2017 was an amazing year for the Charles River Esplanade, as well the Esplanade Association! With your support, we continued to grow our capacity to revitalize and enhance the Esplanade, preserve natural green space, and build community in the Park.
The numbers speak for themselves:
VOLUNTEERS IN THE PARK
- 1,610 volunteers joined us in the Park
- 4,800 hours of volunteer work provided the Esplanade Association over $100,000 in volunteer labor
- 467 industrial-sized bags of litter cleared
- 21 corporate groups joined us, donating over $25,000 on top of their service to the Park
- 271 benches painted (that’s every bench in the Park!)
PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY
- 700 children participated in Children in the Park (ChiP) from 20 summer camps
- 4,757 people took a Zumba, Yoga, and/or Bootcamp class at Healthy, Fit & Fun
- 300 runners in the Esplanade Sunset 5k
- 78 kids and their parents attended the first year of Family Adventures
PARK IMPROVEMENTS
- $359,000 invested in restoring the Lotta Fountain and improving the landscaping around it
- 21,200 bulbs of 9 different species planted in the Park to bloom this upcoming spring
- $42,000 raised to turn an unwelcoming part of the Park into a vibrant art mural
- 1,282 perennials, 505 plug plants, 141 shrubs, and 7 trees planted
- 11 ornamental gardens maintained with a focus on native and pollinator-friendly species
SUSTAINABILITY
- 7,800 gallons of compost tea used in place of harmful chemicals
- 48% of the Park’s trees pruned since 2015, keeping them growing healthy and strong
OTHER NUMBERS
- 26 attractions highlighted on the A-to-Z Scavenger Hunt
- 70 banners installed along Storrow Drive with the support of Reebok
- 3 high school interns given hands on training in Horticulture work
We sincerely thank you for making all of this possible!
