Boston DOG (Dog Owners Group) held a public meeting at 74 Joy St. last week to raise awareness of its goal of bringing a designated dog park to the Boston Common.
Back Bay resident J. Alain Ferry, who founded Boston DOG in 2006, outlined a proposal that the group filed with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department on December 31, 2008, seeking a year-round enclosed, off-leash Dog Recreation Space (DRS) adjacent to the baseball fields and three additional temporary spaces for dogs on the Common. Because of the small size of the permanent site, the temporary spaces would allow for an overflow of dogs at the park and rotate every six months to promote grass growth and ground rehabilitation.
The plan would be implemented in four phases, the last of which includes renovation of the “Pink Palace,” a vacant cement building near the park’s tennis courts, into a permanent structure for dog owners.
“The Parks Department still isn’t taking us as seriously as we should be taken,” Ferry said, although he added the proposal was filed without two critical documents - a letter of non-opposition from the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) and a financial plan for the proposed dog park.
Ferry indicated that Boston DOG planned to file a revised dog park plan with the city in the near future, including the proper supporting documents.
City Council President Mike Ross told the Times he was committed to bringing a dog park to the Common and assisting Boston DOG in achieving this goal.
“I’ve seen parks in New York City that have had great success with proper dog parks,” said Ross, chairman of the City Council’s Special Committee on the Boston Common. “I’m absolutely engaged in helping [Boston DOG] build a dog park.”
Ross said he would work with abutters and Antonia Pollak, commissioner of the Parks and Recreation Department, to promote a Common dog park and to help Boston DOG grow as an organization.
In addition, Ross said he would be willing to amend city dog park legislature he wrote in 2005 to make the application process easier for Boston DOG. The legislation originally met with resistance, Ross said, before helping to pave the way for Carlton Court Dog Park in the South End. “In the end, the dog parks proved to be very successful, as I knew they would be,” he added.
As for the future of Boston DOG, Ferry said the group has taken steps towards becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, granting it exemption from some federal taxes.
Boston DOG will hold monthly meetings soon and aims to increase its membership and bolster fundraising efforts, Ferry said.
To learn more about Boston DOG, visit www.bostondog.org.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay recently announced $18,000 in annual grants, including scholarships for six local children to attend day camp.
The grants, which were announced at the Garden Club’s annual meeting in May, were made possible by proceeds from the group’s two annual fundraisers – the decorating and selling of holiday wreaths and the June 2008 Garden Party.
For the first time, the Garden Club awarded $1,500 to cover the cost of tuition for six children from Mattapan, Roslindale, Jamaica Plain and other local communities to attend the Mass Audubon Day Camp at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, a 67-acre campus, complete with trails, forests, wetlands and gardens.
“The most important thing is the children get a sense of ecology and the world,” said Jackie Blombach, who shares the role of Garden Club president with fellow Back Bay resident Jolinda Taylor. “It shows them how everything they do, like recycling, can affect the planet.”
The Garden Club also gave a $2,500 grant to City Roots, nonprofit program of the Newton-based Urban Ecology Institute that helps execute hands-on ecological restoration projects, such as parks, playgrounds and urban gardens, in neighborhoods throughout the city. One City Roots project, completed in 2008, was a two-year plan to beautify Codman Cemetery in Dorchester, which included planting six new canopy trees and other shrubbery.
“The Back Bay is a neighborhood with lots of wealthy people, so we can raise money and make things happen,” Blombach said. “In other neighborhoods, that’s not so easy, which is why it’s always important that we reach out and help other people.”
A $2,000 grant was also awarded to the Charles River Cleanup Boat, a Framingham-based nonprofit that uses a 17-foot vessel to remove floating trash from the Charles River.
“People don’t even think about the amount of trash floating in the Charles,” said Blombach, who was among three Garden Club members to volunteer on the cleanup boat several years ago.
Other grants include: $2,500 to Emerald Necklace Conservancy to fund the restoration of the slope near Mother’s Rest and the ongoing deforestation project; $2,500 to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee to fund two blocks of tree fertilization; $2,500 to the Esplanade Association to fund tree pruning near the Stoneman Playground; $4,000 to Friends of the Public Garden to fund inoculation of elm trees against Dutch Elm Disease; and $500 to the Blossom Fund, a project of the Mass. Federation of Garden Clubs.
Besides the grants, the Garden Club has set aside $20,000 for neighborhood tree care, including pruning, planting and inoculations, and planted in memory of Stella Trafford, a longtime member and past president of the organization who died in March at age 97.
To learn more about Garden Club of the Back Bay, visit www.gardenclubbackbay.org.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino recently appointed three members to the Back Bay Architectural Commission (BBAC).
John Christiansen, Penny Cherubino and Patti Quinn will serve as representatives of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay (NABB) to the Architectural Commission for the term expiring December 31, 2013.
Christensen has been a member of the BBAC since the 1980s and works as an architect for the Boston firm Shepley Bulfinch.
“John has been a rock,” said Sue Prindle, co-chair of the NABB Architectural Committee. “He’s very measured and gives everyone a fair hearing. I think he’s just a terrific commissioner.”
Both Cherubino, a member of the NABB Architectural Committee for several years, and Quinn, a longtime member and former president of NABB, are newcomers to the BBAC.
“They both have a good grasp on the needs of the Architectural Commission, including the importance of preservation,” Prindle said.
Meanwhile, longtime BBAC staff member William Young is confident that Christensen, Cherubino and Quinn will serve NABB well as its representatives to the Architectural Commission.
“NABB takes its responsibility as a constituent agency very seriously and has nominated well-informed and dedicated people,” Young said. “We’re happy to have Mr. Christensen continue to serve, and I’m sure that Ms. Cherubino and Ms. Quinn will be equally as effective.”

Last month, Back Bay Financial Group Inc. (BBFG) awarded $5,200 to recipients of its annual Charitable Gift Fund. Local charities receiving contributions this year include The Women’s Lunch Place, Franklin Park Coalition, America SCORES New England and hopeFound.
The firm followed the same advice it provides clients by establishing a Donor Advised Fund in 2005 to support local charities. This form of giving is a cost-effective alternative to establishing a charitable foundation and offers donors tax-free potential growth to fund future granting and a range of investment choices.
“Sustaining and empowering the Greater Boston community is a top priority at the firm. These donations positively impact countless families and individuals, and provide many with new opportunities they may not otherwise have,” said Founding Principal Robert D. Siefert, CFP.
“This is an ideal opportunity to serve the greater good of the community. These organizations implement programs that significantly improve the lives of others every day,” added Founding Principal John H. LeBlanc, CFP.
The four recipients were selected by the BBFG Charitable Fund Committee, composed of BBFG employees, which assessed each organization’s needs by visiting each site. Members of the committee include Erik W. Gudim of Boston’s South End, Amanda A. Magee of Stoneham and George T. Padula of Westwood.
Each recipient is a unique nonprofit organization with a specific mission. The Women’s Lunch Place provides daytime shelter, food and services to poor and homeless women. The Franklin Park Coalition aims to improve and preserve Franklin Park. America SCORES New England empowers students in urban communities through soccer and literacy and hopeFound provides programs and services to help homeless men and women achieve self-sufficiency and secure permanent housing.
Back Bay Financial Group Inc. was founded in 1997 to provide integrated wealth management services for high net worth individuals, endowments and foundations. Services are individualized, comprehensive and ongoing aimed at meeting client goals in the areas of retirement, estate and income tax planning, investments, risk protection, stock option analysis and college savings. Back Bay Financial Group Inc., with more than $425 million under management, provides objective counsel based on its commitment to the highest level of ethics and a fee-only approach.

Melman Chiropractic Group, an institution in Back Bay for over 20 years, is excited to announce the arrival of Dr. Luke Piretti. chiropractor, author and nutritional consultant, who is relocating from his practice in Connecticut. His “wellness first” approach is a perfect fit for a practice that is always looking at the total health of its patients. “Most people know chiropractors can help them with their neck and back ailments and soft tissue injuries, but we can also be instrumental in treating carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines and TMJ. We also want people to factor in nutrition, exercise and wellness awareness as part of their daily lives; they really are inseparable. I see this as an extension of work Dr. Melman has been doing throughout his years helping people of all ages that work and live in this diverse neighborhood,” said a spokesman.
This approach is detailed in Dr. Piretti‘s book “Imagine A Healthier You”. His wellness program is a road map for guidance on exercise, nutrition and weight loss and specific health issues. Combined with chiropractic, it gives individuals powerful tools for the journey through life. Please visit www.DrLukePiretti.com.
“Here at Melman Chiropractic Group, we pride ourselves on offering quality, individualized chiropractic care in a relaxed and supportive environment. We are thrilled to have Dr. Piretti join us in this endeavor. He brings to our practice an extensive knowledge of chiropractic care, excellent clinical skills and an enthusiasm for what he does. I am quite sure he will be successful,” said Dr. Jonathan Melman founder of Melman Chiropractic Group.
Melman Chiropractic Group is located at 667 Boylston Street on the fourth floor. Call 617-421-1881, visit www.melmanchirogroup.com or e-mail melmangroup@aol.com. The office is open Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays. Most major insurances accepted.

Raising fares only a drop in a leaky bucket

The T must raise fares in order to meet its unsustainable obligations.
This comes as no surprise. In fact, it is a depressing fact of life for those held hostage by public transportation.
Hearings on Beacon Hill begin this week so that lawmakers can hear from the public regarding the proposed rate hike – which is near 20 percent.
According to the T, if this raise is granted, there will be no further hikes for two years.
How the T will continue to meet its obligations without further fare hikes in the next two years is the stuff of speculation.
Fare hikes affect everyone in Greater Boston as the T moves more people every day in and out of the city than any other combination of transportation venues.
More people using the T means more money spent in Boston and at retail outlets along the T routes and throughout the downtown area and in the neighborhoods.
Fewer people are using the T than this time last year. The recession has caused a decline in ridership. Numbers using the T have also been affected by a decline in the price per gallon for gasoline which was $1 per gallon higher this time last year.
The recent spate of high profile T accidents and disruptions, and especially those on the Green Line, have caused many riders and transportation experts to question the safety of the entire operation.
There is the palpable feeling among riders and those of us who pay close attention to the condition of the T infrastructure that all is not well.
Even inspectors from the National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) harshly criticized the T for substandard warning systems on the Green Line.
The T responded by claiming its safety standards were adequate and that putting in place what the NTSB wants to see on the Green Line would reduce T train traffic on that line by 25 percent.
The repeated problems with T train operators and bus drivers using cell phones while driving prompted public outrage.
The recent firing of T boss Daniel Grabauskas isn’t going to change the culture at the T.
Grabauskas is a very smart guy, but the T got the best of him.
It might get the best of anyone except for a spit and polish reformer who can change the course of history at the T.
The T needs reform and oversight worse than the nation needs health care reform.
T pensions remain outrageous and unsustainable – and the fact that future T pension requirements and payouts have been changed cannot alleviate the pension requirements, which are currently burying the T financially.
The T needs a new leader – and as for the fare hike the agency is seeking, if granted, it’s like throwing money out the window if the culture of the T isn’t radically altered.