Charlesgate Alliance

05/15/2026

Trees planted last year in memory of Fran Gershwin and Betsy Shure Gross in The Grove and maples on the west side of the Bowker are leafing out nicely Our Muddy River Emerald Necklace Conservancy

05/01/2026

Come take a look sometime at the refreshed paint job on the DCR utility box by the one entrance to the Grove.

04/25/2026

Thanks to the 35 people who came out for the Charlesgate portion of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy Muddy River Cleanup!

04/03/2026

The Charlesgate Revitalization Team, consisting of the Charlesgate Alliance, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and the Charles River Esplanade Association were honored to receive an Activist Award from the Charles River Watershed Association last week for our advocacy to make Charlesgate a connecting piece again between the Charles River and the Back Bay Fens

03/13/2026

We are honored by Charles River Watershed Association for this

Charlesgate Alliance, and Esplanade Association are honored to be awarded the “Activist Award” at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Charles River Watershed Association on March 26. This special award is presented to an individual or organization who is actively involved with efforts to protect and restore the Charles River through advocacy, community organizing, and coalition building. After years of visioning and community effort, the long-awaited first step of the project will transform the bridge over I-90 with safer, greener access for pedestrians and cyclists — finally reconnecting the Back Bay Fens to Charlesgate Park for the first time in decades. Get ready for lush green pathways, 100+ new trees, and major upgrades to stormwater systems that will help protect the Muddy River from pollution. Find out more: www.emeraldnecklace.org/restoration/charlesgate

10/10/2025

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) had a groundbreaking event for the Boston Bowker Overpass Bridge Superstructure Replacement and Widening Project on October 8th. Opening the ceremony was Carrie Lavallee, Chief Engineer for MassDOT. Lavallee noted that one benefit of the project would be removing the offramp from the Bowker over the Muddy River onto Commonwealth Avenue.

Lavallee was followed by MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan then spoke about the importance of the project.

Pam Beale and Parker James, co-founders and board members of the Charlesgate Alliance, Karen Mauney-Brodek, president of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and Alison Badrigian, director of projects and planning for the Esplanade Association, were invited to take a shovel for the ceremonial groundbreaking.

09/23/2025

Thanks to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy for inviting members of Project Place to the Park Partners picnic this year. We have employed Project Place to clean Charlesgate Park for a number of years now and are proud of both the service they provide to the park as well as to its employees.

We were grateful to have representatives from Project Place join us at our annual Park Partners Picnic last week!

Project Place provides employment opportunities and support for formerly unhoused residents, returning citizens, and people in recovery. For several years they have been active in Charlesgate Park, conducting park maintenance under the direction of our friends at the Charlesgate Alliance. Thank you for helping to keep the Emerald Necklace beautiful!

08/25/2025

We too are excited!

This week, we are truly excited to see the start of the long-awaited Charlesgate Park Revitalization Project! After years of planning, this project will reconnect Charlesgate Park, Commonwealth Avenue, and Kenmore Square to the Back Bay Fens for park users, pedestrians, and cyclists for the first time in decades.

The first phase of the project will consist of rebuilding the bridge over I-90 to include new, improved pedestrian and bicycle lanes and a greener design to improve the health of the parks and the Muddy River. Preliminary work in the area began earlier this week, and we will continue to provide updates.

07/25/2025

Exciting changes are coming to the Kenmore block of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

Improvements To Commonwealth Ave Kenmore Block - This one-acre block of the Comm Ave Mall is located in Kenmore Square west of Charlesgate. The park includes lawn, trees and brick plazas.

07/10/2025

Farmers Market Every Sunday, 10am-2pm

Come to the Charlesgate Farmers Market on Commonwealth Ave. between Charlesgate East and West on Sundays from 10am to 2pm and enjoy fresh squeezed lemonade, delicious pastry and coffee, farm fresh produce from Dick's, fresh bread, seafood, meats and cheeses, and many other locally produced products. Relax at our picnic tables and listen to live music while you meet your neighbors and support your local small businesses.

The Charlesgate Farmers Market is sponsored by our friends at the Muddy Water Initiative.