Past Events

To view information and images from past events, click on the links below.

2023 Muddy River Cleanup

Saturday, April 22, 2023, 9am-12pm: Meeting Point at Charlesgate East and Beacon Street

We had a great Muddy River cleanup at Charlesgate on April 22, which fell on Earth Day this year, in conjunction with our partners, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, which organized the event. Over 50 volunteers showed up, including members of the Charlesgate neighborhood, Boston University and Massachusetts College and Pharmacy and Health Sciences students, the LEAH Project, and Page, and then spread out across the North of Beacon area, North Field, South Field, the Circles, and the Grove.

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Meet and Greet Event

Saturday, October 1, 2022

A special thanks to Pam Beale and http://www.cornwalls.com/Cornwall’s for a wonderful cocktail party on October 1st. This was our first neighborhood evening gathering since COVID. Over 60 people came. Also thanks to the party committee, Maddy Segal, Kathie Bernstein, Janice Dolnick, Debbie Perry, and Daria McClean.

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Parks as Platform Event

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Thanks to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Charlesgate Pétanque for a successful Parks as Platform event on October 1st. Canvas Studio provided painting opportunities. A park ranger from Fairsted, Frederick Law Olmsted’s home in Brookline, was also on hand.

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Emerald Necklace ParkFest at Charlesgate

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Thanks to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy for a great Park Fest event at Charlesgate on September 24th. Also thanks to Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay and the Esplanade Association for providing information tables. Charlesgate Pétanque provided tutorials. Cambridge Hip-Hop Collective provided the music. Parker James led a tour of the park. Jack Schelifer, field operation manager for the Conservancy, led tours of the new trees planted in June.

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Outreach to Kenmore Abbey

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Parker James and Pam Beale, board members of the Charlesgate Alliance, Professor Haegi Kwon from Boston University, and residents at the Kenmore Abbey in Kenmore Square met September 6th to discuss proposed plans for improvement to Charlesgate Park and to elicit feedback from the residents about those ideas. Michelle Ramiz and Tiya Wang provided translation services into Russian and Chinese. About 45 residents came to the event.

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Tree Dedication

Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 9:30am-11:30am

On June 28th we dedicated the new trees in Charlesgate. Representatives from the Charlesgate Alliance, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Landing Studio, elected officials, as well as our partner organizations the Esplanade Association and Friends of the Public Garden were on hand to join the celebration.

This achievement, more than a year in the making, and stewarded from start to finish by Margaret Pokorny in conjunction with Dan and Marie Law Adams of Landing Studio, has given the Charlesgate area its first new trees in many years.

The dedication took place in The Grove area of Charlesgate Park, where 14 of the 15 new trees were planted.

With the addition of the new trees, recently refurbished DCR lighting, and red chair seasonal seating, the Grove is starting to look like the park it was always meant to be.

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2022 Muddy River Cleanup

Saturday, April 23, 2022, 9am-12pm: Meeting Point at Charlesgate East and Beacon Street

Great Muddy River Cleanup at Charlesgate today. Thanks to George Lewis, Kenzie Bok, Jay Livingstone, and over 60 volunteers from Emerald Necklace Conservancy for being there and helping to make it happen. Gorgeous day to do the work. Charlesgate Alliance provided burritos for lunch.

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Public Meeting on the Charlesgate Revitalization Project

Tuesday, September 19, 2021, at 7:00 pm, on Zoom

Thanks to all who joined us to hear exciting updates on projects in Charlesgate Park as well as MassDOT‘s progress and renewed focus on projects in our community. Karen Mauney-Brodek of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Parker James, and Marie Law Adams of Landing Studio led the presentation. We learned and provided feedback on the work Charlesgate Alliance, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and others are doing to promote better possibilities for safe and green pedestrian, bike and vehicular connections, green space, and dog park, including a new presentation by Marie and Dan Adams of Landing Studio. A copy of the presentation is available here.

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Public Meeting on the Charlesgate Revitalization Project

Thursday, November 19, 2020, at 6:30 pm, on Zoom

Thanks to the over 100 people who registered and came for a Zoom update of the project on November 19th at 6:30pm. Karen Mauney-Brodek of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Parker James, Margaret Pokorny, and Pam Beale of the Charlesgate Alliance, and Marie Law Adams of Landing Studio led the presentation. We reviewed the project to date as well as future directions we hope it will take. A copy of the presentation is available here. Front page coverage of the event appeared in The Boston Sun. The Boston Guardian also covered the event on page 6 of its December 4th issue.

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Emerald Necklace Conservancy Virtual Annual Meeting

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at 6:00 pm, on Zoom

Thanks to Karen Mauney-Brodek, President of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Dan Adams and Marie Law Adams of Landing Studio, Charlesgate Revitalization Architects, and Garrett Dash Nelson, Curator of Maps, Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center, for making this Emerald Necklace Conservancy Annual Meeting a wonderful event with a focus on Charlesgate.

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Dog Park Design Virtual Meeting

Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at 6:30 pm, on Zoom

Thanks to the 38 people who joined us on a Zoom meeting to discuss the dog park aspect of the Charlesgate Revitalization Project. on Tuesday, April 7th, at 6:30pm This was a challenging time for all of us. We are thinking of everyone in our community now and hoping everyone stays safe. As many have observed, it is clear: parks and open space are more important than ever. Thank you to all of you in the Charlesgate community for your support and time over the past many months.

We canceled the dog park design in-person meeting, but knew that many out there would like to continue to stay engaged and “see” each other. Thanks to our partners at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, we moved ahead with a VIRTUAL Dog Park Design Meeting to discuss the design in the proposed dog park part of the plan. This proposed dog park would be one of the largest in Boston.

Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams (the designers with Landing Studio) led a presentation  based on an earlier dog park subcommittee meeting, and responded to comments and questions. Erica Holm from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy acted as moderator.

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Charlesgate Park Improvements Meeting

Tuesday, March 10, 2020, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm 91 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215

Roughly 30 people braved growing concerns about the COVID-19 crisis to come to our meeting for an update on our progress. A portion of this meeting focused on the discussion of design for the proposed new playground area. Another portion was dedicated to a general project update. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

If you would like to be part of the conversation on the proposed play area, you can write comments here.
Proposed North Field

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Public Meeting on Charlesgate Park

Tuesday, October 15, 2019, from 6:30 to 8:30pm in the Estabrooks Room of the Harvard Club

We had a wonderful turnout for the meeting about the future of Charlesgate Park in the Estabrooks Room of the Harvard Club at 374 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, from 6:30-8:30pm on October 15th. The Charlesgate Alliance, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) have been working together the past few months based on our previous public meetings with money secured from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston CPA. Among the speakers were State Senator Will Brownsberger, State Representatives Jay Livingstone and Jon Santiago, Karen Mauney-Brodek from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Parker James from the Charlesgate Alliance, Jennifer Norwood from the DCR, and Herb Nolan from the Solomon Foundation. Steve McLaughlin from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) spoke about planned changes to Storrow Drive which will affect the north side of the park. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

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There is Something Brewing in Charlesgate

Thursday, September 26, 2019, from 6 to 8pm in the lobby of 4 Charlesgate East

Thanks to all who came or otherwise contributed to our Fall fundraiser at 4 Charlesgate East on Thursday, September 26th, from 6 to 8pm!

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Movie Night in Charlesgate Park

Friday, September 20, 2019

Thanks to a grant from the Solomon Foundation, the Charlesgate Alliance and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy held a free movie night in the Grove area of the park off of Charlesgate East and Beacon Street,. At 6pm co-founder Parker James and Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams of Landing Studio gave a brief tour of the park. After a brief slideshow of the Charlesgate Park Revitalization Project, Karen Mauney-Brodek, president of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, introduced Fever Pitch, starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, starting at 7pm.

This was the first Summer on the Emerald Necklace event to take place at Charlesgate!

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Dog Park Design and Research Meeting

Thursday, September 12, 2019, 6:00pm-8pm; Fenway Community Center, 1282 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215

The Charlesgate Alliance offered a meeting to people who expressed an interest in the design and research aspect of the project. Landing Studio developed a slideshow for that event.
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Brainstorming Meeting for a Dog 🐶 Park

Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 5:30pm-7pm; 91 Bay State Rd, Boston, MA 02215

The Charlesgate Alliance and Landing Studio held a meeting in conjunction with the Back Bay Dog Park group for a brainstorming session about a dog park in the future Charlesgate Park. Over 30 people packed the room. This was the first Charlesgate Alliance meeting devoted solely to the dog park element of the park.

If you would be interested in joining the committee to make a Charlesgate dog park a reality, please send us an e-mail and we will get you in touch with Rachel Bakish, who is organizing this effort. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

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Charlesgate in Bloom Fundraiser and Cocktail Party

Saturday, April 27, 2019, 5pm-7pm; 395 Commonwealth Avenue (The Ayer Mansion), Boston, MA 02215

Thanks to the roughly 95 people who joined us for the Charlesgate Community Event of the Spring, Charlesgate in Bloom, a memorable evening in The Ayer Mansion, the only surviving residence created by American artist and designer, Louis Comfort Tiffany, at 395 Commonwealth Avenue. Charlesgate in Bloom was a fundraising event for the Charlesgate Alliance. Special thanks to Deuxave, The Capital Grille, Sonsie, Asta, Row 34, Hotel Commonwealth, Eliot Hotel, and Back Bay Veterinary Clinic , Kathie Bernstein for a donated necklace, and The Ayer Mansion for a tour. Individual sponsors were $1000 from Peter Sougarides of Samuels & Associates, $500 from Randall Albright, Parker James, Maddy Segal, and Lexi Crivon, and $250 from Margaret Pokorny, Pam Beale, Daria McLean, John Iappini, and Arley Reyes.

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2019 Muddy River Cleanup

Saturday, April 27, 2019, 9am-12pm: Meeting Point at Charlesgate East and Beacon Street

Thanks to the roughly 50 people who came and helped us get Charlesgate cleaned up this year in conjunction with the Charles River Watershed Association and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. Members of the Downtown Boston Rotary Club participated.

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Second Annual Silent Auction with Wine and Cheese

Sunday, January 27, 2019, 3-6pm — 400 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02115

Thanks to all who came and bid at the Silent Auction for Charlesgate Alliance on January 27th. Here is an article about the event in the Improper Bostonian.

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DCR Charlesgate: A Template for Creative Spacemaking

Monday, November 5, 2018, Fenway Community Center, 1282 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215, 6:30-9pm

Ron Mallis of Boston APP/Lab presented a design workshop to address questions of access when developing public spaces and public art. Using the emerging vision of Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams of Landing Studio and the universal design practices of Charles Baldwin at the Massachusetts Cultural Council, about 20 people participated in this experiential workshop on art, access, and design.

Parker James and Participants at the Boston APP/Lab Event

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There is Something Brewing in Charlesgate

Thursday, October 11, 2018, from 6 to 8pm in the lobby of 4 Charlesgate East

Roughly 90 people braved the rain for our evening fundraiser featuring craft beer, cocktails and food in the lobby of The Charlesgate. Thanks to Daria McLean Gibson Sotheby’s, Matthew S. Ginsburg, DMD, Charlesgate Realty Group, Columbus and Over Group, Sonsie, Cornish Pasty, Cornwall’s, Aeronaut Brewing, Hope Family Wines, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Treehouse Brewery from Fenway Hazen, and Bakish Designs for their donations to this event. Here is the invitation to the event.

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Open Newbury Street

Sunday, September 9, 2018, 11am-5pm

We had a table in front of Patagonia (346 Newbury Street) with information about our project. It was enjoyable to meet people who were learning both about Charlesgate as well as the larger Emerald Necklace.

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Walk Around and Talk About DCR Charlesgate

Saturday, June 9, 2018, 12-2pm 

We both walked around and talked about DCR Charlesgate with Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams of Landing Studio. We came together to celebrate the community-led concept design, and launch into next steps towards realizing the vision. Here is the flyer for the event.

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Charlesgate in Bloom Fundraiser and Cocktail Party

Saturday, April 28, 2018, 5pm-7pm; 395 Commonwealth Avenue (The Ayer Mansion), Boston, MA 02215

Thanks to the roughly 93 people who joined us for the Charlesgate Community Event of the Spring, Charlesgate in Bloom, a memorable evening in The Ayer Mansion, the only surviving residence created by American artist and designer, Louis Comfort Tiffany, at 395 Commonwealth Avenue. Charlesgate in Bloom was a fundraising event for the Charlesgate Alliance. Special thanks to Pawsh, Back Bay Florist, Deuxave, The Capital Grille, Sonsie, Wine Gallery, and Trill Foods. Here is an invitation for the event.

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2018 Muddy River Cleanup

Saturday, April 28, 2018, 9am-12pm: Meeting Point at Charlesgate East and Beacon Street

This was our second year of participation in the Charlesgate area of the Muddy River Tributary region of the Charles River with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Charles River Watershed Association. Roughly 65 people came, including members of the Boston Seminole Club, MIT fraternity members from Phi Kappa Sigma, Delta Tau Delta, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Boston University’s Branch Out, the Boston Latin School Fishing Club, and members of the Charlesgate Alliance.

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Talk About DCR Charlesgate — Meeting Three

Monday, April 9, 2018 — 7pm to 9pm, 100 Bay State Road, Room 545, Boston, MA 02215

Despite the chilly early April weather, we had a great turnout, led by Landing Studio, who have been honing ideas based on our first two meetings about the future possibilities for the Charlesgate area. They shared “existing” and “proposed” slides from the ground level, among other more developed ideas. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

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Wine and Cheese Tasting with Silent Auction

Sunday, January 28, 2018, 3-6pm — 400 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
Thanks to all who worked on this event, as organizers, contributors, and participants. The Charlesgate Alliance raised over $12,000. Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams from Landing Studio were on hand. Approximately 135 people attended. Will Brownsberger donated the Door Prize, a personal tour of the State House followed by lunch for six. Here is an invitation for the event.

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Talk about DCR Charlesgate Park — Meeting Two

Monday, December 4, 2017 — 7pm to 9pm, 91 Bay State Road, Common Lounge, First Floor, Boston, MA 02215

We had a wonderful turnout as Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams of Landing Studio again led us in a discussion of possibilities for improvement to DCR Charlesgate Park. See the event flyer for details. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

December 4 Public Meeting

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Talk about DCR Charlesgate Park – Meeting One

Tuesday, October 10, 2017 — 7pm to 9pm, 91 Bay State Road, Common Lounge, First Floor, Boston, MA 02215

Thanks to all who joined us as we discussed possibilities for improvement to DCR Charlesgate Park. The event began with historical background by Parker James and a welcome by Karen Mauney-Brodek, followed by a presentation by Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams of Landing Studio before we moved to smaller groups to discuss the park. Here is the event flyer. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

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Walk around DCR Charlesgate Park

Saturday, September 16, 2017 —  2pm to 4pm

It was great to see so many people turn out as we walked around DCR Charlesgate Park to survey current conditions and talk about possibilities to invigorate various areas. Starting location was in the area bounded by Charlesgate East and Beacon Street. See the event flyer for details. A special thanks to the members of Phi Kappa Sigma at MIT, who helped with park cleanup preparation and stayed around with us during the tour. Principals Marie Law Adams and Dan Adams of our newly named architectural firm, Landing Studio, were on hand.

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Annual Earth Day – Muddy River Cleanup

Saturday, April 29, 2017 

What a great day! Over 65 people showed up, including State Senator Will Brownsberger, State Representative Jay Livingstone, Ellen Arnstein from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, a number of DCR people with trucks to cut up big branches and take trash away, Charlesgate Alliance members, as well as members of Greater Boston Kiwanis, MIT ROTC, and Grant Thornton. Thanks to all who helped! The area looks a thousand times better now!!

The Boston Sun’s article on the event is available here.

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Leadership Meetings

Monday, March 11, 2019, 6-8pm, 91 Bay State Road, Seminar Room, Boston, MA 02215

We celebrated the $400,000 funding which was recently approved by Mayor Walsh and voted on by the Boston City Council from Community Preservation Commission’s recommendation, and talked about how that, combined with $250,000 earlier released by the Commonwealth, will be used to develop a Charlesgate Park Revitalization Plan with a team of consultants. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

Monday, December 10, 2018, 7-9pm, 91 Bay State Road, Seminar Room, Boston, MA 02215

We celebrated the $250,000 funding which was recently released to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy for design and engineering improvements to Charlesgate Park, reviewed steps taken to professionalize the Alliance, got updates from existing committees and announced new ones, and ended with a presentation from Landing Studio. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

Monday, October 15, 2018, 7pm — 91 Bay State Road, Seminar Room, Boston, MA 02215

We discussed the finances of the Alliance, our fundraiser last Thursday, status of our earmark, the completed CPA grant application, the end of the Charlesgate Chairs this season, and our relationship with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 7pm —MIT Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity house, 530 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02215

We discussed the status of an earmark that the Legislature approved, a CPA grant application, possible collaborations through Landing Studio, and upcoming events.

Monday, July 23, 2018, 7pm — 91 Bay State Road, Common Lounge, Boston, MA 02215

We discussed progress with the Muddy Water Committee, the Events Committee, dog park research, a Safe Streets initiative, and ended with the current draft of a fundraising document created by Landing Studio. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

Monday, May 7, 2018, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

We discussed results from our recent events and planned for a Walk Around and Talk  About Charlesgate on June 9th from 12-2pm.

Monday, March 5, 2018, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

We discussed progress in Landing Studio’s design for Charlesgate, planning for our next public meeting, as well as a fundraiser on April 28th.

Monday, February 5, 2018, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

We discussed results from our first Wine & Cheese & Silent Auction event, discussed ideas for a future fundraiser, and talked about progress with the project in general.

Monday, January 8, 2018, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
We discussed results from our second “Talk About DCR Charlesgate Park” (December 4th), a grant for which we are hoping to apply at the end of January, and our upcoming silent auction (January 28th), among other matters. View or download a PDF slideshow of the event.

Thursday, November 2, 2017, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
We discussed results from our recent “Talk About DCR Charlesgate Park” (October 10th) and planned our next “Talk About” event on December 4th, among other matters.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
We discussed our upcoming “Talk About DCR Charlesgate Park” (October 10th, 7-9pm) with representatives from our new architectural firm, Landing Studio, and other matters.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
We discussed and finalized our decision to move ahead with an architectural firm to participate in the community process for improvements to the area. We also discussed final preparations for our upcoming “Walk around DCR Charlesgate Park” (September 16, 2-4pm).

Monday, August 20, 2017, 7pm — Shattuck Visitor Center, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
We discussed our request for proposals from architectural firms to participate in the community process for improvements to the park, finances, and our upcoming “Walk around DCR Charlesgate Park” (September 16th, 2-4pm).

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