Special To The Times-Free Press
Chris Mancini, executive director of Save The Harbor/Save The Bay, said he was very happy with the large turnout for the East Boston Climate Workshop that was held April 18 at the East Boston YMCA site on Ashley Street.
Mancini’s organization partnered with the Metropolitan Beaches Commission (which is managed by Save The Harbor/Save The Bay for the Mass. State Legislature) in hosting the workshop which provided an opportunity for community members from East Boston and surrounding communities to discuss their vision for the future of East Boston public beaches as the community faces a changing coast.
“We were pleased with the great turnout from residents, partners and organizations like NOAH, Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, Mutual Aid Eastie, East Boston Main Streets, and North American Indian Center of Boston,” said Mancini.
Mancini joined Save The Harbor/Save The Bay Policy Coordinator Alina Zwyer in delivering remarks at the workshop. Other STH/STB staff members present were Deputy Executive Director Kristen Barry, Outreach Coordinator Emma Stout, and Program Coordinator Meghan Gonzalez.
“Climate change is happening and is going to affect our coastline, and we have an opportunity to adapt to and enhance our relationship to the coast,” said Mancini. “Gaining insight from the residents in our waterfront communities (such as East Boston) and beach users on their priorities is a key strategy in developing a response to increased flooding, more severe storms, and sea level rise.”
Rep. Adrian Madaro, Co-Chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, spoke at the workshop.
“I am thrilled to take the work of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission out of the State House and into the community,” said Madaro. “As climate change continues to threaten our coastline, residents’ voices are critical in shaping how we preserve and maintain our public beaches.”
Sen. Lydia Edwards said about the workshop, “I am so grateful for community involvement and good discussion about our future. This is how you grow environmental stewardship.”
Mancini commended East Boston’s elected officials for their work and their advancement of climate change issues. “As a chair and a member of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, respectively, Rep. Madaro and Sen. Edwards have been partners with Save The Harbor in intitiating this strategy in our communities,” credited Mancini. “Councilor [Gabriela] Coletta has been a leader in climate resilience since she entered office, and we’ve had a chance to meet with her and her staff about the issues facing East Boston and the rest of our coastal communities.”
Mancini said that Save The Harbor/Save The Bay will be doing outreach to individual stakeholder groups in East Boston as it continues the process of gathering information about climate resilience goals and the concerns regarding the region’s public beaches.
(Residents wishing to participate in the community engagement process should contact Alina Zwyer at [email protected]).