Bare Hill Rowing is quite the topic here in Harvard. If you read the Harvard Press this past week you know what we are talking about. Based on the letters to the editor, one would get the impression that Pat Nelson and anyone who supports her on this issue is anti-BHRA.
Pat is extremely pro-active in encouraging sports of all kinds for the youth in this town—including coaching teams on which she has no children involved. In this light, Pat states in her letter published on August 23 that the current roster of students will continue in the program and that the levels would be reduced through graduation and normal attrition. This means that the youths involved in this program can continue their crew interests for the duration of their high school careers.
And for the next generation of rowers, 80 of them may participate. This seems to us to still be a very healthy program size in relation to the overall size of the Bromfield School.
The truth is, Pat’s voice is one of reason. The original agreement allowed for 80 participants. In 2011, the program was allowed to increase to 100 students, provided there were no problems. There are problems that impact other town residents and hence the program was voted back to its 80-student level. The town of Harvard, as represented by the Parks and Rec Commission, agreeing to an unlimited number of participants would be unreasonable as well as irresponsible.
Mark and Cindy Russell
Bolton Road
