Swim the Charles!
It is Feasible!
Through a partnership grant from Common Impact, a team of volunteer professionals from Stantec Engineering conducted a study for the Conservancy, which explores the feasibility of a permanent swimming facility in the Charles River at North Point Park. In order to evaluate the possibility of such a site, Stantec assembled a team of landscape architects, civil engineers, environmental scientists, urban planners, and more. Their work has determined that given further study and due diligence, a permanent swimming area is feasible. Learn more here.
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A drawing from Stantec's feasibility study, depicting a proposed permanent swim location in North Point Park. Like what you see? Contribute to our Indiegogo campaign! |
Crowdsourcing Support The Conservancy is pleased to announce the launch of an crowd-funded campaign to help fund critical next steps in the process towards building a permanent swimming facility in the Charles River. Every dollar counts! Please consider donating, to help us reach our goal of $25k for further testing and research. Some of the exciting rewards we're able to offer include swim coaching/lessons with an Olympic swimmer, a private stand up paddle board lesson, a private duck tour, and much more! Learn more and make a contribution today. |
City Splash Success
The Conservancy hosted its 4th annual CitySplash community swim event. Over 270 people, including Boston City Council President Michelle Wu, Cambridge City Councilor Jan Devereux, the SwissNex team, French Consul Valery Freland, three-time Olympic swimming medalist Eric Vendt, and State Representatives Josh Cutler, Jay Livingstone and Paul A Schmid attended and jumped into the Charles! Contribute to the Conservancy's Indiegogo Campaign for your best chance at securing your spot at the 2017 swim. Thank you to everyone who came to the swim, we are already looking forward to next year's events.
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Meet the Summer Interns
Jack Goodman
Allegheny College, Class of 2019
Majors:Economics & Math
Newton, MA 
Jack is the 2016 Conservancy Volunteers intern. Jack grew up in Newton, not far from the Charles River. Jack's background as a Boy Scout has equipped him with experience managing volunteers and conservation work, and he is excited to help improve the parklands near his hometown.
Alexandra Thomsen Brown University, Class of 2016 Major: Biology Cambridge, MA
Alexandra is working with the Conservancy on the Swimmable Charles Initiative. At Brown, Alexandra studied biology and grew interested in the connections between people and the natural environment. She has previously interned with the Ocean Project and conducted research on macroalgal (seaweed) blooms at the Thornber Lab at the University of Rhode Island.
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Conservancy Volunteers
Thank you to the over 250 individuals who volunteered with the Conservancy in June. Dana Hall Middle School students painted benches along Greenough Blvd. and City on a Hill Charter School removed weeds and brush around a playground in Watertown. DataXu painted benches and picked up litter along the Cambridge Parkway, MIT Summer Research program participants removed invasive bittersweet growing along Memorial Drive, and MIT Media Lab employees painted benches in Cambridge and removed litter along Memorial Drive. Over 80 German International School elementary school students picked up litter in Herter Park, Brookfield Inc. employees removed weeds and invasive plants in North Point Park, and FormaTherapeutics worked to remove brush and invasives in the Herter Park Publick Theatre.
To schedule a volunteer event for your business or organization please email Sasha at svallieres@thecharles.org or call (617) 300- 8173.
Open Volunteer Event
The next open volunteer event will be Saturday, July 16 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. We will be working in the Herter Park Publick Theatre. Please email Sasha at svallieres@thecharles.org for more details and to RSVP.
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Employees from Brookfield Inc. worked in North Point Park in East Cambridge. Thank you to all of our wonderful corporate sponsors! Photo by Conservancy staff.
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Parkland News
Free Outdoor Yoga at North Point Park on Sundays
Love yoga? Love being outside? Join us for FREE yoga in DCR's North Point Park on July 17, 24, and 31. These Sundays from
5 pm to 6 pm, Karma Yoga Studios instructors will lead a one-hour yoga class on the lawn under the trees. This takes place as part of the Conservancy'sSunday Parkland Games and is free and open to all.
Live Water Quality Updates
The CRWA has kicked off their summer Water Quality Notification Program. This program provides the public with up-to-date water quality forecasts on the CRWA website, and will continue throughout the summer months. The website uses data from the CRWA's weather station and other sources to estimate if the Charles River is safe for boating at each of the ten boat houses in the lower basin of the Charles. Blue, yellow, and red flags will inform the public of current water quality conditions via the CRWA website and with physical flags flown by partnering boat houses. Each week, water samples from the river will be tested for bacteria to verify the forecast. Learn more here.
NPES Delegation Bill Goes to Study In early July, the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture voted to send the Governor's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPES) delegation bill to study, meaning that the bill will not get voted on this legislative session. The Conservancy shares the concerns of environmental groups, that authorizing the State to take over duties historically performed by the EPA would only further exacerbate budget issues, and would result in lower quality across the state.
Thank You and Congratulations to DCR's Angelo Tilas and Samantha Overton Angelo Tilas celebrated his last July 4th as Supervisor of the Esplanade this summer. As an veteran employee of the MassDCR and the MDC before it, Angelo has been dedicated to the Esplanade and the Charles River Basin for over 30 years. The Conservancy thanks Angelo for his dedication, patience, and committed service, and sends a heartfelt congratulations on his well deserved retirement. Angelo will be working till December, so if you see him on the Esplanade or in North Point Park make sure to stop and say hello, and maybe even thank him for many wonderful events, programs, and improvements to the Esplanade and Hatch! Read the Boston Globe profile on Angelo here.
Sam Overton, Director of MassParks Park Operations and Deputy Director of State Parks and Recreation, a key figure in the heart of DCR's team, said farewell to the Commonwealth's park service this summer. Samantha, who began state service as an aide in Governor William Weld's office, has long been known around town as someone who made the wheels of DCR move. Sam is leaving DCR to move to west with her family and the Conservancy wishes her the very best of luck in her new adventure!
TD Hub on Wheels Citywide Bike Ride Sign up now for the 12th Annual TD Hub on Wheels Citywide Bide Ride, being held on Sunday, September 18, 2016. Riders can select a 10 or a new 40- mile route, both of which will start and finish on City Hall Plaza, explore Boston, and a car-free Storrow Drive. Register here. |
CCTV
Jeffrey Simon, former Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Real Estate and Asset Development and now Senior Principal at Statec, discusses the feasibility study for a permanent swim location in North Point Park.
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THANK YOU
Anonymous
Carol and Paul Fremont-Smith
The Phillip and Elizabeth Gross Family Foundation
for your generous and visionary support!
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Thank you to
for their generous leadership gifts given in the month of June.
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Thank you to the Mass Cultural Council for their support of our High School Volunteer Program
To see a full list of foundations, business partners,and leadership corporate sponsors, please visit our website.
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