Sing and Stroll
Charlestown Patriot-Bridge
Cheryl Roddy and Karen Benson keep up with the group for singing "It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" during the first annual Navy Yard Garden Association Sing and Stroll on Tuesday, Dec. 11. 2018. The event benefitted the Ronald McDonald House in the Navy Yard.
Click here to read article in the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.
Her Own Doggie Book
Charlestown Patriot-Bridge
September 2, 2018 — Anne and Mae (2) Killelea check out their copy of the “Rescue and Jessica” book after the exciting program and reading in the Navy Yard on Tuesday night, Aug. 21. The authors and illustrator of the book appeared in Shipyard Park to read and answer questions about how they survived and recovered from their injuries sustained during the 2013 Marathon Bombing – with credit going to Charlestown’s Spaulding Rehab and to the hero of their story, Rescue the Dog. The event was sponsored by the Friends of the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Navy Yard Garden Association.
Charlestown Patriot-Bridge article
The Big Dog Show Exhibit Features NEADS Service Dog "Rescue"
This summer, visitors to Shipyard Park, Boston National Historical Park, and the Harbor Walk will be greeted by 20 8 foot high Cor-Ten steel American Dog sculptures as part of a new art installation, “The Big Dog Show.” Created by award winning sculptor Dale Rogers, the exhibit is on display from June 21 to September 10 and is hosted by the Navy Yard Garden Association in partnership with the Boston Planning and Development Agency, Boston National Historical Park, and National Park Service.
Several of the sculptures are “dressed” to represent different sponsors and organizations, including one featuring a NEADS Service Dog. “We’re pleased that the Navy Yard Garden Association is showcasing Service Dogs and the important work they do every day,” says NEADS Director of Development, Cathy Zemaitis, “and we’re delighted that the association has chosen to name one of the sculptures in honor of Boston’s most famous Service Dog, Rescue, who was raised and trained by NEADS.” Rescue is featured in the new children’s book, Rescue and Jessica, authored by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes.
(L) Christian Guerra, Art Collection and Program Manager, Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture; (R) Robin DiGiammarino, President. Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc.
Big Dog Show Opens in Charlestown Navy Yard
More than 300 people and countless dogs of all sizes attended the Grand Opening of The Big Dog Show public art exhibit in the Navy Yard held on the beautiful evening of the summer solstice, June 21st. Distinguished guests included the artist Dale Rogers; Mark Donahue, Deputy Director of Asset Management for the Boston Planning and Development Agency; and Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture for the city of Boston.
Highlights of the celebration included delicious offerings from several food trucks, music by Nevena Djordjevic, and a joyful ribbon-cutting ceremony in Shipyard Park. The Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc., organizer of the exhibit, raised $18,100 in dog “adoptions” and received $25,000 of in-kind donations.
The installation of twenty huge dog sculptures, created from steel by Mr. Rogers and decorated whimsically by corporate sponsors of the event, will be on display through September 10, 2018. It is a family-friendly exhibit, free and open to all members of the public.
The Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc. is a nonprofit entity whose mission is to help the Boston Planning and Development Agency revitalize and enhance its public open spaces within the Charlestown Navy Yard including Shipyard Park through planning, design, programming, and implementation for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. A future goal for the Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc. is the installation of decorative lighting in Shipyard Park.
The Association welcomes volunteers who wish to participate in programming, fundraising, publicity – and dog watching this summer to help us keep an eye on the twenty dogs and make sure they’re happy from now to September 10. For more details, please visit the Contact page.
Boston city officials, exhibit sponsors, and Navy Yard Garden Association board members enjoy a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Big Dog Show
Giant Dog Exhibit to Showcase Summer in the Navy Yard
Charlestown Patriot-Bridge
April 28, 2018 — Big dogs are going to find a home in the Navy Yard this summer. The one-year-old Navy Yard Garden Association announced this week that they have been given the go-ahead to host a public art show this summer that will feature 20 giant metal dogs placed at various locations throughout the Yard. Robin DiGiammarino, of the Association, said the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) and the artist, Dale Rogers, have partnered with them to bring ‘The Big Dog Show.’
“The exhibit will start (on June 21 and) will run through September 10. We started up in 2017 as a group of volunteers who wanted to pick up and get ready for the Tall Ships coming in. That was a first effort and it was successful. That required working with the BPDA and this year (they) engaged us to do something on Shipyard Park. We wanted to build on work that had been done when public art had been explored as an option in the Navy Yard by others before us.”
And so that’s what they did.
They contacted Dale Rogers, who is of Massachusetts, and were able to secure a summer-long installation of his public art installation of large dogs. The 20 dogs are each eight feet tall and 10 feet long and weigh 500 pounds. They will be placed in Shipyard Park and also along the HarborWalk.
“They are fun and they are whimsical,” said DiGiammarino. “There will be 20 of them so we have an opportunity for this to highlight the HarborWalk corridor all the way down to Spaulding…We’re encouraging people to go on the HarborWalk and what better way than have a destination in mind that’s cool.” The Big Dog Show was recently approved by the Boston Arts Commission, and the BPDA is pitching in to create and pour all of the concrete bases for the dog installations.
DiGiammarino said the installation is one of three main goals of the Association. They also hope to bring in free Wi-Fi to the Navy Yard parks, and to add outdoor LED lighting in the parks. “It’s a sleepy place and needs to be revitalized,” she said. “It was designed and constructed about 40 years ago. It’s really time for a facelift.
Sit-a-Spell
The Navy Yard Garden Association partnered with the BPDA (Boston Planning & Development Agency) to bring cheerful and comfy Adirondack chairs to Shipyard Park. They will be freely available all summer. We especially hope residents will use them on the “Overlook Lawn” where we are lucky to have some of the best views of the Boston skyline and Bunker Hill Monument.
Within one day of their arrival, the chairs were in active use, prompting one resident to say, "This is the best thing I have seen in the park in the 20 years since I have lived here.” Local workers and ferry riders were thrilled to discover a new lunchtime and evening option for enjoying downtime in Shipyard Park. Dog walkers now have a chance to sit a spell and commune with their pups and fellow pet lovers. Sometimes it’s just the simple things that make all the difference in a city. Enjoy!