Special to the Sun
The Charlesgate Alliance, in partnership with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), hosted a tree dedication ceremony on Thursday, June 5, in Charlesgate Park to celebrate the planting of 14 new trees—seven of which were planted in memory of beloved environmental leader Fran Gershwin.
Parker James, co-founder of the Charlesgate Alliance, speaks at the dedication ceremony held June 5.
This event marked another milestone in the Charlesgate Revitalization Project, a long-term vision to restore and reimagine the parkland between the Massachusetts Turnpike and Storrow Drive. Over the past three years, the Charlesgate Alliance has planted more than 30 trees throughout the park and continues to provide stewardship for dozens more.
The tree dedication brought together elected officials, community advocates, and partner organizations to recognize the contributions of Fran Gershwin, who served for many years as Chair of the Maintenance and Management Oversight Committee (MMOC) of the Muddy River Restoration Project. Her commitment to restoring the Muddy River and expanding the Boston area’s tree canopy left an indelible mark on the city’s landscape and spirit.
The new trees dedicated in Fran’s memory were made possible through the generosity of Mass Parks for All, Betsy Shure Gross and Gary L. Gross, The Chestnut Hill Book Club, and the Gershwin family. Additional maintenance funds for the trees were provided by Boston University. In addition to the tree planting, attendees celebrated the recent removal of the north barrier wall, which once obstructed views of the park. The project was funded by a matching grant to the Charlesgate Alliance, with support from DCR and Emerald Necklace Conservancy.
Speakers included Sen. Will Brownsberger, Reps. Dan Ryan and Jay Livingstone, City Councilor Sharon Durkan, DCR’s Ruth Helfeld, Emerald Necklace Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek, and representatives from the MMOC and the Gershwin family. Councilor Durkan offered two official Boston City Council resolutions: one honoring the Charlesgate Alliance’s environmental leadership and another commemorating Fran Gershwin’s lifetime of public service and advocacy for Boston’s green spaces.
As a nod to the park’s future, the Muddy Water Initiative announced the return of their seasonal Farmers Market to Charlesgate’s North Field, running weekly from June 22 through Oct. 12.
The Charlesgate Alliance, established in 2017, is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to serving and improving Charlesgate Park and its surrounding neighborhoods in the Back Bay, Kenmore, and Fenway. Charlesgate Park, defined by Charlesgate East and West, Storrow Drive, and the Massachusetts Turnpike, was once known as the Beacon Street Entrance to the Back Bay Fens, the starting point of the design for Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace park system. Its function as an entrance to the parks and as a connector between neighborhoods was severely impacted by the construction of the Bowker Overpass in 1965.