On Tuesday, November 27, the Boston Landmarks Commission unanimously voted to accept the petition to landmark the Charles River Esplanade for further study. While only ten registered voters in Boston must sign a petition before it is submitted, the Esplanade petition was signed by over 850 people and ten City Councilors from neighborhoods throughout the city.  Community organizations including the Beacon Hill Civic Association, the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, and the Esplanade Association have also expressed their support for the petition. State Representative Marty Walz and City Councilor Michael Ross have also played critical roles in raising awareness about the petition.

Concern for the historic park has mounted after the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced last month that it was considering rerouting traffic onto the Esplanade in order to repair the tunnel on Storrow Drive. This plan would re-route westbound traffic onto the esplanade for at least 22 months, and 89 mature trees will be lost.

To read more about the petition and the efforts of advocates to designate the esplanade, click on the link below: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/11/15/advocates_seek_landmark_status_for_esplanade/

For more information on the Esplanade, including efforts to keep the by-pass road out of the park, please visit the Esplanade Association website at  www.esplanadeassociation.org

 UPDATE: The petition to Landmark the Charles River Esplanade was accepted by the Boston Landmarks Commission for further study. Check back here in the coming months for more information!

(Photo courtesy of a Private Collection.)