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Briefing & Tour at "Betty's Neck," 5/11 (MA)

TPL will host an informational event Saturday, May 11, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Betty's Neck, the peninsula at the southern end of Assawompsett Pond, which provides drinking water for Lakeville and surrounding communities. On May 13, a special Lakeville Town Meeting will vote whether to purchase the land. Tours of the property will be offered both from the ground and from hot air balloons.

Contact:
Erin Rowland, Public Affairs Manager, The Trust for Public Land, (617) 367-6200 x 321
Christie Anderberg, Project Manager, The Trust for Public Land, (617) 367-6200 x 344

LAKEVILLE, Massachusetts: The Trust for Public Land will host an informational event this Saturday at Betty's Neck, the peninsula at the southern end of Assawompsett Pond that is under consideration as a town acquisition. On May 11, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, area residents are invited to come tour this scenic property both from the ground and from above by taking a ride in a hot air balloon. Attendees should park at Lakeville Town Hall on Route 105. Trolley transportation will be provided to the property. Land protection specialists and town officials will be available to answer questions.

The event is designed to provide residents with more information about the 478-acre property before the May 13 Special Town Meeting vote on acquiring the land. The largest natural body of fresh water in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Assawompsett Pond and its adjacent ponds provide drinking water to residents of New Bedford, Taunton, and other communities, including to Lakeville's schools and other public facilities. As the largest unprotected parcel of property on the pond, Betty's Neck has long been one of the town's top priorities for protection.

At the Special Town Meeting on Monday, May 13, Lakeville residents will vote on whether to spend $1.2 million to acquire 328 acres and a conservation restriction over an adjacent 150 acres that are made up mostly of cranberry bogs. The restriction will limit use of the bogs to agricultural purposes and prohibit any future development. The balance of the $9 million purchase price will be sought from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the cities of Taunton and New Bedford. If approved by Lakeville residents, the purchase will cost the average Lakeville homeowner $16.50 per year for the 20 year life of the bond. The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks and open space.

Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.4 million acres nationwide, including nearly 100,000 acres in New England. The Wall Street Journal's Smart Money Magazine recently named TPL the nation's most efficient large conservation charity for the second year in a row, based on the percentage of funds dedicated to programs.