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RICHARD II. GILMAN Publisher
MARTIN BARON Editor R EN fIE. urril Editor. Editorial Page
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1 F THE ROSE Kennedy Greenway sue-ceeds in becoming common ground for all of Boston to the same degree it was common ground for political leaders yesterday, it will be a triumph indeed. At Senator Edward Kennedy's persistent urging, Governor Romney. Mayor Menino, and the Turnpike Authority chairman, Matthew Amorello, agreed on the long-term governance of the greenway, and all were joined by Senate President Robert Travaglini and House Speaker 'Thomas Finneran for a signing ceremony at. City Hall yesterday morning.
While significant questions of implementation and funding remain, agreement on the creation of a greenway conser
vancy is a milestone. Everyone at City Hall made upbeat remarks, but it was Kennedy who caught the moment, his eye moistening as he imagined how much his mother would have enjoyed the thought of families all over Boston packing picnic baskets for a family outing on the greenway parks. "Nothing would have pleased her more," he said.
The goal of making the greenway common ground for all of Boston has been the backbone of planners for years, but for a long time it seemed doubtful there could be agreement on crucial governance issues even from the three central parties — the state, the city, and the Turnpike Authority.
Many yesterday lauded the retired Louisi
ana judge, Edmund Reggie — Kennedy's father-in-law — who brokered the negotiations. Kennedy noted that Reggie had been named a representative to the Middle East by President John F. Kennedy. Romney said the Middle East was "just child's play" compared with Massachusetts politics. Finneran added that Kennedy's clout and the state leaders' affection for him won agreement on issues that might otherwise have been "unbridgeable."
Still, the product is more of a camel than a thoroughbred and will require a great deal of help if it is to meet the greenway's potential.
First, the -10 conservancy hoard members will have to be top civic leaders who can raise money and arc independent of political powers. If political retainers are appointed to the board — or to the top staff jobs — the green-way will he doomed.
Second, the amounts of money in the agreement seem insufficient. The Turnpike Authority is putting up $5 million, to he matched by private donations, and the city is adding $1. million. The authority has also agreed to fund operations and maintenance for an initial period of live to eight years. But estimates of the cost of full, first-class maintenance range from $5 million to $10 million per year. It is questionable whether enough private money can be raised — or should be. As a public open space, the greenway — like the city's first Emerald Necklace — should have significant public financing.
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