Boston Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled final week the brand new 362-page Boston Widespread Grasp Plan, a complete (and lots of would possibly say lengthy overdue) imaginative and prescient outlining a multifaceted makeover for the 50-acre expanse of open area positioned within the historic coronary heart of downtown Boston. Courting again to 1634, the Boston Widespread is taken into account the oldest public park in the USA and is a large hyperlink alongside the Emerald Necklace, a linear sequence of parks designed by Frederick Legislation Olmsted that includes roughly half of Boston’s parkland and hyperlinks each the Widespread and the neighboring Public Backyard to Franklin Park on the outskirts of the town. The Widespread—cherished amenity for Beantown residents, magnet for disoriented vacationers, and casual yard for Emerson School college students—was designated as a Nationwide Historic Landmark in 1987.
As famous in a press announcement launched by the town, the planning course of “integrated the enter of Boston residents and park customers to create a roadmap for preservation, upkeep, and public use.” AN final checked in on the bold park reimagining venture again in September 2020 when the administration of former Mayor Marty Walsh first teased a draft of an early iteration of the Boston Widespread Grasp Plan, giving residents a style of simply a few of the transformative proposals on faucet for the much-anticipated refresh. The trouble has been shepherded within the planning phases by officers with the Boston Parks & Recreation Division, the nonprofit park preservation group Associates of the Public Backyard, and representatives from native interdisciplinary design and engineering agency Weston & Sampson.
Public engagement actions formally kicked off in June 2019 with an internet survey and “Mini Widespread” pop-up reveals, adopted by a collection of in-person and digital open home classes. As the town defined, all enter from these classes together with different engagement efforts was “integrated within the grasp plan’s imaginative and prescient, guiding ideas, objectives and targets, and proposals.”
A full two years after Bostonians obtained an early peek on the Boston Widespread Grasp Plan, many, if not most, of the core proposed enhancements additionally seem on this new model. These embody an enlarged and enhanced Customer Data Middle, athletic areas with improved flexibility and accessibility, the creation of an enclosed canine run, new tree plantings and seating, and quite a few modifications to the enduring Frog Pond, a big all-seasons water characteristic that serves as an ice-skating rink within the winter, a splash pad in the summertime, and a reflecting pool throughout the spring and fall. Adjoining to the Frog Pond, the Tadpole Playground would even be expanded and revamped.
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Current Situations Plan (Weston & Sampson Design Studio)
As famous by the town in final week’s announcement, the highest suggestions outlined within the Grasp Plan embody “clarifying park entrances, connecting and upgrading core customer facilities, enhancing and diversifying programming, establishing park administration protocols, and bettering help amenities.” It additional detailed different suggestions together with the addition of an accessible entrance at Shaw 54th Memorial, a bronze aid sculpture first unveiled in 1897; pedestrian enhancements on the Charles Avenue entrance from the Public Backyard; a refresh of the much-used Mayor’s Stroll pathway that cuts by way of the mid-section of the park and hyperlinks Charles Avenue with the nook of Park and Tremont; new pilot public restroom areas throughout the park; and improved activation of the busy Boylston Avenue plaza and entrance on the Widespread’s southern edge.
“Boston Widespread’s attractive tree-lined paths and open areas have hosted so many moments marked in historical past, from shaping our collective conscience to celebrating our communities,” stated Wu in an announcement. “We’re excited to be sharing a plan that honors the Widespread’s historical past, displays the neighborhood’s imaginative and prescient, and creates an area that will likely be extra accessible, extra resilient, and extra inclusive for generations to come back.”
The discharge of the Grasp Plan kicks off a 45-day remark interval during which the general public is inspired to pontificate concerning which particular suggestions they imagine ought to obtain the best precedence with regards to the eventual implementation. The general public remark interval concludes November 30.
“With this Boston Widespread Grasp Plan, America’s first public park could have a unified imaginative and prescient for evolving and adapting to satisfy the wants of Boston’s residents and guests to our metropolis in addition to of the park itself,” stated Liz Vizza, President of the Associates of the Public Backyard. “Parks want folks and other people want parks. A shared area just like the Boston Widespread is a essential place for neighborhood, civic life, and respite in our metropolis that deserves our continued funding and a focus to carry the Plan to life.”
A 19-page govt abstract of the Boston Widespread Grasp Plan may be considered right here. Not included within the 300-plus pages of the grasp plan are a tough venture timeline or an estimated finances for the venture however, as beforehand famous by AN again in 2020, $28 million in funding has already been secured by way of the sale of the Winthrop Sq. Storage within the Monetary District. Town-owned storage was demolished in 2017 and a Handel Architects–designed skyscraper is at present rising instead. The so-called Winthrop Middle venture, marked by early controversy because of the tower’s (since scaled-back) top, is predicted to be accomplished subsequent spring.
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An estimate of precisely how a lot the phased venture will value will likely be clearer come December when the town units its capital finances.
Alex Cora missed Monday’s series opener with the New York Mets, see his only daughter, Camila, graduate from Boston College, and he doesn’t care if people disagree with his decision.
The Red Sox manager was in a good mood before Tuesday evening’s game at Fenway, and seemed genuinely unfazed by the criticism. He described Monday as “tremendous” and a “great day.”
“Excellent. Just the day that we will always remember,” Cora said of the big family event.
While most Red Sox fans on social media seemed to support Cora’s decision, there were a few loud critics, including 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Mike Felger, who said Monday it was “preposterous” for the manager to miss the 6:45 p.m. game when the graduation took place in the morning. Unlike players, whom Felger reasoned are part of a players’ union, he said Cora had no excuse to take the night off.
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“They were, I believe, done by noon, which means you can have a nice big party in the middle of the day,” the radio personality said. “Just cab down the street and manage the game.”
“It’s just the tone you set, the example you set for the team,” Felger continued. “It’s just the leadership and optics of the whole thing. It’s a very easy chance for him to say, ‘Nothing’s more important than tonight’s game.’”
Without directing his response to Felger or anyone else, Cora said that he took the entire day off at the behest of his daughter. He also pointed out that he would’ve needed to miss more time if the graduation was out of state, saying, “There’s coaches that, they take three days for that.”
“She wanted me to be with her, and it was her day so this is secondary,” Cora said. “You know, we’re in this world for a purpose, right, and for me, it’s to raise her, try to do the best we can. Obviously it wasn’t perfect, but right now, it’s perfect.”
Asked if he was bothered by the criticism, Cora laughed.
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“People have their own opinions,” the Sox skipper then said. “I bet those people, they have families too, and at one point they had to make decisions, too. And I bet they made decisions for the best of the family. I made the best decision for my daughter, and for those who don’t understand, I’m not gonna try to convince them. It is what it is. I made the best decision for my girl.”
In his May 17 dance review, “Boston Ballet looks back and forward in ‘Spring Experience,’ ” (Living/Arts, Page B6), Jeffrey Gantz writes, “Designer Robert Perdziola’s color palette is austere … gold, silver, and white all edging into gray, and the costumes lack texture and dimension.” What I saw was a most beautiful integration and balance of color, texture, pattern, and lighting, which together created exquisite staging. The gentle, almost cloudlike backdrop worked perfectly with the equally gentle but lightly patterned costumes and beautifully complemented the choreography. Neither detracted from or dominated the others. This was perhaps the best example of Boston Ballet’s almost always superb staging, and I say that as a season subscriber going back to the 1970s.
On the latter two performances, Jiří Kylián’s “ 27’52” ” and his “Petite Mort,” Gantz’s review was mostly just an outline of the action on the stage. Both these pieces are highly complex and energetic and leave a lot to unpack and interpret. My wife and I had a long conversation about these works well into the night. Those who enjoy Boston Ballet’s contemporary performances have a lot more to look forward to than the review suggested.
We knew Jaylen Brown was battling a knee injury during the Celtics’ playoff run. Now we know the severity of the ailment that has hampered the Boston star since March.
Brown played the last part of the season with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, according to ESPN’s Ramon Shelburne. Brown will be evaluated this week to determine if he’ll need to undergo surgery during the offseason.
Brown started receiving injections in his knee back in March to help with the injury, and missed six games over a 13-game stretch late in the season to rest up before the playoffs. He was able to play through the injury and suited up for all 11 of Boston’s postseason games, and though Brown lacked his usual explosiveness, he was still able to average 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per contest for the Celtics.
“I don’t make excuses,” Brown told reporters after Boston’s season-ending loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night. “Obviously, it’s tough the way we went out like tonight, but the way we finished the year, personally, the way I finished the year, persevering through some physical stuff that I was battling through, I’m proud of our group.”
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News of Brown’s injury further complicates an already iffy offseason for the Celtics. The team is already facing the likelihood of playing all of next season without superstar forward Jayson Tatum, who underwent surgery for a rupture Achilles last week in New York. With Brown’s status now in question, there’s a chance the Celtics will be without their two best players to start the 2025-26 NBA season.
After taking home MVP honors in the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals last summer, Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and a career-best 4.5 assists over 63 regular-season games for Boston in 2024-25.
Jaylen Brown staying optimistic after Celtics postseason loss
The Celtics’ title defense ended Friday night with a blowout loss to the Knicks in New York in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series. Boston became the sixth straight defending champ to lose in the second round.
Brown was obviously disappointed with the result, and the Celtics are likely heading into an offseason of change given the team’s massive payroll and the uncertainty with Tatum and Brown’s injuries. But Brown remains optimistic the Celtics will be back in the contender’s seat in the near future.
“Losing to the Knicks feels like death. But, I was always taught that there’s life after death. So, we’ll get ready for whatever’s next, whatever’s next in the journey I’ll be ready for,” Brown said Friday.
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“You just take this with your chin up. I know Boston, it looks gloomy right now, obviously, with JT being out and the end of the year. But there’s a lot to look forward to, and I want the city to feel excited about that,” added Brown. “This is not the end. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
Matt Geagan
Matthew Geagan is a sports producer for CBS Boston. He has been part of the WBZ sports team for nearly 20 years. He moved over to the web in 2012 and has covered all the highs (and a few lows) in Boston sports.
