Esplanade Association

MISSION The Esplanade Association is a non-profit friends’ group working to restore, preserve and enhance the historic Charles River Esplanade as a vital urban park to be enjoyed by all. DESCRIPTION The Esplanade Association is a dynamic nonprofit collaboration of citizens working to protect, restore, and beautify Boston’s historic Charles River Esplanade. One of the oldest, most dramatic, and most popular urban parks in the country, the Esplanade comprises three miles of parkland stretching along the shore of the Charles River from the Museum of Science to the Boston University Bridge. The Esplanade is where many of the citizens of Boston celebrate the seasons, and the Esplanade Association is dedicated to enhancing the park’s ability to serve them. The Association is also committed to building partnerships, raising funds to restore and care for the Esplanade, and recruiting volunteers to carry out their mission. To achieve their goals for the Esplanade, they work closely with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the state agency charged with care of the park. The Association also established productive partnerships with other corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. The Esplanade Association is currently working to restore historic granite landings and memorials, renovate wooden docks, revitalize the landscape, improve the Charles bank recreational area, expand community outreach programs, and augment maintenance efforts. IMPACT Some of the Esplanade Association’s numerous accomplishments include constructing the Miriam and Sidney Stoneman Playground, donating 12 kayaks to Community Boating, successfully advocating for the repair and refurbishment of the pedestrian footbridges that cross Storrow Drive, expanding outreach efforts to inner-city children, and funding of a Project Place group to help Department of Conservation and Recreation staff maintain the Esplanade and sponsored regular community cleanups.