Hello everyone,

The City Manager announced that Ahern field will stay grass, with reconstruction, improved drainage, and irrigation. This happened because people across Cambridge came together. YOU made a real difference!  No news article can fully capture the amount of work that hundreds of people put in.
We are thrilled, and we also know this is only the first step.

• AHERN FIELD - Before any work begins, we want to be sure that the full set of concerns raised in the petition is addressed. The playing surface was only one part of the issue.
  We will ask the City to share its revised plans, including how the natural grass field will be designed and maintained, how drainage and irrigation will be improved, and what lessons can be learned from Sennott Park and others.
  
  We also want meaningful community engagement around the full park design –  including shade, seating, basketball, street hockey, the playground, school use, community use, and transparent allocation of funds. Friends of Ahern will continue advocating in this direction – for Ahern and for other grass fields in Cambridge.
  To stay in touch:
  • saveahernfield@gmail.com
  • Facebook: @Save Ahern Field

We are a large group with diverse opinions on next steps. We encourage you to get involved in the parts that matter most to you.

• YOUTH SPORTS - We believe organized youth sports are important and should be supported. At the same time, we believe the need for better sports access should be part of a broader, constructive conversation in Cambridge, rather than reduced to one surface decision in one field. Many of us would love to be involved in exploring solutions so that children and families who face barriers to participation have better access to healthy, safe, and welcoming spaces to play.

• PROCESS - We are extremely grateful to the Councilors who walked some steps with us, and to the City Manager and Deputy City Manager for the current outcome.
  At the same time, this experience raised larger questions about how future decisions can be made with clearer evidence, earlier inclusive community engagement, and more transparency from the start. We have all learned a lot through this process, and we hope Ahern can become a starting point for a better way of making public-space decisions in Cambridge.

• COMMUNITY - Thank you. We feel joyful and strengthened by getting to know one another through this effort. Many have expressed the hope that these connections continue. Let’s keep talking with one another, meeting in person, and building local and citywide ways to stay connected. Flyers and online tools helped, but what made this community strong was people taking time, even in the middle of busy everyday lives, to talk with neighbors, share information, and show up together.
  We will start with two WhatsApp groups: East Cambridge Now, with sub-channels for local topics, and Voice of Cambridge, for broader citywide issues. Our resources are limited, so we will all need to pitch in.
  Finally, we have a grass field to celebrate! Let's have more impromptu hangouts at Ahern, starting this Sunday at 5:00pm and plan a community celebration at the end of the summer.

Please join us in thanking the City Councilors and City Manager for listening and making a difficult decision. Let them know why keeping Ahern as a natural grass field matters to you and your loved ones.

With gratitude,

Friends of Ahern

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If you would like to get updates or be more involved, fill out this form or email us at saveahernfield@gmail.com.