLES YOU REGULARLY SEE EAST-WEST TRAIL SIGNAGE THAT LOOKS REALLY GOOD AND YOU KNOW, APPEARS TO BE PRETTY REGULARLY UPDATED.  SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MODELS FOR FUNDING OUT THERE AND YOU KNOW THE THE EAST-WEST TRAIL IS KIND OF A RARITY TOO BECAUSE AS FAR AS I AM AWARE IT'S THE ONLY CURATION BASED URBAN TRAIL IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAS BEEN FULLY ABSORBED BY A CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT BASICALLY SO THE QUESTION THAT KIND OF LOOMS FOR ALL OF US INVOLVED IN THESE PROJECTS IS WILL THIS HAPPEN AGAIN SOMEWHERE EVENTUALLY OKAY. AND THEN YOU KNOW, I MEAN BOSTON, WE HAVE THIS IS NOW BEING HEADED I THINK BY THE FORMER PARKS COMMISSIONER. HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMITTED FORMER COMMISSIONER WOODS OR MEMBERS? DO YOU THINK THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND AND HELP? YES. COMMISSIONER WOODS WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE PANELISTS AT OUR LAST HEARING RIGHT HERE. SO HE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS PRIOR THE TWO OF US HAVE ACTUALLY HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS CONTEXT. I WORK AS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH MY DAY JOB AND I'VE WRITTEN SOME STORIES ABOUT GREEN SPACE AND PARK ACCESS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE AND I'M ON A FEW OCCASIONS WE'VE SPOKEN BY PHONE ABOUT SOME OF THESE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AND SO I DO THINK THERE IS CERTAINLY AN OPEN DOORWAY FOR CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ABOUT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS NEW ROLE WITH ME BOSTON WE HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO CONNECT FOR A CATCH UP AND UPDATE SESSIONS SINCE HE TOOK ON THIS NEW ROLE BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A DIALOG I'D LIKE TO OPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OKAY AND THEN I GUESS FOR FOR WALK MASSACHUSETTS OR THE APPALACHIAN CLUB I MEAN HOW DO YOU THINK THE YOU CAN HELP WITH WITH US? YOU KNOW IS THERE ANY SORT OF YEAH ANYTHING YOU HAVE IN MIND OR THAT YOUR YOUR GROUPS COULD HELP SUPPORT THE PROJECT HERE.  YEAH IF I CAN CHIME IN HERE WE'VE I THINK WE HAVE A NETWORK OF FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN WALKABILITY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO AMPLIFY THESE WALKING TRAILS TO THOSE FOLKS AND HAVE THEM YOU KNOW, UTILIZING THEM HAVING PEOPLE ACTUALLY OUT THERE AND THEY CAN EVENTUALLY HAVE INSIGHTS AND FEEDBACK AND WE COULD DEFINITELY SHARE THAT WITH MILES AND HIS GROUP WOULD DEFINITELY WANT WANT TO SEE HOW WE CAN AMPLIFY THOSE MAPS AND RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THAT COULD BE AN OPTION AND I THINK ALSO JUST WE HOST THESE WALKS IN DIFFERENT PLACES EVERY YEAR SO MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A COHORT OF FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN WALKABILITY ON ONE OF HIS TRAILS AND HAVE THEM EXPERIENCE THAT AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WALKABILITY AND WAYFINDING AND JUST LIKE WHAT DOES URBAN TRAILS ACTUALLY MEAN AND HOW CAN FOLKS BEST UTILIZE THAT IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES? YEAH, JUST BEFORE THE APPALACHIAN CLUB THESE WHEN PEOPLE GO ON THESE HIKES DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO PRIMARILY ROLL RELY ON SIGNAGE OR THEY'RE USING THEIR MOBILE DEVICES WITH WHAT IS MODERN HIKING LOOK LIKE? YEAH IF I CAN CHIME IN HERE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE WAYFINDING OUT THERE SPECIFICALLY FOR AN EQUITY PIECE.  WE DO KNOW THERE'S A DIGITAL DIVIDE OUT THERE SO THERE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE YOU KNOW THEY HAVE TECHNOLOGY LIKE THEY HAVE YOU KNOW, THE LATEST SMARTPHONES AND THEY CAN ACCESS THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED. BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO FOLKS WHO ARE ALSO JUST NOT AS ACCUSTOMED TO UTILIZING DIFFERENT DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, CONNECTED TO AGE TO, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC PIECES . SO IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK TO HAVE SOME WAYFINDING INFORMATION OUT THERE TO HELP FOLKS STILL MOVE AROUND WITHOUT UTILIZING THEIR SMARTPHONE. AND ALSO SOME FOLKS ARE TRYING TO WALK TO DISCONNECT. SO IF YOU ARE NOW ONLY UTILIZING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER FOR FOLKS TO STAY CONNECTED AND GET THOSE PINGS AND MAYBE STILL GET SOME OF THOSE STRESSORS THAT COME FROM DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. SO I'M HAPPY THAT THEY'RE DEFINITELY CONSIDERING WAYFINDING AS A MECHANISM TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO UTILIZE THEIR TRAILS.  YEAH, I DEFINITELY AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO USE THE ONLINE DEVICE. I NEED TO LIKE JUST DOWNLOAD A MAP AND INTERNALIZE THAT AND THEN HEAD OUT THERE BUT SO I'LL COUNT MYSELF AMONG THOSE PEOPLE. SORRY DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ONLINE?  UM, YEAH, I HAVE. I JUST HAVE ONE. I HAVE I HAVE THREE THINGS ACTUALLY THREE WAYS THAT AMC IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND THINGS WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TRAIL IS ATTAINABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY IN BOSTON. SO AMC HAS 22,000 MEMBERS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS AND SO THIS IS A REALLY INCREDIBLE RESOURCE FOR BOTH TRAIL ENDS AND ALSO LEADING GROUP HIKES AND SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT THE WALKING CITY TRAIL.  AMC IS AN EXPERT AT MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIP FOR A TRAIL LIKE WALKING CITY TRAIL SO WE ARE NOT AT THIS POINT INVOLVED WITH MANAGING THE WALKING CITY TRAIL BUT AMC'S TRAIL THE CIRCUIT TRAIL GOES THROUGH 30 OVER 30 DIFFERENT TOWNS IN GREATER BOSTON AND SO WE REAL EXPERTISE MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MANY DIFFERENT LANDOWNERS IN TERMS OF MAKING A TRAIL SUSTAINABLE AND BENEFICIAL FOR ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT TOWNS AND LANDOWNERS. SO WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE PART OF SHARING EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE WITH THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AND THAT IN THAT WAY.  AND THEN THE THIRD THING WHICH IS MY JOB IS ADVOCACY AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR INCREASING FUNDING FOR ALL KINDS OF TRAILS AND ESPECIALLY MAYBE EVEN GETTING DEDICATED FUNDING FOR URBAN TRAILS. AND SO HAVING A HAVING A TRAIL LIKE THE BOSTON WALKING CITY TRAIL BECOME OFFICIAL AND BE REALLY SANCTIONED BY THE CITY IN THAT WAY WOULD REALLY GIVE US A BIGGER CHIP TO STAND ON WITH WITH THE STATE LEGISLATORS SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD BE CREATING DEDICATED FUNDING FOR URBAN TRAILS AND THE TYPE.  OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BACK TO EACH THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THANK YOU.  UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS SO HAVE YOU ALL. SO THE TRAILS THAT ARE EXISTING NOW DO THEY PASS THROUGH ANY OF OUR STATE DCR MANAGED PARKS ALSO THEY DO. PROBABLY THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE WALKING CITY TRAIL SPENDS QUITE A BIT OF TIME GOING THROUGH STONY BROOK RESERVATION IS A CONNECTION FROM HYDE PARK TO ROSLINDALE AND OF COURSE THE NEW PONDS THAT RIVER GREENWAY, THE SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR ARE ALSO SUBSTANTIAL PARTS OF THE TRAIL WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN REGULAR CONVERSATION WITH MASTERCARD QUITE YET ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF CODIFICATION OF THE TRAIL AT THIS POINT THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE ASPIRE TO HAVE GOING INTO 2025 BUT CERTAINLY THE JURISDICTION AND OF THE VARIOUS GREENSPACES ALONG THE TRAIL ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE CITY OF BOSTON IS THE MAJORITY OF THE SPACES BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY AREAS WHERE THERE ARE STAKEHOLDERS BEYOND THE CITY TO YOU KNOW I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, MAKING IT AN OFFICIAL TRAIL AND ONE OF THE POSITIVE IMPACTS I'M HEARING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS TO SOMEHOW YOU DON'T TAKE IT OVER THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HELP MANAGE IT, HELP FUND IT, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT CLEAN AND ACCESSIBLE. SO WONDERING HAVE YOU THOUGHT THROUGH THE HAVING TO WORK HAND IN HAND WHICH YOU KNOW WITH DCR AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT KNOWING THAT THE TRAIL WOULD NEVER JUST BE ON CITY OWNED PARKS THAT WE WOULD BE PASSING THROUGH DCR LAND ALSO WELL, I'M NOT SURE THIS THIS MIGHT CHANGE THE QUESTION A LITTLE BIT BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE TRAIL IN THE SENSE WHERE YOU SEE MORE OF A KIND OF COLLABORATIVE ROLE RIGHT HERE IN WHICH THE MANAGEMENT AND OWNERSHIP OF THE TRAIL REMAINS IN THE GRASSROOTS ESSENTIALLY WITH THE WALKING CITY TRAIL VOLUNTEERS AND POTENTIALLY A WALKING CITY TRAIL CENTRIC ORGANIZATION YOU KNOW, PLAYING MOST OF THAT MANAGEMENT ROLE GOING FOR WALKS ,SUSTAINING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ABOUT HOW YOU KNOW WHAT ADVOCACY CAN LOOK LIKE, WHAT COLLABORATIVE EVENTS ON THE TRAIL MIGHT LOOK LIKE, ETC. BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION STARTING AT A CITY LEVEL RIGHT HERE, THEN WE FULLY EXPECT TO, YOU KNOW, BE HAVING SUCH DIALOGS WITH DCR AS WELL GOING FORWARD. AND I THINK THAT THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH WE MOVE INTO THAT DOES PARTIALLY HINGE ON WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AND THE CITY OF BOSTON LOOKS LIKE HEADING INTO 2025 AND I LOOKED UP THE WEBSITE I EVEN SUBSCRIBE SO NOW I'M ON YOUR NEWSLETTER WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING BUT THE MAP LOOKS PRETTY LONG. ARE THERE STILL PARTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND ON? WELL ACTUALLY WHAT WE'VE DECIDED FOR NOW IS THAT THE THE 27 MILE WALKING CITY TRAIL ROUTE WAS BASICALLY VETTED FOR ALMOST A YEAR BY PEOPLE WHO CAME ON THE INTRODUCTORY HIKES IN THE SUMMER OF 2022 AND MANY OF THEM OFFERED FEEDBACK YOU KNOW, SOLICITED FEEDBACK ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH THE TRAIL MIGHT BE IMPROVED SAY, YOU KNOW, VISITING A GREEN SPACE THAT WAS MISSED IN THE ORIGINAL MAPPING OR MAYBE AVOIDING A REALLY STEEP THAT'S KIND OF DODGY AND YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT ROUTE I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT CEMENTED BUT WE DO CONSIDER IT A YOU KNOW, REAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THAT FEEDBACK LOOK LIKE ULTIMATELY AND WHAT WE'RE EXPLORING NOW INSTEAD LENGTHENING THE CURRENT TRAIL IS ACTUALLY ADDING A PERPENDICULAR TRAIL TO THE ROUTE NEXT YEAR A ROUTE THAT WILL GO THROUGH MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY VISITED BY THE WALKING THE CITY TRAIL.  THE TWO WILL BASICALLY FORM A SQUIGGLY AX ACROSS THE CITY GOING FORWARD AND YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF YOU KNOW WHAT ANOTHER TRAIL LOOK LIKE IN THIS MALL GOING FORWARD UTILIZING THIS METHODOLOGY OF TRAIL MAKING THE GOAL, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE ONE DAY TO HAVE ENOUGH OF THESE COMMUNITY SHAPED TRAILS THAT YOU KNOW THAT EVERY BALL EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN BOSTON IS PART OF THIS NETWORK EVENTUALLY.  ARE THERE ANY SECTIONS THAT AREN'T SAFELY CONNECTED SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE OR WALK, YOU KNOW, TO ANOTHER SPOT TO PICK IT UP AGAIN. I KNOW AT THIS POINT ALL SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL CAN BE DONE WITHOUT A CAR OR WITHOUT THAT LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE RIGHT THERE. THERE ARE AREAS WHERE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INFREQUENT THAN OTHERS.  BIGGEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IS PROBABLY THE SECTION THAT RUNS FROM THE EDGEWATER GREENWAY AT HYDE PARK TO SHARON WOODS AND HYDE PARK AS WELL WHERE YOU'RE MOSTLY WALKING ALONG RESIDENTIAL STREETS ON SIDEWALKS RIGHT THERE. BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY PAID ATTENTION TO IS WE FINESSED THE TRAIL WAS IDENTIFYING, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY SEGMENTS OF THIS ROUTE THAT MIGHT MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BOTH IN A STRUCTURAL METHOD AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT PLACES WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT BE WALKING THROUGH AND THINKING AM I REALLY ALLOWED TO BE HERE FOR INSTANCE, WHICH OF COURSE IS A YOU KNOW, LEGITIMATE AND SERIOUS QUESTION THAT CAN COME UP IN, YOU KNOW, ANY ENVIRONMENT REALLY. SO YEAH, WE REALLY DID SHAPE THE TRAIL IN A WAY WHERE THE IDEA WAS, YOU KNOW, ESCAPE THE CAR, YOU KNOW, GET OUT ON FOOT AND YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE IT CAN TAKE YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE YOU ACCESSED OR LOOKED AT USING ANY OF THE 65 MILES OF DEDICATED BIKE LANES WHICH ARE SAFE ACCESS AND LIVABLE, YOU KNOW, UNDER OUR LIVABLE STREETS EVEN TO CONNECT SOME OF THE TRAILS ARE MAKING IT A SAFER PATHWAY BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE MENTIONING HYDE PARK THAT AREA THERE'S LOTS OF SPOTS WHERE THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS OR PEOPLE MIGHT JUST FEEL UNSAFE WALKING NEAR THE CARS THAT ARE COMING BY. MM. I MEAN BIKE LANES ARE CERTAINLY A POTENTIAL BACKBONE FOR YOU KNOW FUTURE TRAILS GOING FORWARD AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY SEGMENTS OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL INCLUDING THE INAUGURAL AND UPON SAID RIVER GREENWAY SEGMENT THAT DO UTILIZE SOME OF THOSE BIKE TRAILS QUITE WELL. YOU KNOW YOU KNOW THESE TRAILS THAT KIND OF YOU KNOW, TAKE YOU AWAY FROM YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CACOPHONY OF THE CITYSCAPE REALLY AND THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE WOULD EMBRACE GOING FORWARD WITH FUTURE TRAIL DESIGNS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE WALKING CITY TRAIL IS A WALKING ROUTE FIRST AND FOREMOST LIKE THAT DEFINITELY IS THE, YOU KNOW, PRIMARY LENS THROUGH WHICH THE TRAIL MAKING PROCESS HAPPENED RIGHT THERE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED BY A FEW FOLKS, YOU KNOW, IS THE TRAIL FULLY BIKEABLE? WOULD YOU CREATE A BIKEABLE ROUTE BECAUSE MOST OF US HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE IN WALKING SO FAR CREATING A BIKEABLE ALTERNATIVE THAT SORT OF FOLLOWS THE SAME TRAJECTORY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL WE HAVE THE QUALIFICATION AND CAPACITY TO TAKE ON RIGHT NOW BUT WE'VE CERTAINLY PUT OUT THAT IDEA TO THE CYCLING COMMUNITY AND WELCOME ANY PROPOSALS AND WOULD SUPPORT ANY PROPOSALS TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL ROUTE THAT LEADS FROM IT. YEAH, I MEANT MORE THAT YOU WOULD WALK IN THE BIKE LANE. OH YEAH. NOT THAT WE WOULD BE USING THE BIKE LANE TO CONNECT IN SOME SECTIONS TO GET TO THE NEXT PART OF THE PATH IF IT'S AN EASIER OR SAFER CONNECTOR WALKING IN THE BIKE LANE AS OPPOSED TO WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK POTENTIALLY IF ARE SPOTS WHERE LIKE MAYBE YOU'VE LOOPED AROUND OR YOU HADN'T THOUGHT OF LIKE THE BIKE LANE AS A WAY TO CONNECT SOME OF THESE PATHS INTO ANOTHER PARK? GREENWAY IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.  WE HAVEN'T QUITE CONSIDERED THAT YOU KNOW, APPROACH TO UTILIZING BIKE LANES RIGHT THERE. I MEAN I THINK IN GENERAL WE ARE OPEN TO ANY SPACE THAT IS SAFE AND NAVIGABLE BY FOOT RIGHT HERE AND YOU KNOW IN AN AREA THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY A THOROUGHFARE WHERE BIKE LANES ARE YOU KNOW, ARE A NEW FEATURE THEN CERTAINLY THAT COULD VERY MUCH BE A CONNECT DEVELOPMENT GOING FORWARD. I'LL JUST END WITH THE SIGNAGE I LOVE THAT YOU'RE USING THE SIGNAGE AND QR CODES ARE GREAT IF YOU NEED THEM BUT I MYSELF LIKE DID NOT BRING MY PHONE WHEN I'M OUT FOR A RUN LIKE THE PINGING AND DISCONNECTING IS IMPORTANT SO MAKING SURE THERE'S THAT OPTION ALSO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PHONE AND OFTENTIMES IN THESE SPOTS YOU KNOW THE WI FI ISN'T GREAT AND IF YOU'RE REALLY RELIANT ON THE PHONE WORKING AND THEN IT DOESN'T WORK THAT YOU MAY NOT BE IN A SAFE SITUATION. SO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE SIGNAGE GOING FORWARD. YEAH. I MEAN THAT IT DOES KIND OF AGAIN BRING UP THAT QUESTION OF YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THE SIGNS DO FIRST AND FOREMOST I MEAN I, I STILL DO LOVE THE IDEA OF PHYSICAL SIGNAGE AS A WAYFINDING, YOU KNOW, INSTRUMENT WHERE YOU COULD HAVE THEM AT LITERALLY EVERY JUNCTION ALONG THE ROUTE. IT DOES OF COURSE CHANGE THE MAINTENANCE ELEMENT OF THE SCIENTIST PROJECT QUITE A BIT BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU'RE PROBABLY TALKING OVER 100 TRAIL MARKERS AS OPPOSED TO 1 TO 5. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN VERY MUCH MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WHICHEVER ITERATION OF SIGNAGE IS POSSIBLE IN THE NEAR TERM AND I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT, YOU KNOW, LET GO OF THAT LARGER IDEA RIGHT THERE THAT PERHAPS ONE DAY WE CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN WORCESTER WITH ACTUALLY HAVING THE SIGNS IN THAT WAY BECAUSE I TOO LOVE TO DISCONNECT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR MURPHY, I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR GREAT QUESTIONS. EVERYTHING ON TECHNOLOGY AND MAPPING FUNDING I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT LANDOWNER OWNERSHIP AND JURISDICTION FOR MAINTENANCE INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO USE THIS BUT ALL IN ALL I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THIS IS A LOT OF WORK AND IT TAKES MANY HANDS AND MANY HOURS. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT PERPENDICULAR TRAIL ON ON THE WEBSITE I WAS LOOKING THROUGH AND I HAVE ALSO SIGNED UP AND AND REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT WENT INTO EVEN MAKING THE WEBSITE AND CREATING THE TRAIL. ONE OMISSION IS OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY MY ISLAND IS BOSTON WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE WALKING TRAIL FOR OBVIOUS REASONS YOU'D HAVE TO SWIM TO GET THERE OR OR TAKE THE TEA. I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO INCLUDE IS BOSTON TO INCLUDE THE MARY ELLEN WALSH GREENWAY THE WATERFRONT.  THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS ABOUT THE WATERFRONT AND CONSIDERING ALL OF THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING THROWN OUT THERE TO BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE DOWNTOWN CORE THE WATERFRONT AND ITS BEAUTY AND SPLENDOR AND UTILIZING IT AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL TREASURE THAT IT IS TO TRY TO GET FOLKS BACK TO DOWNTOWN. BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR FOLKS THAT LIVE ALONG THE WATERFRONT FOR SOME OF THE MARITIME USES THAT ARE THERE? WE HAVE CHAPTER 91. THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT POTENTIALLY CREATING A WATERFRONT TOUR SO THAT FOLKS CAN GO AND SEE AND UTILIZE EVERYTHING THAT IT HAS TO OFFER. BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IN THE SUMMERTIME FOLKS DO THAT ANYWAY. BUT IN THE WINTER TIME WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE A WATERFRONT SPECIFIC WALKING TRAIL. WE'VE DONE AN AUDIT OF THE VARIOUS ENTITIES THAT ARE ALONG THE WATERFRONT AND SHOWING HOW DISJOINTED IT IS WHEN THERE IS STATE PROPERTY AND CITY PROPERTY FORMER MARITIME USE PROPERTY NONPROFIT USE OF THAT HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT AND HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD TO UTILIZE THE WATERFRONT AS A WAY TO BRING FOLKS BACK TO BOSTON? YEAH, SO THAT HAS THAT IS SOMETHING WHICH HAS COME UP IN OUR BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A NETWORK OF TRAILS IN BOSTON ONE DAY YOU KNOW CATALYZED BY THE WALKING CITY TRAIL AND YOU KNOW ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE ACTUALLY MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WALKING CITY TRAIL ROUTE WAS UTILIZING MORE OF THE BOSTON WALK ORIGINALLY THE TRAIL KIND OF BURNED RIGHT THROUGH THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN BOSTON AND OUR OTHER RUSH MANOR RIGHT THERE AND A LOT OF THESE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE GOT MANY OF WHICH CAME FROM MATTHEW BRODY ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WERE TO INCLUDE THAT WATERFRONT AREA TO ACTIVATE THOSE SPACES WHERE AS YOU SAID YOU DO GET THIS KIND OF DISJOINTED QUALITY BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY JURISDICTIONS RIGHT THERE AND THAT ACTUALLY ENDED UP BECOMING ONE OF MY FAVORITE SEGMENTS OF THE TRAIL NOT LEAST OF WHICH IS BECAUSE YOU DO AT LEAST SEE, YOU KNOW, EAST BOSTON ITSELF RIGHT THERE YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS MORE OUT THERE, THAT THERE'S MORE TO THE CITYSCAPE AND THAT THE STORY OF BOSTON THAT YOU'RE TELLING WITH THIS TRAIL CAN'T BE TOLD WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THAT ONE TRAIL TOO AND THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW HOW EAST BOSTON CAN BE CONNECTED TO A NETWORK OF TRAILS. ONE THING THAT I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE IN THE LAST YEAR ON A FEW TRAILS IN OTHER CITIES IS THE IDEA OF A MULTIMODAL TRAIL A TRAIL THAT UTILIZES NOT ONLY WALKING SPACES BUT ACTUALLY MASS TRANSIT TOO. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS IN PORTLAND, OREGON. THERE IS A TRAIL CALLED THE 40 TRAIL WHICH IS BASICALLY A LOOP AROUND THE CITY THAT UTILIZES FOUR METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION THAT BEGIN WITH THE LETTER T THERE ARE TRAILS YOU HIKE ON, YOU RIDE A TRAM, YOU TAKE A TRAIN AND YOU GO ON A TROLLEY AND YOU KNOW ALL THESE TRANSIT METHODS HAVE A VERY SCENIC AND KIND OF ADVENTUROUS QUALITY TO THEM. AND I THINK ABOUT THE WATER TAXIS AND THE FERRIES THAT EXIST CONNECTING EAST BOSTON WATERFRONT TO THE NORTH SHORE WATERFRONT YOU KNOW AND I IMAGINE THAT COULD BE A FEATURE OF A TRAIL ONE DAY SOMETHING THAT YOU YOU KNOW, THAT IS TALKED ABOUT IN THE SAME WAY AS THE ACTUAL WALKING SPACE ITSELF POTENTIALLY AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE INTERESTED THE PROSPECT OF OPENING UP THE TRAIL PROPOSAL AND TRAIL MAKING PROCESS TO THE WIDER PUBLIC BY YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THE WEBSITE TO BASICALLY ALLOW PEOPLE TO SUGGEST TRAIL ROUTES IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC TRAILS LIKE THE IDEA OF A WATERFRONT TRAIL THROUGH EAST BOSTON, YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE BEST EQUIPPED TO SUGGEST A VISION FOR WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE ARE THOSE WHO KNOW THE SPACE INTIMATELY. AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO INVITE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. VERY MUCH SO.  THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THAT TOO. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SOME FOLKS AND SOME ORGANIZATIONS IN EAST BOSTON AND TALKING ABOUT IT. THERE IS THERE IS A DESIRE AND I HOPE TO SPEAK TO THE NEXT PANEL ABOUT THIS AND POTENTIALLY MEET BOSTON ABOUT WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN TO TO UTILIZE BOSTON'S HISTORY TO SHOWCASE WHERE THE CITY HAS COME FROM BUT THEN ALSO SHOW WHERE GOING TERMS OF THE FUTURE WITH CLIMATE RESILIENCE. AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION TO KIND OF SPEAKING OUT LOUD INTO EXISTENCE AND POTENTIALLY UTILIZING A WALKING TRAIL ORGANIZATION OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE TO TO PUSH THAT VISION FORWARD. MY MY NEXT QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH ACCESSIBLE CITY AND SO WE TALK ABOUT WALKING AND ALL OF THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FULLY INCLUSIVE OF ALL POPULATIONS AND AND THINKING ABOUT THE WATERFRONT AND HOW DISJOINTED IT IS. THERE ARE A LOT OF ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES. I'M WONDERING IF ON YOUR ON YOUR TRAIL ON THE CITY WALKING TRAIL IF THERE HAS BEEN AN ACCESSIBILITY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU'VE IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT CHALLENGES FOR FOLKS OF ALL ABILITIES IF THEY WANTED TO TO GO ON THIS TRAIL SO WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT FOR THE WALKING CITY FEEL AT THIS POINT AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WHEN THE TRAIL PROJECT WAS FIRST INITIATED, YOU KNOW THE FOUNDATION THAT POINT WAS SIMPLY CREATING AN INTERESTING SCENIC WAY TO WALK THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT GREEN SPACES THAT ARE CONNECTED BY BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING ADDITIONAL TRAILS IN BOSTON THAT ARE FULLY ACCESSIBLE, THAT HAVE BEEN THAT HAVE BEEN RIGOROUSLY VETTED TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO PHYSICAL OBSTACLES LIKE THIS IS VERY MUCH AGAIN PART OF THE LARGER CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING ABOUT CREATING MORE TRAILS GOING FORWARD, CREATING A NETWORK OF TRAILS WE HAVE TRIED TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE SPOTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL WALKING CITY TRAIL ROUTE THAT WOULD HAVE IMPOSED EXCESSIVE CITY ISSUES EVEN FOR FOLKS WHO ARE TAKING WALKS IN PARKS REGULARLY AGAINST FEATURES SUCH AS STEEP SCREE SLOPES, YOU KNOW, WATER CROSSINGS, THOSE SORT OF THINGS.  YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS IDEA BEHIND THE WALK IN THE CITY FEEL HAS REALLY GONE THROUGH A PRETTY BIG EVOLUTION IN JUST THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS ALONE. I MEAN WHEN IT STARTED THE THE BASELINE OF THE ENTIRE THING REALLY WAS MORE KIND OF LIKE CITY HIKING THE CITY ADVENTURING AND REALIZING THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO GROW INTO A LARGER THING THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE FOLKS YOU KNOW WELL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF YOU KNOW,  TRADITIONAL HIKING IS A MORE RECENT DEVELOPMENT BASICALLY. AND SO TO CREATE A VERSION OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL THAT IS FULLY, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLE AUDIT PROOF RIGHT THERE IT WOULD PRETTY MUCH REQUIRE A FOUNDATIONAL REBUILD OF THE ENTIRE THING AT THIS POINT AND BUT BUT THAT SAID, THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGING OR AUGMENTING CERTAIN FEATURES OF THE TRAIL TO FURTHER CUT DOWN ON THE OBSTACLES THAT DO EXIST IS SOMETHING THAT WE REMAIN OPEN TO. AND I THINK THAT IN GENERAL WHEN YOU CREATE ANY URBAN TRAIL YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR SOME MALLEABILITY GIVEN THAT THERE ARE REDEVELOPMENTS AND CLOSURES OF SPACES AS WHO KNOWS. SO SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND ON THIS FRONT SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S IT FOR ME . TO MY COLLEAGUES, SEVEN MORE QUESTIONS FOR THIS PANEL.  AGAIN, JUST GRATITUDE FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU TO TO SUPPORT A WALKING CITY TRAIL AND ENSURING THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS THERE TO SUPPORT YOU BOTH IN RESOURCES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. SO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  NOW WE'LL HAVE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL.  WE HAVE LISA MEYER WHO'S THE INTERIM COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND NATALIA BENITEZ PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CITY CIVIC ORGANIZING.  WE'RE GOING TO COME DOWN I THINK WHILE THEY ARE IN TRANSITION I READ AND I'M NOT SURE JUST I'M NOT SURE IF THIS INDIVIDUAL IS IN PERSON IS THERE BENJAMIN COWIE HASKEL HERE. OKAY, I'LL LET YOU UH, PROVIDE YOUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I WON'T READ IT INTO THE RECORD JUST YET.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT.  LISA WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST WITH YOUR TESTIMONY? SURE. THANK YOU EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY? THANK YOU FOR HAVING MEJIA. THANK YOU FOR RAISING THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT AND GIVING IT THE VISIBILITY THAT THE COUNCIL HEARING PROVIDES.  I AM NEW TO THE ROLE I'M IN AS INTERIM COMMISSIONER SO I'M REALLY LEARNING AS AS I LISTEN TODAY AND I CAN SEE A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND YOU KNOW, INTERESTING FOR COLLABORATION WITH THIS PROJECT I LOVE THE IDEA OF URBAN ADVENTURING. I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF , YOU KNOW, EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY AND YOU KNOW, JOY IN CITY PARKS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT ALL PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE VISITATION TO PLACES THAT MAY BE OUTSIDE OF ONE'S REGULAR ROOTS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT PARKS DEFINITELY SUPPORTS. SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING PROJECT.  I'M, YOU KNOW, GRATEFUL TO HEAR ABOUT IT DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN CAN SUPPORT THIS WORK.  I THINK YOU KNOW, AMPLIFYING THE VISIBILITY OF THE THE TRAIL THROUGH OUR YOU KNOW WEB RESOURCES ON BOSTON.COM IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN HELP WITH.  AND AND I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME SOME IMPORTANT SYNERGIES BETWEEN THIS WORK AND THE WORK THAT A LOT OF OUR PARK PARTNERS DO ACROSS THE CITY.  YOU KNOW, GROUPS LIKE FRIENDS OF THE HARBOR WALK, THE FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN, THE EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY, C FRANKEN PARK COALITION, BOSTON HARBOR.  NOW THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE NETWORK.  THESE ARE ALL GROUPS WHO ARE WHO ARE YOU KNOW, ALIGNED WITH THEIR INTEREST IN BRINGING PEOPLE INTO PUBLIC SPACES,  CONNECTING PUBLIC SPACES, TELLING THE STORIES OF THOSE SPACES IS MAKING SURE THOSE SPACES ARE WELL CARED FOR STEWARDED OPEN TO ALL WELCOMING AND SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN DO TO TRY TO BRING THESE THESE GROUPS TOGETHER WILL WILL HELP WITH THAT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AS WELL AS MY OFFICE FOR ALL THE WORK AND FOR FOR BEING PIONEERS ON THIS.  I THINK ANYTHING THAT'S COMMUNITY DRIVEN IS ALWAYS A POSITIVE THING.  A LOT OF THE WORK THAT OCO, THE CIVIC ORGANIZING DOES IS TO REALLY STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY EMPOWERED COMMUNITY BONDS AND JUST ACCESS IN GENERAL. SO I THINK THIS IS DEFINITELY A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE. I WAS THINKING ON A FEW THINGS THAT WE COULD PERHAPS BE HELPFUL.  DEFINITELY WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK SO MAYBE HAVING FLIERS IN THE CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE CITY TRIAL AND YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY GIVING PEOPLE THIS INFORMATION BY HAND, THE OWNER NEWSLETTERS I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT ACCESS, A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE GROUP. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF SUBSCRIBERS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN MASS EMAILS AND I THINK ONE THING THAT I WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT IS PIECES OF A LOT OF OUR WORK IS TO CREATE COMMUNITY LIKE CLEAN UPS BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS FOR BIG GROUPS SO PERHAPS INCORPORATING OF NEED INTO SUGGESTED LOCATIONS FOR COMMUNITY CLEANUPS I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR FOR THE GROUP AND A GREAT WAY FOR US TO PARTNER IN IN THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.  GREAT. THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH. I'LL NOW PASS TO LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR QUESTIONS . THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER DIRECTOR FOR BEING WITH US HERE TODAY AND COMING DOWN AND THIS PROVIDED US A TESTIMONY.  YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM THE FROM THE ADVOCATES ABOUT MAKING THIS AN OFFICIAL OFFICIAL CITY TRAIL TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT.  I KNOW YOU'RE LEARNING CONGRATULATIONS ON THE HONOR ROLL ON THE ROGUE COMMISSIONER . DO YOU KNOW THE PROCESS FOR DOING SO IS THERE ED AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS ALSO DOES THE PARKS DEPARTMENT I MEAN YOU ALL HAVE A WEBSITE. IS THERE ANY TYPE OF PROMOTIONAL YOU DO WITH DIFFERENT HIGHLIGHTING DIFFERENT DIFFERENT PARKS OR DIFFERENT TRAILS ALREADY ON THAT WEBSITE THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY DO THIS WITH WITH THE WALKING CITY TRAIL?  I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY OPPORTUNITIES ON OUR WEBSITE TO TO HIGHLIGHT AND A NEW INITIATIVE WE SORT OF MOVE I DON'T DIRECTLY WORK ON OUR WEBSITE BUT I KNOW THAT EACH TIME I LOG ON THERE'S THERE'S DIFFERENT SORT OF BOXES BUTTONS IS WHAT I THINK OF THEM AS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTING DIFFERENT PROJECTS SO. SO THOSE ROTATE AND WE COULD YOU KNOW MAKE SURE THAT A PROJECT LIKE THIS OR WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHETHER IT'S THIS AS A STANDALONE OR BUTTONS ABOUT WALKING TRAILS AND WE HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT TRAILS THAT CROSS YOUR PARKS. I THINK IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING THING TO BRING TO OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS TEAM WHO IS WHO'S CLOSER TO THE TO THE WEBSITE THAN I AM IN TERMS OF OFFICIALLY DESIGNATING THE THE TRAIL WITH YOU KNOW BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ITSELF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS TRAIL EXTENDS ACROSS OTHER TYPES OF PROPERTY BEYOND PARKS AND I THINK PROBABLY THE MOST LEGIBLE PART OF THE TRAIL. I COULD BE WRONG BUT I COULD IMAGINE THAT THE MOST LEGIBLE PART OF THE TRAIL ARE THE SEGMENTS THAT GO THROUGH PARKS AND IT'S THE SEGMENTS THAT ARE ON CITY SIDEWALKS THAT ARE PROBABLY THE LESS LEGIBLE SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL. SO WANTING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE YEAH, HOW CAN WE BE HELPFUL IN MAKING SURE WE'RE ACHIEVING AN OUTCOME THAT THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR? IS IT SOMETHING THAT EXISTS BEYOND PARKS? BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS HIGHLIGHT DCR PROPERTY PRIVATE PROPERTY ALONG THE HARBOR WALK DOWNTOWN YOU KNOW, CITY RIGHT OF WAY ALL KINDS OF PROPERTIES. SO I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION AND AN IMPORTANT ONE TO FIGURE OUT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.  I THINK I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE BEYOND THIS HEARING ABOUT I THINK THERE ARE SECTIONS ON THE TRAIL THAT GO THROUGH ARE ARE LOTS OF PUBLIC PARKS THAT WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY POTENTIAL CHANCE THERE FOR COLLABORATION EITHER WITH SIGNAGE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I THINK IT WILL IT WILL BE GOOD FOR BOTH THE PARK AND ALSO FOR FOR FOR THE WALKING CITY TRAIL TO HAVE THIS AVAILABLE. SO GREAT TO SEE YOU DIRECTOR DOING AMAZING, AMAZING WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING.  I'D LOVE TO SEE OTHER NEW INITIATIVES AND INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT YOU'RE ALL DOING TO INTERACT WITH RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS. I THINK YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING WANTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE AS THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS COME TOGETHER AND BECOME CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND FIGURE THINGS OUT. AND I THINK THESE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO INVEST IN AND YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING FORWARD, NO DIRECT QUESTION ABOUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU OUTLINING JUST POTENTIAL WAYS OF COLLABORATION AND I HOPE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS CAN CONTINUE BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND MILES AND THE ADVOCATES CLAIM THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE MADAM CHAIR, WHERE FOR TOURISM WHICH I DON'T I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF YOU CAN SPEAK TO TOURISM IF I'M CORRECT. SO BUT WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ,YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO SUBMIT TO THE CHAIR TO TOURISM, TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE SAME THING AS ASK PARKS ABOUT HAVING THE WALKING CITY TRAIL BE PART OF THE TOURISM WEBSITE TO SEE IN WAYS THAT WE CAN PROMOTE IT AND YEAH I THINK THAT'S SO MY QUESTION IS THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR OUR PANELISTS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU COUNSELOR SANTANA COUNSELOR WEBER.  YEAH, THANK YOU. SO I GUESS ONE ISSUE IS THE WEBSITE UM, COMMISSIONER MEYER YOU MENTIONED BUT WE.  SO WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF THE CITY'S INVOLVED WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S DEVELOPED A WEBSITE OR A GROUP THAT'S DEVELOPED? I MEAN DO WE JUST LINK TO IT? DO WE BRING IT ON TO THE GOVERNMENT? YOU KNOW, ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT ? I THINK IT WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION WITH MILES AND HIS GROUP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. BUT I THINK WHAT I WAS HEARING TODAY WAS THAT THERE'S AN INTEREST IN KEEPING THE WEBSITE INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY WEBSITE SORT OF KEEPING THEIR THEIR INDEPENDENT IDENTITY.  AND IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN YES, JUST LINKING TO THE SITE WOULD BE PROBABLY THE MOST APPROPRIATE WITHIN BOSTON DOT GOV BUT IF I HAVE THAT WRONG AND THE INTEREST WOULD BE TO FOLD THAT INFORMATION INTO A RESOURCE THAT'S HOSTED BY BOSTON DOT GOV THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY CREATE A SEPARATE PAGE ON BOSTON NCOV THAT COULD THEN BE LINKED TO ANY NUMBER OF CITY CITY DEPARTMENTS WEBSITES.  OKAY YEAH. ANY ANY THOUGHTS?  I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE BOSTON GLOBE WEBSITE SO I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH OUR PARTNERS AND DO IT, SEE HOW THAT WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY FOR US TO DO. BUT IF IT IS A POSSIBILITY I WOULD I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT. OKAY.  AND I GUESS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOING ADDITIONAL ROUTES AND USING THIS AS SORT OF A SPRINGBOARD FOR OTHER THINGS. DO YOU HAVE ANY ANY OTHER AREAS IN MIND WHERE THE CITY COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK TO TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT IT'S NOT ALREADY IN PLACE? I COULD SEE DEFINITELY A ROUTE ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE CITY ALONG THE THE WATERFRONT ALONG DORCHESTER BAY CAN MOVE UP AND THEN START CUTTING INLAND CUT THROUGH. THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE THE X WOULD BE AND ROXBURY AND THEN AND THEN MOVE YOUR WAY OVER TO TO AUSTIN BRIGHTON WHICH I DON'T THINK WAS ON ON THE ORIGINAL ROUTE.  I YEAH I THINK THERE'S ALL KINDS OF POTENTIAL FOR FOR THAT KIND OF YOU KNOW CROSS CROSS ROUTE. I WON'T PRETEND TO HAVE AN EXACT ROUTE IN MIND BUT I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF SITES THAT COULD GET FOLDED IN AND THEN IF WE WERE LOOKING TO DO THAT, I MEAN HOW WOULD WE INTERACT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SORT OF GET THEIR FEEDBACK?  YOU KNOW, I MEAN I ASSUME THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZE AROUND, RIGHT? WE COULD POTENTIALLY PARTNER WITH THE WALKING CITY TRAIL MILES AND HIS GROUPS WHO DO PERHAPS LIKE A SURVEY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN WHERE WE CAN GATHER FEEDBACK AND WE CAN ALSO DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE LEASE ONS FOR THE AREA SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE AND FEEDBACK GATHERING WHERE WE CAN ABSOLUTELY HELP THE GROUP WITH THE OUTREACH. OKAY. AND WE WOULD WE HEARD ABOUT FUNDING AND AND GRANTS. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT KINDS OF GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR TO TO FUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS? SO UNFORTUNATELY OUR OFFICE THE ONLY GRANTS THAT WE HAVE ARE THE BLOCK PARTY GRANTS AND THOSE FUNKY STREETS GRANTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. SO THIS PERHAPS WOULD NOT BE, YOU KNOW, OF APPROPRIATE USE FOR THOSE GRANTS.  BUT THE TRUST DEPARTMENT HAS A WONDERFUL GRANT CALLED THE SMALL COMMUNITY GRANT WHICH I THINK WOULD BE REALLY GREAT FOR A GROUP LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT'S IT'S EMBELLISHING BOSTON. SO FOR SIGNAGE PERHAPS OR ANY OTHER NEEDS I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD GRANT FOR THIS.  YEAH, I GUESS. AND THEN SORRY , LAST QUESTION FOR THE COMMISSIONER YOU HIRED SORT OF ALLUDED TO THIS IS SORT OF URBAN WALKING TRAIL. IT'S IN PARKS SOME SOME OF THE TIME IT'S NOT. HOW IS THE CITY CAN WE HEAR IT? I'M ASSUMING SO WHEN IT LEAVES FRANKLIN PARK AND HEADS ACROSS JAMAICA PLAIN AND IT GOES RIGHT DOWN MY STREET ON SPRING PARK AVENUE, YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT A PARK.  HOW SHOULD WE LOOK AT THAT AS A CITY? DO WE HAVE TO BRING TOGETHER ALL THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR CAN CAN PARKS SORT OF DESIGNATE THIS AS A PARK LIKE ACTIVITY? HOW SHOULD WE LOOK AT IT?  OKAY. THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. I THINK IT'D BE GREAT. I MEAN YOU JUST HIGHLIGHTED ONE PARTICULAR STREET HAPPENS TO BE YOUR STREET BUT THAT IT IT TRAVELS DOWN. IT'D BE GREAT TO KNOW WHAT THE NEIGHBORS ALONG THAT STREET IN THOSE CORRIDORS WOULD LIKE TO SEE. IS IT THAT WE COULD MAKE IT A GREENER STREET EXPERIENCE IF IF THAT STREET IS IS LACKING IN SHADE JUST FOR INSTANCE I DON'T KNOW OFFHAND THE CONDITION OF STREET TREES ON SPRING PARK BUT WE COULD BE LOOKING AT THOSE KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS. I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHICH STREETS THE TRAIL FOLLOWS ALONG. SO IF THERE'S ANY SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THAT THAT CONNECTION IS IS ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE AND CLEARED, WOULD WE GO TO PARKS WITH THAT OR WOULD YOU TELL US TO GO TALK TO IT WOULD REALLY BE A STREETS PROJECT WHERE IT CONNECTS ON STREETS AND PARKS WOULD BE GLAD TO SUPPORT. BUT YES, I THINK IT WOULD. THAT'S WHERE THE THE WHO WOULD LEAD ANY WORK AND WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING IMPROVEMENTS SO IT'D PROBABLY BE GREAT TO CONNECT THEM INTO THIS CONVERSATION SO THEY'RE AWARE IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY THAT THAT THE STREET NETWORK IS SERVING THEM IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS I GUESS AND JUST AS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES YOU DO IT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS WHERE PARKS IS WORKING WITH STREETS OR IS THIS A SORT OF SUI GENERIS KIND OF THING WHERE EVEN URBAN WALKING TRAIL WE HAVE TO BECAUSE I JUST I DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PEOPLE POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER.  THAT'S NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY. SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THE WAY TO APPROACH IT ANY FINGER POINTING THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THIS I THINK IT'S REALLY JUST SORT OF AWARENESS RAISING AND CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING SO THAT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND ENTITIES WHO HAVE A ROLE IN HELPING SUPPORT THE PROJECT COULD COULD BE SUPPORTIVE. SO IT WOULD YES, IT WOULD INCLUDE STREETS. BUT I ALSO THINK MAKING SURE THAT THAT DCR AND ANY OTHER ENTITIES WHO WHO ARE PART OF LIKE I SAID THE PRIVATE PARTNERS FOR THE DOWNTOWN HARBOR WALK SEGMENTS I THINK THAT THIS COULD BE A REALLY EXCITING INITIATIVE THAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO BE A PART OF . YEAH, I DIDN'T MEAN TO SUGGEST ANY THERE WAS FINGER POINTING WAS A BAD PHRASE BUT BUT JUST AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A TRAIL THAT OBVIOUSLY TOUCHES ON THE PARKS AND AND STREETS AND AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING TOGETHER EVERYONE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES BECAUSE THAT OF THE PARKS WOULD BE INTERESTED EVEN THOUGH FOR INSTANCE IT'S GOING TO YOU KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TREE COVER ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET UM THAT'S THAT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT BECAUSE IT'S PART OF A TRAIL THAT GOES THROUGH THE PARK SYSTEM WE SHOULD TALK TO YOU AND YOU KNOW INCLUDE YOU IN THAT CONVERSATION.  YEAH. YES, CERTAINLY. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU, CHAIR.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS. SOME OF MINE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKED BUT I THINK I'M I'M MORE INTERESTED IN YOUR PROGRAMING BUDGETS AND THINKING ABOUT HOW TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO UTILIZE THE TRAILS THROUGH PROGRAMING. LAST YEAR THERE WERE THERE WERE BEER GARDENS THAT WERE SET UP THAT BROUGHT FOLKS DOWN TO ENJOY OUR PARKS.  OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE FOLKS ARE MOVING AROUND AND WALKING THROUGH SOMETHING RATHER THAN COMING IN AND JUST STAYING IN ONE PLACE BUT CURIOUS TO KNOW IF IF THERE'S IF THERE WOULD BE ANY BUY IN OR HOW YOU MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT PLACING REALLY STRATEGIC PROGRAMING ALONG THE WALKING TRAIL MAYBE IN ANY GIVEN WEEKEND IT'S LIKE THE WALKING TRAIL WEEKEND AND WE HAVE FOLKS THERE WHERE THERE ARE FOOD VENDORS THAT ARE SET UP. WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK AS IT RELATES TO MAKING SURE THAT THE BUREAUCRATIC MESS THAT IS TRYING TO SIGN UP FOR A FOOD CART IS STREAMLINED AND A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND SO MAYBE WE HAVE FOOD CARTS SET UP ALONG THE THE TRAIL FOLKS ARE ABLE TO GIVE OUT CUT FRUIT OR WATERS OF SOME SORT.  OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A CONSOLIDATED THING IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE. IT COULDN'T REALISTICALLY BE MAINTAINED OR MANAGED OVER THE ENTIRETY OF THE SUMMER BUT MAYBE IT IS JUST ONE DAY OR ONE WEEKEND OF FOLKS TO COME IN AND SEE THE WALKING TRAIL OR ENJOYED IN ITS ENTIRETY. I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROGRAMING BUDGETS. I KNOW THAT WE SAID THAT FOR NEXT YEAR BUT WE ARE GOING TO START SEEING BETTER WEATHER IN MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE BEFORE JULY 1ST. SO CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT THAT AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF OF NEXT YEAR'S A SPECIAL EVENTS BASICALLY THIS IS THE KIND OF QUESTION THAT OUR FORMER COMMISSIONER WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER TO ON THE TIP OF HIS TONGUE AND I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO SAY I WILL DO SOME MORE RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO YOU ON ON SORT OF UPCOMING BUDGETS FOR FOR PROGRAMING I KNOW WE FUNDRAISE FOR OUR PROGRAMING IN PARKS. IT'S NOT GENERALLY A LINE ITEM IN OUR BUDGET BUT SOMETHING THAT WE RAISE MONEY FOR THROUGH VENDING AND THEN ARE ABLE TO USE THAT FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO USE PROGRAMING AND EVENTS TO AMPLIFY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN PARKS AND YOU KNOW, COULD WE HIGHLIGHT A SEGMENT OF THE TRAIL? I THINK THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY FUN IDEA AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE A MORE DIRECT LINE TO FOOD TRUCKS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT TO FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE COULD CONNECT ALL OF THOSE INTO AN INITIATIVE OVER A WEEKEND OR A MONTH OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. I MEAN IT COULD EVEN BE MILES I'M SORRY I'M LOOKING AT YOU NOW. DO WE HAVE WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY IN BOSTON WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY WE DO NOT HAVE A WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY. OKAY. THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE ARRANGED IN THE FUTURE. OKAY. HE'S SAYING NO WE DON'T YET BUT IT COULD BE ARRANGED. OH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THERE COULD BE A A COMMUNITY CHALLENGE TOO. YOU KNOW, YOU COULD INVITE PEOPLE OUT ON THE TRAIL TO WALK AS MUCH OF IT AS THEY WANT AND ONE DAY POTENTIALLY HAVE THINGS SET UP WITH DIFFERENT SEGMENTS LIKE FOOD, WATER OR EVEN PIZZA OR SOMETHING. IT'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR A CHAIR TO TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR FOLKS IN THE GALLEY SO I APPRECIATE KIND OF THE THE THE MOVE AWAY FROM DECORUM BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I THINK FOR ME I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY IN THE CITY BOSTON TRYING TO ALLOCATE SOME OF OUR CITY RESOURCES IN TERMS OF PROGRAMING AND HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE GREAT FOOD VENDORS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM GETTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE SOME BUY IN, HAVING FOLKS FOCUS IN ON THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, UNDERSTANDING HOW THE CITY OF BOSTON COULD STEP IN.  I KNOW IT'S NOT A BLOCK GRANT BUT IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE COULD DO TO TRY TO SUPPORT THEM?  SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AND I KNOW THAT YOU'LL HAVE MY HELP. I CAN SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES BUT I THINK THAT IS A WAY TO HIGHLIGHT THIS AND JUST SHOW THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS SUPPORTIVE OF OF THIS IDEA.  THAT'S IT FOR ME . WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR RUTHIE LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS COMMENTS OR CONCERNS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION NOW IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SPONSORING THIS IN ORDER THANK YOU TO ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE. I'M JUST HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR US SUPPORTING THE WALKING CITY TRAIL. I HAVE NOT DONE THE FULL TRAIL IN ITS ENTIRETY BUT I KNOW THAT MY STREET IN MY HOME IS ON THE TRAIL BECAUSE I WALKED OUT ONE DAY TAKING OUT THE TRASH AND RAN INTO MILES AND WAS SURPRISED AT WHAT THAT THAT MY STREET WAS ON IT GIVEN SORT OF THE LACK OF GREENERY.  BUT WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WHERE WE DO NEED MORE WALKING TRAILS AND WE DO WHERE WE DO NEED MORE GREEN SPACE SO JUST HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR THIS INITIATIVE I WANT TO THANK YOU AND IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE ADVOCATES FOR BEING HERE. I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE FOR JOINING US AND I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I THINK WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP WHILE CORE IS GRABBING THAT LIST. I WILL JUST SAY AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR BEING HERE AND TALKING THROUGH SOME OF THESE IDEAS. THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR COLLEAGUES LIKE COUNCILOR SANTANA AND COUNCILOR WEBER FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND I THINK FOR US IT THANK YOU FOR US IN THE CITY COUNCIL IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOLKS LIKE MILES AT THE WALKING CITY TRAIL MAYBE PUTTING FORTH SOME MORE PROGRAMING, MAKING WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY A THING, THE SIGNAGE, ALL OF THAT.  SO WE'LL WE'LL BE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT BUDGET CYCLE NEXT YEAR AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. I'LL CALL ON PATRICK MAGUIRE IF YOU'RE STILL HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN ALSO BEN COWIE HASKELL PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION. YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU.  GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PATRICK MCGUIRE, A 50 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF THE BOSTON AREA. I'D LIKE TO THANK MYLES FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK TODAY AND ALSO ALL THE COUNCILORS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND ENTHUSIASM IN SPONSORING THIS HEARING. I'D ALSO LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK FELLOW URBAN HIKER MATTHEW BRODY FOR HIS EFFORTS IN MAKING TODAY'S HEARING POSSIBLE AND EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED US IN SUPPORT OF THIS MISSION.  I'VE BEEN A PROUD AMBASSADOR OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL SHORTLY AFTER ABOUT AFTER LEARNING ABOUT IT AND I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY STROLLING THE BANKS ALONG THE CHARLES THROUGH THE COMMON COPLEY SQUARE THE NORTH END,  THE NAVY YARD, THE EMERALD NECKLACE, THE HARBOR WALK AND THE FREEDOM TRAIL ARE INSPIRATIONAL AND STIMULATING AND THE BOSTON GARDEN THE BOSTON PUBLIC GARDEN IN FULL BLOOM IS GORGEOUS BUT THERE'S SO MANY ADDITIONAL VITAL HIDDEN TREASURES IN OUR BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF SHOWCASE AND MAKE EXPLORATION OF THEM EASY AND ACCESSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO DISCOVER, ENJOY AND SHARE.  DESPITE HAVING LIVED IN THE BOSTON AREA FOR MOST OF MY LIFE ,I DIDN'T KNOW OUR CITY NEARLY AS WELL AS I WANTED TO SO I DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IN AUGUST OF 2022 I LAUNCHED AN ADVENTURE OF DISCOVERY CALLED WALKING BOSTON A MARATHON IN EVERY BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD EACH OFFICIAL WALK IS A MINIMUM OF A HALF MARATHON PLUS SOME BONUS WALKS. TO DATE I'VE WALKED MORE THAN 225 OFFICIAL MILES IN 13 BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS ON MY WAY TO COVERING EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MORE THAN A THOUSAND MILES THE MILEAGE IS VERIFIED USING MAP MY WALK THE MAP MY WALK APPLICATION AND ALL TRAILS THE SAME APP USED TO MAP AND PROVIDE EASY GPS GUIDANCE FOR WALKING CITY TRAIL HIKERS.  A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM MY WALKING BOSTON ADVENTURES SO FAR IN MENTIONING EAST BOSTON COUNCILOR GABRIELA EXPLORING THE GRITTY DIRT PATH ON THE WATER AND EAST BEHIND HUMANA ACADEMY WITH UNIQUE STUNNING VIEWS OF THE BOSTON SKYLINE CHARLESTOWN THE TOBIN AND OLD SCHOOL MARINAS AND PILINGS WITH NO NAUTICAL ARTIFACTS STREWN ABOUT. I'M HOPING THIS SITE WILL BE A FUTURE CITY OF BOSTON OR URBAN WILD WITH ACCESS FOR EVERYONE. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PLACES IN THE CITY TO VISIT AND NOW THERE'S TWO HUGE FENCES THERE SO WE NEED TO CREATE SOME KIND OF ACCESS VIA A VEHICLE OF LIKE AN URBAN WILD STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF FOREST HILL CEMETERY MID-MORNING SURROUNDED BY GORGEOUS FOLIAGE AS THE CHURCH BELLS CHIMED TEN TIMES FROM FORSYTH CHAPEL AND CAPTURING THAT MOMENT ON VIDEO DISCOVERING THE ABANDONED TOLLGATE CEMETERY ON HYDE PARK AVE NEAR WALK HILL ROAD AND JAMAICA PLAIN AND THE AND THE POEM ENGRAVED ON THE CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL PLAQUE COMMEMORATING IRISH-AMERICAN VETERANS IN THE HEART OF THE CEMETERY.  I HOPE TO COLLABORATE ON AN EFFORT TO CLEAN UP THE CEMETERY ,ASSIST WITH GUIDED TOURS AND TO SHARING ITS LEGACY AND STORIED HISTORY. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE WHEN I LAUNCHED WALKING BOSTON WAS TO EXPLORE AND SHOW OFF BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS BY WALKING DEEP INTO EVERY ONE OF THEM DISCOVERING HIDDEN GEMS AND TO BETTER COMPREHEND THE REAL HEART AND SOUL AND FABRIC OF OUR CITY THE JUST THE DISCOVERY AND EXPERIENCE OF SO FAR HAVE OFTEN BEEN EXHILARATING AND HAVE REINFORCED THE NOTION THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO EXPLORE RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD AS A RESULT AND THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE WITH MILES AND WALKING CITY TRAIL, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE TO SHOWCASE THE BEST OF BOSTON'S PATHS. PARKS, WOODS, WATERWAYS, STREETS, ART ARCHITECTURE AND SO MUCH MORE. WE NEED TO MAKE THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED MORE VISIBLE AND INVITE PEOPLE TO EXPLORE, EXPLORE AND SHARE THEM. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE VARIETY OF PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS TO WALKING THAT HAVE BEEN TOUCHED UPON HERE TODAY. THERE'S ALSO SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY THROUGH EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY WHILE WALKING WHETHER IT BE SOLACE, COMMUNITY BUILDING, ADVENTURE, BEAUTY, INSPIRATION OR ENLIGHTENMENT WE'RE SEEKING THE FRESH AIR AND PERSPECTIVE CAN LITERALLY CHANGE OUR LIVES. IT ABSOLUTELY HAS CHANGED MINE. BOSTON'S WALKING CITY TRAIL ENCAPSULATES AND ENHANCES EVERYTHING I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EASE OF MAPPING AND NAVIGATION WITH THE ALL TRAILS APPLICATION THAT IS ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED THE FOUR SIX SECTIONS OF THE OF THE WALKING CITY TRAIL EXPERIENCING WALKING CITY TRAIL IS AN INVITATION TO SEE PARTS OF BOSTON MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW EXIST EVEN LOCAL LIFERS THAT WE GO OUT ON THESE GROUP HIKES WITH ALWAYS DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW THE CURATED WALKING CITY TRAIL GUIDES US TO PLACES WE NEED TO SEE TO TRULY KNOW BOSTON OUR PEOPLE HISTORY AND COMMUNITY MORE FULLY PUBLIC GUIDED GROUP WALKS ALONG THE WALKING CITY TRAIL SOME OF WHICH WERE CO-ORGANIZED BY COUNCILOR KEN VALERA IN 2022 THE YEAR THE TRAIL WAS LAUNCHED HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL WAY TO MEET FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE MIGHT OTHERWISE NEVER CROSS PATHS WITH AND AND THE GROUP HIKES ALLOW US TO EXPLORE OUR SIGHTS. WE MIGHT NOT WANT TO EXPLORE ON OUR OWN ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE NIGHT HIKES BUT WITH THE SAFETY OF THE GROUP SOME OF THE COOLEST AND VALUABLE MOMENTS ON OUR GUIDED WALKS OCCUR WHEN SOMEONE IN THE GROUP SPONTANEOUSLY SPEAKS UP AND SHARES THEIR KNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCE AND HISTORY WITH THE GROUP ABOUT SOMETHING WE SEE ALONG THE WAY.  I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES SOMEONE SAID I GREW UP RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AND THEY TELL A STORY ABOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD AND A PLACE THAT USED TO BE A FACTORY THEIR PARENTS WORKED AND JUST WONDERFUL INSIGHT FROM THE FROM THE FOLKS WE MET ON THE GROUPS I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN AND SUPPORT WALKING CITY TRAIL AND TODAY'S INITIATIVE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO RECOGNIZE EMBRACE AND PROMOTE IT TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE VISIBLE, APPROACHABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT PROMOTING WALKING CITY TRAIL AND FUTURE BOSTON TRAILS IS ABOUT SHOWCASING THE QUOTE UNQUOTE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE WITHOUT A BIG DIG BUDGET INVESTMENT IN THE OFFICIAL RECOGNITION AND PROMOTION OF WALKING CITY TRAIL IS AN ECONOMICAL WAY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO LEVERAGE THE EXISTING RESOURCES AND BEAUTY OF OUR PATHS PONDS, PARKS,  WOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS AND ROADS LESS TRAVELED MILES HOWARD AND THE WALKING CITY TRAIL VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE LITERALLY WALKED THE WALK ESSENTIALLY CREATING A GUIDED TOUR FOR ALL OF US AND EVERYONE VISITING BOSTON TO EXPERIENCE, ENJOY AND SHARE WITH THE WORLD . IT'S A TREMENDOUS GRASSROOTS GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE WITH SO MUCH POTENTIAL WALKING CITY TRAIL AND SIMILAR FUTURE URBAN PATHS WILL ENHANCE NOT ONLY BOSTON'S IMAGE BUT LEARNING AND EDUCATION OUR ECONOMY, SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE MENTAL, PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND WALK TOGETHER TO OFFICIALLY EMBRACE AND PROMOTE BOSTON'S WALKING CITY TRAIL. I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY PATRICK OUR NEXT STEP WE HAVE BEEN KERRY HASKELL IF YOU WANT TO STATE YOUR NAME AFFILIATION.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  WE WELL, THAT CERTAINLY IS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.  THOSE ARE GREAT COMMENTS. BUT GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND COUNCILORS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC. MY NAME IS BEN COWIE HASKELL AND I'M A RESIDENT OF ROSLINDALE. MY AFFILIATION IS THAT I'M RETIRED.  I LIVE ON BROWNWOOD STREET IN ROSLINDALE AND FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS OF THOROUGHLY ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW A SMALL SECTION OF THE CITY THROUGH STONY BROOK RESERVATION.  WALKING IS A GREAT WAY TO STAY FIT BUT ALSO A GREAT WAY TO MEET NEIGHBORS AND MAKE NEW ACQUAINTANCES.  THE WCT IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY AND I APPLAUD MILES HOWARD AND THE GROUP OF HEARTY VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED CREATE THE TRAIL WITH NO INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING OR SUPPORT. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO OFFICIALLY SUPPORT THIS WALKING TRAIL AND TO PROMOTE IT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. THE WALKING CITY TRAIL WILL ENHANCE BOSTON'S REPUTATION AS A LIVABLE AND WALKABLE CITY AND MAKE IT A FRIENDLIER CITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET AND INTERACT WHILE ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCENERY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS MATTER.  THANKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH BEN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.  WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN OF FLYNN.  I WANT TO PROVIDE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION PANEL ON THIS BEFORE WE GO TO CLOSING REMARKS . MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU. I WAS HERE FOR THE BEGINNING.  I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO THE PART THAT I MISSED.  LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL. I DO. I DO INTEND TO SUPPORT IT BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS. MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ONE THING THAT I FORGOT TO SAY DURING MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO THE ADMINISTRATION PANEL IS SEEING IF WE HAVE ANY OVERLAPS TO ANY HISTORICAL EVENTS SO THAT WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THEM FOR A 250 EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE SUMMERTIME. SO MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR FUNDING THERE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING GRANTS TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SO IF THERE'S ANY HISTORICAL OVERLAPS TO REV 50 I'M ALSO LOOKING AT MILES AS WELL AS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THAT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE WALKING TRAIL AND BRING FOLKS TO IT. OKAY, I'LL PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE JOINING IN CLOSING REMARKS THEY HAVE AND THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD. COUNSELOR SANTANA.  THANK YOU, MADAM. EXCUSE ME . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BOTH OUR PANELS TO BOTH OUR PANELS TODAY THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO OUR ADVOCATES. I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE WALKING THE CITY TRAIL AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS AN OFFICIAL TRAIL RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING IS LOOKING FORWARD TO MANY RESIDENTS ENJOYING THIS TRAIL AND SEEING HOW WE CAN SUPPORT MORE INITIATIVES LIKE THIS AND COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND JUST REALLY WANT TO GIVE ANOTHER SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MILES FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND HAVE DONE AND BRINGING MY OFFICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL INTO THIS PROJECT AND I JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT AND LOOKING TO SUPPORTING A POTENTIAL WALK AND A WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY HERE IN BOSTON. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, FOR FOR CONVENING US HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER SURE.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK I MENTIONED THIS WHEN THIS CAME BEFORE THE WHOLE COUNCIL BUT YOU KNOW, IT REMINDS ME OF A SONG THAT JONATHAN RICHMOND'S TOILET IN BOSTON HE JUST WRITES THE FACT THAT YOU CAN WRITE A WHOLE SONG JUST ABOUT GOING FOR A WALK IN BOSTON SPEAKS TO HOW REWARDING IT CAN BE AND HOW OUR CITY IS IS IS MADE FOR FOR WALKING TRAILS LIKE THIS.  AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU KNOW THE CITY AND YOU KNOW MY CONSTITUENT MILES FOR FOR HIS ADVOCACY ON THIS AND YOU KNOW I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT AND BELIEVE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WILL AS WELL.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE CHAIR AND TO THE SPONSORS FOR THIS HEARING. THANK YOU TO ADMINISTRATION AND AGAIN TO ALL THE ADVOCATES. I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THE FULL TRAIL NOT JUST THE PORTION THAT'S OUTSIDE OF MY HOME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING MY COLLEAGUES AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL OF THE REASONS THAT THEY STATED. IT'S THERE'S A IN ALL OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY MADE IT VERY CLEAR AS WELL LIKE THE THE BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO OUR NEIGHBORS FOR WALKING AND BUILDING COMMUNITY AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S FANTASTIC AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING MY COLLEAGUES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSAL. IN MY OPENING COMMENTS I MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING. I ESPECIALLY ENJOY WALKING WITH MY WIFE KRISTEN AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD BUT ALSO WENT TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.  I ALSO FIND THAT WALKING IS NOT ONLY HEALTHY EXERCISE EXERCISING BUT IT ALSO IS GREAT FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL AND THAT'S WHAT VA MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ACTUALLY RECOMMEND TOO THAT RETURNING VETERANS GET START WALKING AND BEING OUTSIDE AND IT DOES IT DOES SO MUCH HELP FOR FOR EVERYBODY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL FOR OUR SENIORS. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOUNG FAMILIES WALKING ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON BUT WALKING REALLY BRINGS OUT IN MY OPINION IT BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN THE CITY, BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN RESIDENTS. AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD BUT ALSO TO THE ADVOCATES THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS PROPOSAL AND FOR INCLUSIVENESS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. DITTO TO ALL OF THAT SUPPORT IT REALLY EXCITED TO THE WORK AHEAD AND PARTNERING TO MAKE WALKING CITY TRAIL DAY A REALITY AND GETTING SOME MORE MONEY TO SUPPORT THIS INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION FROM CITY BOSTON. WITH THAT THIS DOCKET WILL STAY IN COMMITTEE AND THE HEARING THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 1300 IS ADJOURNED. THANKS EVERYBODY