As JCS pointed out the other day, the park has, indeed, been mown. Whether this constitutes the extent of the “nice investment” Margie Lynch of the DCR spoke of on the phone, I can’t say. We’ll have to wait a bit to see. I certainly would not want to jump to any hasty conclusions.

Did anyone notice we have a new resident in the park? Has anyone sent over a fruit basket? On sunny mornings our new neighbor can always be found sprawled out on his favorite park bench, sleeping soundly and occasionally waking up to briefly and loudly philosophize to himself.

Now, lest anyone think I have it out for lovable vagrants or public inebriates, think again! On the contrary. I’m concerned that our benches don’t provide adequate lumbar support. That’s why I am investigating “sleep number” park benches, to see if we can’t get the DCR to provide them. Otherwise, you don’t get the deep sleep you need, and you’re tired and cranky for your evening binge. And how can you continue to be a lovable vagrant when you’re disagreeable on account of a day of tossing and turning on an uncomfortable old park bench?

I wrote a bit about Meaney Park in Metro today.

I also got a call from Margie Lynch at the DCR, but I was at my garden in the Fens at the time (check out the poppies, peonies and roses that are popping there now). Margie said that her understanding was that Ben Affleck’s people had requested that the park be left a little shaggy for the filming (likely story) and that now that filming had wrapped up at the site she expected “some nice investment this week.”

I will keep you posted.

Another shout-out to Charles Swift for sending an interesting article from the Globe, from July of 1921, the year Dot’s first meeting house/free school/tavern, which used to stand on the plot that is now the Atheneum Park and Meaney Playground, was apparently razed.

The plot has not been mown since well before Affleck came to shoot a scene from his film there on the 25th of May. Before the rain this week, there was a bum-in-residence who slept on a bench there for two days.

On the 26th I wrote to the DCR, but have yet to receive a reply. This morning I did a little more research, and discovered that the DCR has plans for what it calls “friends groups” who will look after neglected plots like Atheneum, and hopes to establish public-private partnerships for their continued upkeep.

I have contacted Margie Lynch, Director of partnerships, to ask what our options are for Atheneum Park, and will keep you updated on them, too.

In the meantime, check out Edens: Lost and Found to see what cities like Chicago and Philly are doing to reclaim their urban “Edens”. We could do it here, too.