Navy Yard Stroll & Sculptures
Join Artist Michael Alfano & Friends of the Boston Harborwalk for a stroll along the sculpture route to learn about Charlestown Navy Yard History and the 20 sculptures exhibited in the “Of Many Minds” public art exhibit.
Saturday, October 29, 2022
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Co-sponsored by Navy Yard Garden & Art with Friends of the Boston Harborwalk (FBHW)
To Sign up for the free tour: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-charlestown-navy-yard-history-and-art-tickets-431162447487
Good Bye WOW: Wind On Water
Letter to the editor by Robin DiGiammarino, NYGA President
Charlestown Patriot-Bridge
This month our Charlestown community will say goodbye to the successful Wind On Water (WOW) public art exhibit, closing a sixteen month exhibit that highlighted our extraordinary corner of the city in the Charlestown Navy Yard.
The sculptures, created by nationally recognized sculptor Lyman Whitaker, will be dismantled after Columbus Day weekend. The thirty-two wind sculptures, of diverse heights and design, beautifully showcased our windy microclimate while delighting thousands of visitors, neighbors and friends who strolled along the Harbor Walk from Shipyard Park to Thomas Menino Park.
Installed in the spring of 2020 during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this outdoor family -friendly exhibit provided a welcome opportunity to enjoy public art with built-in social distancing during a period of time when so many Boston venues were closed.
Donor support was vital to the success of this public art project. We thank the many friends, neighbors, community organizations and businesses for their financial support as well as approval by the Boston Art Commission and the BPDA. We appreciate the ongoing support of the City of Boston and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture for awarding an Opportunity Fund grant for this public art project.
We also thank our many sponsors: Boston Harbor Cruises, Boston Autoport, Charlestown Marina, Cut-Splice, Diversified Automotive, Friends of the Charlestown Navy Yard, Harborview at the Navy Yard, John Hancock, Legal Seafoods, Lundgren Management, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Residence Inn by Marriott, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, Thayer & Associates, and The Anchor at Charlestown Navy Yard.
As we look ahead to 2022, we are inspired to continue our effort to enhance Shipyard Park and the Charlestown Navy Yard.
Robin DiGiammarino, President
Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc.
Click here to read article in the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.
Pier 5 RFP Process
Important Update
November 22, 2021
by Morgan McDaniel, Real Estate and Community Development Officer
Greetings,
We wanted to take a moment to share an update with you regarding the Request for Proposals (RFP) process for Pier 5.
First and foremost, we want to thank every community member and stakeholder for your participation in the process and for submitting feedback and comments to us. We greatly appreciate everyone's thoughtful input.
After a lengthy review and serious consideration, we have decided to reject all three proposals. We look forward to continuing the dialogue through further collaboration as we work together to determine the next steps for the Pier 5 site.
The goal of the RFP was to determine if a public-private partnership was a viable and appropriate option to allow the pier to be demolished and achieve a productive community-oriented and supported use at Pier 5. The three proposals we received took extremely creative approaches to the challenges posed by the site. The BPDA is very grateful for the extensive time and effort each team took to respond. However, we have determined that they are not the right approach for this site at this time.
To learn more, CLICK HERE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robin DiGiammarino, President Nancy Krepelka, Treasurer Donna Kenny, Clerk Marian Tse, Assistant Clerk
Jules Pieri Hallie Pinta Terry Savage Ruth Raphael, EX OFFICIO
Morgan McDaniel
Real Estate and Community Development Officer
Boston Planning & Development Agency
22 Drydock Ave, Boston, MA 02210
Letter in Response to Pier 5 Proposals, March 31, 2021
Introduction & Vision
The Navy Yard Garden Association (NYGA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to revitalize and enhance open spaces in the Charlestown Navy Yard through planning, design and programming for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. Since our inception in 2017, we have worked collaboratively with stakeholders and sponsors on numerous projects including two major public arts exhibits, with a third permanent art installation planned for 2021. Our perspective in reviewing the three Pier 5 proposals is informed by our mission statement to enhance open space and our suggestions are brainstorming ideas that certainly need robust testing in the larger Charlestown community.
Fundamentally, we seek to elevate the conversation about the Pier 5 development from an “either-or'' argument into a collaborative effort involving the community, a developer, non-profit experts, and BPDA stakeholders to create a Charlestown Community Waterfront. Our nonprofit, over the past four years, has seen growing interest, participation and community support for the revitalization of open space and the addition of programming, plantings and public art. We believe the community at large has the motivation and interest to create a vision for an inclusive Charlestown Waterfront.
Paul Murphy, Chief Communication Officer for the MGH Institute of Health Professions states: "We support the Navy Yard Garden Association's comprehensive and collaborative approach to the issues surrounding the development of Pier 5". This support reinforces our belief in the community’s readiness and motivation to engage on the issues.
Charlestown Community Waterfront
Although the current RFP is focused on Pier 5 and the Pump House, the time is right to involve the community in creating a comprehensive vision and plan for the current RFP, as well as Piers 3 and 4, which are permanently designated for public space and use, rather than private development, but have not been imagined or maintained to achieve full public benefit. As currently configured, this core and central section of the Charlestown waterfront is suspended in time. There has been substantial public-private development work on the eastern end of the Charlestown harbor front extending from Spaulding Hospital to Pier 6. We also anticipate a wonderful outcome in the National Park’s planned updates, extending westward from Pier 2 to the end of the park. Anticipating this successful National Park project and plans to upgrade the Visitor Experience, the glaring “hole in the middle” will be Piers 3 to 5, thus our vision for the Charlestown Community Waterfront.
We envision a future waterfront where Charlestown residents, workers, students and tourists arrive in the Navy Yard and opt to stay for a while to enjoy the view of the city skyline and to explore activities and public amenities designed to fit in the neighborhood. Success means two things:
*Residents from all over Boston, especially the core areas of Charlestown, will have a true reason to spend a Saturday or weekday evening in the Navy Yard, with a full enough range of amenities and open space to engage people of all ages and life stages.
*On a future list of the top ten destinations in Boston, or on a Monday Night Football highlights reel, this area of our beloved waterfront will be included, because of the innovative development of public spaces, architecture, and/or iconic art.
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Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc. P.O. BOX 290525 Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129 navyyardgarden.org
Click here to read the entire letter.
Pier 5
The Jewel of the Harbor
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.- Why is NYGA interested in the development of Pier 5?
A- It aligns with the core of our mission as a 501c3 nonprofit organization “to help the Boston Planning and Development Agency revitalize and enhance its public open spaces within the Charlestown Navy Yard… through planning, design, programming, and implementation for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.”
Q2.- What is your goal?
A – We want to pursue the potential for a bigger, bolder vision to imagine iconic spaces on the pier that include pubic art, exhibits and amenities that enhance this unique portion of our historic harbor front. We hope our efforts help to elevate the Pier 5 project, not diminish or shrink it, so there will be a positive outcome for all stakeholders in the Navy Yard and beyond.
Q3. - Are you advocating for any particular developer to be awarded the project?
A – Not at this time. We are advocating for development of a project with a dynamic vision that will create unique outcomes and further our mission to revitalize and enhance open spaces in the Charlestown Navy Yard. We are not advocating for any one of the three development proposals that have been submitted in response to the recent Request for Proposals (RFP) requested by the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA). Please see the links below for access to the BPDA and the three Pier 5 proposals.
6M proposal - http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/054ad271-21dd-48a6-8c95-52bcd1f35f8a
Navy Blue proposal – http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/e2f92b8a-db01-4a42-9eec-fe8453382999
Urbanica proposal – http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/d1eb3a97-13a4-4607-8d7a-f6bf52cb9b8d
BPDA RFP - http://www.bostonplans.org/work-with-us/procurement/rfp-listing-page?id=228
Q4.- How are you advocating for this overarching goal?
A4. – Our board has invited each of the three developers to meet with us to provide further information and answer in-depth questions about their respective proposals. Some of the topics covered in these meetings include, for example, details about their open space designs and public programming, building heights and visual impacts, traffic and parking issues, noise levels, disruption to Courageous Sailing on Pier 4. This information is being shared with neighborhood community organizations including Friends of the Charlestown Navy Yard, Navy Yard Pier 5, Parris Landing Condo Association, Flagship Wharf Condo Association, and Constellation Wharf Condo Association
Q.5 – Are you meeting only with the developers and BPDA?
A - We are meeting also to explore possibilities for collaboration with other nonprofit organizations such as The Trustees of Reservations (www.thetrustees.org), the Conservation Law Foundation (www.clf.org), and Boston Harbor Now (www.bostonharbornow.org). The Trustees is dedicated to preserving and sharing locations of exceptional scenic, historic and ecological value. The Foundation has a strong focus on climate change and protecting the fragility of the New England shoreline. Boston Harbor Now has as its sole purpose realizing Boston Harbor’s potential to benefit our city and region while partnering with public agencies, community leaders, businesses, and non-profits.
Q. 6 - How may I help in these efforts?
A - As we gather more information we will share it with the community. In addition, you may also wish to visit another organization with valuable resources about the pier at www.navyyardpier5.org .
WOW SCULPTURE
EXHIBIT
WRAPS UP
In June 2020, the Navy Yard Garden Association launched the free public art exhibit WOW: Wind on Water by nationally recognized metal sculptor Lyman Whitaker, whose work is held in private collections and displayed at public sites across the U.S. and internationally. The sculptures were on view throughout the seasons until October 11, 2021.
Whitaker’s family friendly exhibit showcased the Navy Yard’s windy microclimate with 31 Wind Sculptures™ of elegant designs and varying heights from approximately six to eighteen feet, spinning and delighting visitors who view the sculptures along the Harbor Walk from Shipyard Park to Menino Park.
This special outdoor exhibit was made possible by support from the Boston Planning & Development Agency and a grant from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and by the City of Boston. In addition, sponsors include corporations, friends and neighbors who have generously lent their support for the first-ever Navy Yard installation of Whitaker’s work in this unique corner of the city.
WOW: WIND ON
WATER SCULPTURES
The Navy Yard Garden Association has launched the free public art exhibit WOW: Wind on Water by nationally recognized metal sculptor Lyman Whitaker, whose work is held in private collections and displayed at public sites across the U.S. and internationally. The sculptures will be on view throughout the seasons until October 11, 2021.
Whitaker’s family friendly exhibit showcases the Navy Yard’s windy microclimate with 31 Wind Sculptures™ of elegant designs and varying heights from approximately six to eighteen feet, spinning and delighting visitors who view the sculptures along the Harbor Walk from Shipyard Park to Menino Park.
This special outdoor exhibit is made possible by support from the Boston Planning & Development Agency and a grant from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and by the City of Boston. In addition, sponsors include corporations, friends and neighbors who have generously lent their support for the first-ever Navy Yard installation of Whitaker’s work in this unique corner of the city.
Come for a “gallery” stroll soon and enjoy a safe, healthy event alongside the city‘s historic harbor!
Photo by James Lee
My sister from New York and I just went to " WOW" today. We had a great time! Thank you for your info. We were so impressed with the navy yard. It was so clean and welcoming to visitors. I have never seen so many benches and chairs. We enjoyed our lunch on one of the lawn chairs in the shade overlooking the water. Thank you for an enjoyable and pleasant day. Thanks to everyone who maintains it. No litter seen anywhere!I
Thank you!
Betty Murley
Video by M. Gyra
WOW:Wind On Water
WBZ interview with Robin DiGiammarino, NYGA President
The WBZ radio interview with Robin DiGiammarino about the WOW exhibit was featured on the program "WBZ New England". The WOW segment aired on November 14, 2020. Click on the link below to listen.
WOW: Wind On Water Exhibit Featured on “Chronicle”, WCVB (ABC) TV 5 in Boston
Broadcast Monday, August 24, 2020 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, August 6, 2020
The past week- and really the entire summer - has been a wonderful time to head to the Navy Yard and catch the Wind On Water kinetic sculpture exhibit, a series of eight metal designs that move in the wind and invite folks to stop and enjoy. Created by renowned kinetic sculptor Lynman Whitaker, the creations are mesmerizing and fun. Here, one of the designs in front of DryDock #1 twirls in the wind on Monday. Meanwhile, Tess the dog found a comfortable spot to enjoy these shiny sculptures in Shipyard Park.
Click here to read full article.
Exhibit Signs Poppin’ Up ‘round Town!
Eye catching posters and signs for the WOW:Wind on Water sculpture exhibit are now on view at various bus shelters, public restroom stations, and on the side of buses throughout Boston.
This exhibit is free and for public enjoyment throughout the coming year. It’s a safe, wonderful activity for the whole family during this time of pandemic regulations for mask wearing and social distancing.
Come give WOW:Wind on Water a whirl!
Read What Neighbors Say About WOW: Wind on Water
RK: "They look great!! Congrats on getting them installed!"
IK: "WOW! That’s great! We have one of the spinners they have displayed in our place in New Hampshire."
MP: "They look great!"
DP: "You and your team have done a wonderful job as usual. Thank you. The WOW Wind on Water sculptures are spectacular."
PM: "The sculptures look great!"
DT:- "Truly love the sculptures!!!"
AL - "Looks great! Thank you and your team for this exhibit."
PG : "The Wind on Water sculptures are absolutely fantastic! I walk through the Navy Yard every day and admire them. They blend in so well with the environment and you get a different experience depending on the weather. I'm so inspired by them and can't wait to see them in all seasons. We are hoping these can be a permanent exhibition. Thank you for making the Navy Yard the best spot in Boston!"
KT : "So happy to see the beautiful addition to the Harborwalk. This will remind me to take a nice walk on my lunch break!!"
LR : "I just want to thank for the beautiful wind sculptures by Lyman Whitaker. The first time I saw his work was in Santa Fe, NM and have loved it ever since. I walk the Harbor Walk everyday and really appreciate the flowers and plantings as well."
NR: "This is such a work of art that came to the Navy Yard when we all needed something else to talk about. Everyone loves them. I am looking forward to viewing “Chronicle”. A big thank you to the Navy Yard Garden Association."
BR: "Congratulations and a big thank you to the NYGA and all involved!"
LS: "So exciting and just so beautiful!"
MP: "Awesome! Thanks for all your organization does for the community."
DL: "Thank you so much for the WOW Wind on Water exhibit in the Charlestown Navy Yard. I enjoy looking at the structures as I walk along our water's edge. What a nice addition to our neighborhood, to cheer us up, especially during the COVID restrictions."
BM: "Congratulations on the beautiful kinetic sculptures!"
JTK: "Walked by these down by the Yard yesterday. They're awesome to sit and experience. It's like magic.....I could barely feel the breeze... And, yet, they turned. Fantastic installation.”
TB: "Not only are the sculptures beautiful and fun to watch, they decide if I need a hat when I go for a walk. Thank you for bringing it to us."
Charlestown Chamber of Commerce: "Mesmerizing to watch the wind sculptures against that gorgeous sky!"
Kim Sell Boston: "Just beautiful!"
LH: "Need to add this to the list for our visit whenever it happens. I love these wind sculptures."
KS: "So pretty."
EB: "Lyman Whitaker's Wind on Water Sculpture is just magnificent. Thank you so much for all of your hard work to make this installation possible. Well done to all members of the Navy Yard Garden Association!"
HOW MANY BULBS? 600!
Many hands make light work!
Saturday November 7, 2020 was a gorgeous day with sunny blue skies and mild temperatures, a perfect day for Fall gardening.
Robin DiGiammarino, president of the Navy Yard Garden Association (NYGA), reported that NYGA volunteers “successfully planted 600 daffodil bulbs, including 200 new bulbs in the National Park Service planters and garden area by the West Gate.” Volunteers also dug 400 holes and filled them with daffodil bulbs near the Shipyard Park amphitheater where visitors enjoy relaxing in the popular white Adirondack chairs.
All the bulbs were donated by Boston Blooms with Daffodils, a city initiative that, according to its website, “distributes approximately 15,000 daffodil bulbs every year to volunteers who plant them in public spaces across the city”. Further information about the program is available at https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/boston-blooms-daffodils
See you in Springtime!
Video by M. Gyra
Volunteer gardeners plant 600 bulbs.
Just 599 more to go...
Garden Refreshed at the Massachusetts Korean War Memorial
Michael Manning, President of the Friends of the Boston Harborwalk
In mid June volunteers from the Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc joined Michael Manning, president of the Friends of the Boston Harborwalk, to plant a selection of new annuals and perennials at the Massachusetts Korean War Memorial in Shipyard Park.
The stunning memorial was commissioned in 1993 by the Massachusetts Korean War Veterans Committee. It features a dramatic bronze sculpture of a soldier on a granite base. The memorial was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in 1997.
The handsome memorial pays tribute to participants in the Korean War (1950-1953) or, as it is sometimes referred to, the "Forgotten War". An estimated three to four million people died in the three year war. Seventy per cent of the fatalities are believed to have been civilians.
The monument’s central figure is a soldier on sentry duty, fighting off the cold while looking straight ahead. He is surrounded on five sides by six columns which bear the names of the fallen engraved on bronze plaques. Above the columns are the names of the battles that occurred during the Korean War. A number of quiet benches, where visitors can rest and contemplate, circle the memorial. Dedicated donor bricks planted in the ground completely surround the central monument.
As you step into the memorial you activate an audio playback system which allows visitors to listen to oral history excerpts of some of the veterans’ wartime experiences.
Sources of this historical information include Wikipedia, www.waymarking.com and the New York Times.
Bench Dedicated
Friday June 5, 2020 the Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc. honored one of its founders, former board member Barbara Brenner, with a bronze plaque attached to a bench located in a charming corner of the Yard near the Charlestown-Long Wharf ferry landing. The plaque reads, “In Honor of Barbara Brenner Whose Beautiful Idea Blossomed into The Navy Yard Garden Association”.
Barbara has enjoyed lifelong gardening, devoted to maintaining her home gardens on Cape Cod and dedicated to enriching public gardens in the Navy Yard where she also has resided for many years.
The Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc. (NYGA) is a 501©3 volunteer organization. It was formed in February 2017 with the purpose of restoring waterfront gardens in the Navy Yard. In March 2018 the board adopted the following mission statement 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.”
In addition to its seasonal gardening efforts, in its first four years NYGA has sponsored two large public outdoor sculpture exhibits, The Big Dog Show (2018) and WOW: Wind on Water (2020-2021), and an Annual Holiday Sing & Stroll.
All in a June Day
Cheerful NYGA volunteers planted annuals this month in the rectangular garden near the Charlestown-Long Wharf ferry landing and also in the circular garden at the end of 8th Street. Participants were careful to try to maintain social distancing.
A recent Saturday morning in May brought out NYGA volunteers to help rejuvenate window boxes at the Commandant’s House in the Navy Yard. The group cleaned out plant debris and old soil from the large boxes. They refilled them with heathy soil and added a new self-watering system. This year’s plantings include red geraniums, variegated vinca and white bacopa blossoms.
“Today was a moment of joy--enjoying time (at a social distance) with a wonderful group of women on a beautiful, sunny day and bringing a little life back to the Commandant's House and to the Navy Yard with newly planted window boxes.” - Ruth Raphael,
Program Director for Landscape Architecture & Design, National Parks of Boston
Photo by Amy Engelhardt
Daffodils Delight During Covid19
Among the most anticipated signs of Spring in New England is the bright bloom of brilliant yellow daffodils basking in the season’s early warmth. Another popular rite of springtime here is the Boston Marathon.
Mid-April every year in Boston and its western suburbs, stretching nearly thirty miles to Hopkinton, the Massachusetts holiday known as Patriots Day is celebrated with the internationally acclaimed Boston Marathon, the world’s longest running marathon that attracts thousands of world class and amateur runners to the city. On April 15, 2013 during the Boston marathon two bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three victims and injuring several hundred others, including 16 who lost limbs.
This year the global coronavirus pandemic, Covid19, canceled the city’s annual marathon. However, a profusion of daffodils will still bloom in the Charlestown Navy Yard.
Diane Valle of Charlestown is the founder of Marathon Daffodils, a mammoth volunteer project during the last several years to plant thousands of daffodil bulbs and pots of the flowers along the marathon’s 26.2 miles (42.195 kilometers).
“The pots of daffodils usually line the marathon path. Since there is no marathon this year (organizers) delivered them to neighborhoods,” explains Nancy Krepelka, treasurer of the Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc. (NYGA).
On Thursday April 16, 2020, reports Robin DiGiammarino, president of NYGA, “we placed 88 pots around the three anchors at the top of Dry Dock 2.” It is a cheerful welcome to all who walk, bike or drive by the First Street entrance to the Navy Yard.
The daffodils represent “a subliminal message that we care. There’s something to look forward to and Spring will come again,” explains Diane Valle in the film trailer for Path of the Daff: A Story of Hope and Inspiration. More information about the Marathon Daffodil project is available at www.pathofthedaff.com
May all passersby enjoy this bright and hopeful sign of life at this difficult time in our history.
A Busy Spring
Saturday, May 18, 2019 was an absolutely perfect Spring day here in the Navy Yard! NYGA volunteers rolled up our sleeves, grabbed trowels and worked alongside members of the Flagship Wharf Garden Committee to plant 300 pots of New Guinea Impatiens in the circle garden at the end of 8th Street and the adjacent Sea Walk garden. Annuals were also added to the rectangle garden near the ferry area by Pier 4.
This season NYGA volunteers look forward to assisting Mike Manning, president of Friends of the Boston Harbor Walk, to refresh plantings around the Korean War Memorial in Shipyard Park. We also will partner with the U.S. Constitution Museum to help with a selection of plantings for its new outdoor seating area on Pier 3.
You may have noticed that the popular red Adirondack chairs have returned to the western slope of lawn below the amphitheater observation deck. We’ve added six more chairs and invite you to come by and sit a while in one of the most relaxing areas of the Navy Yard.
The USS Constitution Museum Creates New Waterfront Patio
The USS Constitution Museum has opened a new waterfront patio. It is an attractive and relaxing public space located at Dry Dock #2 on Baxter Road, adjacent to the backside of the popular Navy Yard museum. The public is invited to enjoy the patio’s bright blue umbrellas and comfortable tables and chairs. Accenting the patio are attractive flower boxes filled with cheerful seasonal plantings. This summer the Navy Yard Garden Association collaborated with museum staff on this new addition to the Navy Yard landscape.
December 10, 2019
2nd Annual Sing & Stroll
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.
(L) Christian Guerra, Art Collection and Program Manager, Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture; (R) Robin DiGiammarino, President. Navy Yard Garden Association, Inc.
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!
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.
RESTORING PERENNIAL GARDENS
2017 INAUGURAL PROJECT
BEFORE
AFTER
