Last week Save the Harbor/Save the Bay awarded $27,000 to several East Boston organizations to fund free beach events as part of Save the Harbor’s Better Beaches program. This year’s Eastie grant recipients include Triangle, Inc, The Harborkeepers, East Boston YMCA, NOAH, Piers Park Sailing Center, and the Boston Circus Guild. Each organization will run free family friendly community events at Constitution Beach.
“The metropolitan beaches are extraordinary assets that belong to all the people of our region,” said Executive Director of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay Chris Mancini. “We’re proud to fund free community events led by organizations that celebrate and represent our communities’ cultural and racial diversity, and what we have in common: we love our beaches.”
However, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay switched things up a bit during this year’s Better Beaches Grant cycle. At the recommendation of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC), the three largest grants were given to organizations that promote racial justice, access for people with disabilities and language accessibility. This recommendation percolated up from the over 250 residents that attended three MBC hearings this past year.
In Eastie, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay awarded $7,500 each to the Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VRCC) and Triangle, Inc.
VRCC will host “Vamos a la Playa”, a series of activities to foster an appreciation for Latin American cultures on Constitution Beach.
Triangle, Inc. will use the money to bring Beach:Ability back to Constitution Beach. Beach:Ability is a day of beach activities with sand and floating wheelchairs available.
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay also used $7,500 to fund free mobility mats and beach wheelchairs to ensure the beach is accessible for everyone.
“Our beaches are most active when Save the Harbor and their partners are hosting free family-friendly and fun activities on them,” said Metropolitan Beaches Commission Co-Chair Rep. Adrian Madaro. “They are especially important to my constituents in East Boston and all those people who rely on these spectacular urban natural resources for recreation.”
Funds to support the program came from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the Baker/Polito Administration, and the annual Harpoon Shamrock Splash, which was held on March 6 at Constitution Beach for the first time.
“DCR is proud of our Better Beaches Program Partnership with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay,” said Acting DCR Commissioner Stephanie Cooper. “We are all looking forward to another great season of free events and programs on DCR’s beaches from Nahant to Nantasket,”
The calendar of events scheduled for Constitution Beach so far is as follows:
July 15, Safety Around Water Celebration
July 16, Harbor Healing
July 17, Boating Safety & Kayaks
July 20, Maritime Festival
July 30, Beach:Ability
July 31, The Master Fete Experience
Aug. 6, Dancing with Aashka
Aug. 12, Maritime Festival
To learn more about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the great work they do to restore, protect and share Boston Harbor, the waterfront, islands, and the region’s public beaches with all Bostonians and the region’s residents, visit their website at www.savetheharbor.org and follow @savetheharbor on social media.