COALITION FOR A
RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE WATERFRONT ANNOUNCES FIRST ANNUAL WATERFRONT WELLNESS
WEEK AND WATERFRONT SUMMIT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON
The Coalition will host
a weeklong series of community events along Boston’s harbors and rivers in
June, and a summit and day of service in September
BOSTON, MA — May 16, 2022 — Today, the Coalition for a Resilient and Inclusive
Waterfront, an alliance of more
than 50 organizations from throughout Boston focused on access, inclusion,
resiliency, and economic vitality on Boston’s harbor, islands, and rivers,
announced a series of signature events and conversations in 2022 that will
focus on amplifying the critical connection between Boston’s waterfront and the
region’s public health.
A 2021 poll on waterfront issues, commissioned by the Coalition last fall
showed Boston voters overwhelmingly believe the waterfront should “improve the
public health of the City by providing open spaces for exercise and enjoyment”.
At the same time, it showed that communities believe there is much work to do
to make those spaces more inclusive and accessible. This year’s programming
aims to engage the city’s different neighborhoods, local leaders, and diverse
nonprofits throughout the region in a conversation about how we can address
these pressing issues.
“Boston is a coastal city vulnerable to rising seas and extreme
weather, and we have the responsibility to be a national leader in building a
thriving, green economy,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our waterfront will be a key
part of that transition and we must ensure it is equitable, inclusive, and
accessible to all.”
From Sunday, June 12, to Thursday, June 23, the Coalition’s
member organizations, local vendors, and partners throughout Boston will come
together to host Waterfront Wellness Week — a week-long series of events
uplifting the connection between the waterfront and the health and wellness of
the city’s residents, neighborhoods, and visitors. Programming throughout the
week will be free and open to the public, and include activities that will
bring residents out along and on the water, celebrate local organizations and
attractions, and engage people of all ages in a conversation about how we can
make the waterfront more resilient and accessible for all.
“Over the past few years, Boston’s leadership on the city, state,
and federal level have started to reflect the vibrant, diverse cultures present
in the city,” said Anthony Davis, Jr., Programming Advisor for the Coalition.
“However we still have a lot of work to do to make sure Boston’s public spaces,
including our harbors, islands and rivers, are accessible and enjoyable for all
our communities. Boston’s waterfront provides tremendous public health benefits
– from providing open spaces for recreation, to driving economic opportunity –
and the Coalition’s efforts this year will be focused on connecting more
neighborhoods to those resources. There are residents of Dorchester that have
never walked along the Mystic River in Charlestown or residents of West Roxbury
that have never explored the East Boston pier, and we are excited to be working
with an incredible coalition of organizations to welcome residents from all
parts of Boston to our waterfront.”
The Coalition also announced that on Friday, September 16,
the Coalition will host its first ever Waterfront Summit, bringing together
elected officials, advocates, community leaders, and other stakeholders to
explore and engage around a collective vision for the future of our waterfront.
The event will feature a keynote address to be announced later this year, and
will be focused on the central theme of public health and community wellness in
connection with our public spaces and the waterfront. The Summit will be
followed by a Day of Service on Saturday, September 17, that will bring
communities and organizations together to clean up public parks and gardens
along Boston’s harbors and rivers.
For more information about the Coalition’s work and planned 2022
programming, please visit bostonwaterfrontcoalition.org.
