Although 2020 provided us all with many challenges, here at the Esplanade Association we are grateful for the work we were able to accomplish this past year thanks to the support of our donors, members, volunteers, and partners at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). As we embark on celebrating our 20th year as an organization, we’re reflecting on our incredible achievements in 2020—a year where the Esplanade was more indispensable than ever before. Read on below for our full year in review!
Volunteers Made a Difference on the Esplanade
- 23 volunteer days with corporate groups and individual volunteers
- 376 total hours of community service by volunteers
- 1,500 bulbs planted along the Esplanade
- 65 benches painted throughout the park
- 118 bags of trash removed from the Esplanade and its shorelines
Engaging Programs Both on and off the Esplanade
- 8 Frost Fit Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts workouts from January to March 2020
- Nearly 300 participants in the Esplanade Virtual 5K Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
- 888.6 total miles ran by Virtual 5K participants across 13 states and in 3 countries
- 6 GroundBeat: the Esplanade’s FREE Riverfront Music Series Virtual Concerts (nominated for 1 Boston Music Award!)
- 10 GroundBeat artists different music styles and backgrounds playing 720 minutes of free music
Investing in Park Improvements
- 125 cubic yards of playground mulch spread for safety at the Stoneman Playground
- 1,000-pound crate for the brand new Dance Chimes shipped to the Esplanade
- 261 granite pavers replaced by hand at Stoneman Playground
- 150 years of Esplanade history covered on the scrim at the EA in-park operations site (1870 to 2020)
- 803 Esplanade visitors responded to phase one of the Esplanade Usage Survey
Caring for the Esplanade’s Tree Canopy
- 49 trees of 16 different species or cultivars planted in 2020
- 12 new species of trees introduced to Esplanade
Admiring the Esplanade’s Wildlife
21 swans were spotted at once in Storrow Lagoon!
