The Broad View Fund at the Main Street Community Foundation is proud to announce the 2019 beneficiary of the proceeds from the 13th Annual Cocktails @ Eight to be held on Saturday, October 19th.

This year’s proceeds will help to support a new initiative from the Bristol Parks and Recreation Department entitled “All Heart Pop-Up Parks” launching the summer of 2020. The initiative involves bringing “Pop-Up” events to underserved neighborhood parks in order to strengthen families and neighbors, engage underutilized spaces to enhance visibility and safety, and strengthen the sense of community for all residents.

Bob Boudreau, co-Founder of The Broad View Fund along with Bob Alim and Kevin Prior, said, “We have seen Pop-Up Park space and events created in large metropolitan cities across the country, including the city of Boston as part of a multi-million-dollar mixed use urban development project. The sense of community created by these pop-up parks is truly amazing.”

Boudreau continued, “To think the Bristol Parks and Recreation Department developed a plan to create pop-up parks here in Bristol is innovative and game-changing. The age and socio-economic spectrum which will be reached by this program will make Bristol’s All Heart Pop-Up Parks a national model.”

The initiative will involve the planning, coordination and implementation of a 10-week event series throughout the city during the summer of 2020. Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Dr. Joshua Medeiros stated, "The Parks Department is so excited about the All Heart Pop-Up Parks initiative and we are so grateful that the Main Street Community Foundation’s The Broad View Fund committee shared our enthusiasm for the project. In addition to providing high quality recreation programs and well maintained facilities, the Bristol Parks and Recreation Department is committed to being at the forefront of solution based problem solving to address current and future challenges facing the City of Bristol. Bringing free pop-up park events directly into under-served neighborhoods will ignite the imagination of both children and adults, we will eliminate common barriers surrounding cost and transportation, and the series will foster a sense of belonging and enrich community spirit.”

Please plan to save the date to help support this game-changing, innovative idea that will demonstrate to the rest of the state why Bristol is the #AllHeart City. The 13th Annual Cocktails @ Eight will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2019.