Mayor Mitchell, Community Preservation Act Coalition Promote CPA at Fort Taber

mayor-mitchell-new-bedford-fort-taber-CPA — New Bedford mayor Jon Mitchell at Fort Taber promoting the CPA. Photo by Josh Souza.

On Thursday, October 30th, 2014, in front of a massive historic American Civil War-era military fort located in Fort Taber Park, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell joined a coalition comprised of more than two dozen New Bedford organizations that voiced support for the adoption of the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Mayor Mitchell, Lee Blake, Chairperson of the Community Preservation Act for New Bedford and others spoke about how New Bedford would benefit from adoption of the CPA.

The CPA allows communities in Massachusetts to create a local Community Preservation Fund for open space protection, historic preservation, affordable housing and outdoor recreation. Municipalities must adopt the measure by ballot referendum, and New Bedford voters will have the opportunity to vote on the question on November 4, 2014. Text of the legislation can be found here.

mayor-mitchell-new-bedford-fort-taber-CPA2 — New Bedford mayor Jon Mitchell and CPA coalition at Fort Taber promoting the CPA. Photo by Josh Souza.

Fort Taber is a 50-acre waterfront park that provides over a mile of ocean frontage located on the southern peninsula of the city which projects into Buzzards Bay. The park incorporates historical landmarks, offers many amenities and various opportunities for passive and active recreation. The centerpiece of the park is the historic Fort Taber, built between 1857 and 1871 as part of the nation’s sea coast defense system.