The City accepted bids for the park construction on February 27. The project was awarded on March 5 to David W. White and Son, Inc a well-regarded firm that has constructed many athletic fields in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We’ve met with the firm's principal and potential site supervisor, and are pleased and excited to get shovels in the ground.

Join us at Lawrence Community Work's Annual Meeting and Convention at the South Lawrence East Elementary School. Rose and Janel will be leading the "Health and Wellness Workshop" in the afternoon where they will talk about nontoxic cleansers and personal care products as well as a food demo. I will be working with LCW's Real Estate Department on doing a design charrette for "The Point" - the space adjacent to Our House at East Haverhill Street and Newbury Street-see map here:

Groundwork USA and Groundwork Lawrence were featured in the National Park Service Conservation and Recreation Newsletter.

Facing History & Ourselves

• A youth lead open discussion on race
• Tonight, Thursday Feb. 26th from 5:30p to 7p
• Event is open to youth ages 14 and up in the city of Lawrence.
• Movement City is an empowerment and leadership after-school program for Lawrence youth between the ages of 10-18 where young people explore their potential through design, technology and performing arts.
• Our House Campus at 168 Newbury Street, Lawrence

Finding Mañana, Mirta Ojito – White Fund Speaker Series

The site as-is

We've been pretty busy at the office with Green Team, CSA Registration and GreenStreets preparation (check out our newsletter), but I am personally excited for our Manchester Street Park Project. The plans and specifications are out to bid and we'll be receiving bids next week. I always enjoy bid openings-the sealed envelopes, the moment of truth..and sometimes a lucky break!

Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of conducting the first part of a two-session workshop on "Living Green" with members of one of Lawrence CommunityWork's IDA groups. Members of the group had expressed an interest in learning about ways they might make more environmentally-beneficial decisions in their everyday lives, so Lawrence CommunityWorks approached GWL about pairing up. As community education is part of what we strive to do here at Groundwork Lawrence, we jumped at the chance!

The trade show floor.

Rose and I attended New England Grows this week at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center. New England Grows is an association of varied landscape professionals. The trade show floor was immense-full of heavy equipment, nurseries, landscapers and other services for landscapers. We attended several classes including "Tough Urban Plants," "New Techniques for Soil Modification and Tree Preservation, Climate Change and Peak Oil, Sustainable Design Using Grasses, Sedges and Rushes, Using Indigenous Plants in the Landscape, Sensible vs Senseless Pruning and Green Roof Construction 101. I felt like there are several topics and fun ideas that I can bring back to the office and to Lawrence-tree pruning along the Canal anyone?