Boston, MA
Boston Harborwalk extension to connect parks, pathways in Charlestown
The Boston Harborwalk, a 43-mile park and pedestrian pathway that stretches along the city’s coastline, will soon extend further north into Charlestown and beyond.
The city’s Planning Department this week approved putting the estimated $5.5 million project out for bids from contractors. The extension will connect to the existing Harborwalk and stretch along Terminal Street and the Little Mystic Channel.
“The new pathway will be beautifully landscaped and furnished with seating, shade shelters and exercise equipment,” said Planning Department Director of Real Estate Rebecca Tomasovic during the Boston Planning and Development Agency Board meeting on Thursday.
Tomasovic explained that currently, the land is unused and overgrown. Pedestrians in the area are limited to Terminal Street, which has no sidewalks and is used primarily as a truck route. The Harborwalk extension will allow safe pedestrian travel between Chelsea Street and the Charlestown Athletic Fields, she said.
Planning for the Boston Harborwalk began in the 1980s, according to its website. In addition to walkways, it includes green space, seating, informational signage, exhibit spaces, cafes and other amenities. When the Harborwalk is complete, it will stretch close to 50 miles between Chelsea Creek in East Boston and the Neponset River in Dorchester.
Beyond pedestrian safety and recreation, the Harborwalk is also part of the city’s planning for climate sustainability for the future.
A 2022 report from the Office of Climate Resilience recommended the Charlestown extension, as well as elevating the existing Harborwalk paths in the area, as the height protects against rising sea levels and flooding.
“The Harborwalk is both highly vulnerable to the impacts of sea-level rise and presents an opportunity to create a resilient coastal edge,” officials wrote in the report. “Redesigning the Harborwalk along the Little Mystic to incorporate coastal resilience infrastructures provides opportunities not only to reduce risks from flooding but also to enhance the benefits this amenity provides.”
In October, the city was awarded a $500,000 grant from MassTrails, a division of the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.
The city also expects to use over $1 million from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in the form of mitigation funds from the nearby Encore Casino and $750,000 in private donations through the Mystic River Watershed Association.
FIFA World Cup host cities lay out security plans ahead of matches
Host cities ramp up security and anti-human trafficking efforts ahead of FIFA World Cup matches across the U.S.
The FIFA World Cup is coming to Massachusetts, and when it comes to having a place for people to hang out together, there will be a free fan zone where everyone can celebrate the big event.
Seven World Cup matches will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA this summer, and the first one is right around the corner, to be played on June 13, with Scotland taking on Haiti.
Fan Zones are a public space to watch the game for people who don’t have tickets to the actual game. Held in public places, they broadcast the mach on giant screens to offer an immersive experience to watch the game, according to FIFA>
“At the heart of FIFA Fan Festival Boston, (a) Cultural Showcase will ignite the stage with a vibrant celebration of the spirit, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of Boston and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” FIFA said.
Where will the fan zone be located when the World Cup games start in just 11 days?
Where is the World Cup fan zone going to be in Massachusetts?
The official FIFA Fan Festival for the 2026 World Cup in Boston will be located at Boston City Hall Plaza at 1 City Hall Sq. Boston, MA.
“The festival will run daily from June 12 through June 27, offering live match broadcasts, cultural showcases, food vendors, and entertainment,” according to FIFA.
The fan zone will open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will stay open until after dark, between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. according to reports.
Activities at the fan zone
Here are some of the offerings at the fan zone in Boston, according to the FIFA website:
- Live broadcasts: Giant outdoor screens that broadcast tournament matches in high-definition.
- Entertainment & music: Live concerts, DJ sets, and performances celebrating global culture.
- Interactive activations: Skills challenges, mini-pitches, inflatable games, and sponsor booths.
- Food & merch: International food stalls, local beverage offerings, and official tournament merchandise.
How to go to the fan zone
While the game is free, you do need to register in advance.
“You can select which days and matches you plan to attend through the FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 website or the Meet Boston events page. Up to six people can register on a single application,” the World Cup Boston website says.
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.
Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.
Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.
“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.
“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.
“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.
So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”
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