Fenway Infill and Small Developments

I'm hoping that as the population around the Fens grows in size, influence and affluence there will eventually be a constituency advocating for restoring the Fens to the original Olmsted plan. Goodbye victory gardens. Never really liked them.
 
xec said:
I'm hoping that as the population around the Fens grows in size, influence and affluence there will eventually be a constituency advocating for restoring the Fens to the original Olmsted plan. Goodbye victory gardens. Never really liked them.
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Xec -- Never going to happen

Arthur Shurtleff reworked the Fens when he took over the task from the Olmsted firm

Added by Shurcliff or Shurtleff or others later:
  • Richard D. Parker Victory Gardens
    One of only two remaining victory gardens in the U.S. dating back to World War II. -- named after Richard D. Parker, one of the original organizers of the garden
  • Fire Alarm Office
    Dedicated on December 27, 1925, the Fire Alarm Office
    ERECTED BY THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON TO FORTIFY AND EXTEND THE PRINCIPLE OF ORGANIZED RESISTANCE TO THE SCOURGE OF FIRE, CONSECRATED AND DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE THROUGH WHICH THIS PRINCIPLE IS SO NOBLY PERPETUATED.
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    All fire alarm circuits along with radio and telephone communications for the Boston Fire Department are controlled from this site. The building has an independent generator to provide electrical power in the event of power disruptions.
  • Athletic Field Complex
    A key part of Arthur Shurcliff's alterations to The Fens
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    • Joseph Lee Playground -- The 420m athletic track and field stadium
    • Two baseball diamonds ---One of them is dedicated to Roberto Clemente. The other was dedicated to neighborhood residents Brian and David Cobe in 1984

      in 2009 -- Complex was restored into multi-use facility by Emmanuel College-Yawkey Foundation II and the City of Boston
      ClementeAerial.jpg

      The field serves as home field for Emmanuel College softball, men's and women's soccer and lacrosse teams, as well as the practice facility for men's and women's track and field. The field is also used by Boston Latin School athletics, Fenway High School gym classes, Colleges of the Fenway intramurals and adult and youth summer softball leagues. The all-weather track remains open to the public for recreational walking and jogging year-round.
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      The 120,000 sf multiple use synthetic turf field now features:
      • Three-lane rubberized all-weather track
      • Facilities for expanded track and field events including discus, shot put, long jump/triple jump and high jump
      • sports lighting and new scoreboard
      • Solar waste containers
      • Portable restroom facilities and water bubbler
      • New benches for handicapped companion seating
      • Spectator stands removed along Muddy River in accordance with Emerald Necklace Master Plan
      • Planting of additional trees
      Project cost: $3,985,000 for construction, permits and design.
    • Jim Bradley basketball courts
  • Kelleher Rose Garden
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    images

    1930 through 1933 by Arthur Shurcliff 1975 named to honor the Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s Superintendent of Horticulture. restored in 2008 with complete restoration of fountain n 2014 by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy
    with its Copy of the famous El Desconsol gift to the City of Boston by Barcelona, Spain.
    kveus3018s.jpg

  • Veterans Memorial Park honoring Sergeant Charles Andrew MacGillivary, a World War II Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who enlisted in Boston.
    3 War memorials initially funded by the George Robert White Fund in 1948
    1.jpg
    • World War II memorial features a granite monument designed by architect Tito Cascieri. It is composed of a plinth stage and lectern backed by a semi-circular wall, with names set in bronze tablets. A large bronze statue of an angel sculpted by John F. Paramino sits atop the memorial, along with an obelisk capped with bronze stars.
    • The Korean War Memorial is a squarish monument that has three columns with names engraved in them. On top is the word, "Korea" and the years, "1950-1953."
    • The Vietnam War Memorial has a stone plaza area, with a map of the country of Vietnam embedded in it. Flanking the map are two stone slabs for use as benches. The memorial is a squarish monument that has three columns with names engraved in them. On top is the word, "Vietnam" and the years, "1962-1975."
  • mother's rest playground -- very recent
    MothersRest_1.png
 
Never say never, whighlander. Anyway, I wasn't talking about restoring the entire Fens to the Olmsted plan, just the part occupied by the victory gardens. I should have made that clearer in my post.
 
JeffDowntown said:
Back Bay Fens is managed by the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy (not-for-profit citizen advocacy group).
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Boston Parks and Rec is a hell of a lot better than the DCR
 
iHateWhighlander
Junior Member
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Seriously? Can we ban this account. I don't think we need or want this kind of juvenile bullshit on aB. This is how you end up with toxic communities nobody wants to be a part of.
 
I went by the Emerald Necklace HQ and asked if they were planning on reorienting the benches away from overlooking The Fenway traffic so they overlook the Muddy instead. The answer was "good question." But then the very nice woman there--Kate--said that the chain-link fence that is currently there will be there for 2 more years while the vegetation grows in. I get that we don't want the new plantings trampled, but two more years?? This project just seems to go on and on.
 
The plantings are likely under warranty; what dies is replaced. If the shrubbery is killed by trampling feet, might not be covered. Given the open space between the plantings, which currently is inviting people to walk down the bank, those plants have a lot more growing to do.
 
Yeah I think this is a case where it will pay off to be patient. At least those fences are way better than the construction fences that were up for the last two years.
 
Agreed. The city is very much in touch with the water/nature and this is great that this got done, but it needs to be seen all the way through. Its only a small wait for a lifetime of benefit to the city.
 
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