Fanuele announces plans as the first executive director of the Friends of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway
By Cary Shuman
East Boston resident Keeley Fanuele has begun in her position as the first executive director of the advocacy group, Friends of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway.
Fanuele, who took office in October, said the Greenway connects all East Boston neighborhoods and spans across City of Boston, Massport, and DCR [Department of Conservation and Recreation] lands. The Greenway is named in honor of Mary Ellen Welch, a lifelong East Boston resident, schoolteacher, and community activist, who died in 2019.
“We do a lot of events on all three portions of the Greenway, and I work with the three groups on maintenance of the Greenway as well,” said Fanuele. “Basically, we want to bring people together in the neighborhood to connect on the Greenway – that’s one of our main goals. So, we schedule a lot of events throughout the year to accomplish that objective.”
The 2025 schedule will include educational and kids-fun events, lively concerts, and a variety of outdoor activities along the Greenway, which is a two-mile area from Marginal Street to Constitution Beach. One major venue for events is the amphitheater at Bremen Street Park located behind the statue of Donald McKay, a builder of clipper ships.
Fanuele said the City of Boston Parks Department is diligently planning improvements on the city’s portion of the Greenway from Porter Street to Marginal Street while Massport does a great job maintaining its parks.
The Friends hosted an event in December at Bremen Street Park.
“Massport recently decorated Bremen Park with beautiful winter lights and we hosted a great luminaria event during the holidays with carolers and refreshments (hot chocolate),” noted Fanuele. “We’ve also been working with DCR officials to create a new garden plot by the entrance to Constitution Beach.”
In January, the Friends hosted a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. educational program for children at the East Boston branch of the Boston Public Library.
“Our next big event is part of our guest speaker series that we’ll be hosting at the library on Feb. 27,” said Fanuele. “We’ll have two officials from the City – Catherine McCandless and Ky’Ron Owens – who will be talking about climate change in East Boston and what you can do in terms of emergency preparedness.”
Amy Linne, project manager from the Boston Parks Department, will present an update on the final plans for the Greenway’s $3 million reconstruction project during the Feb. 27 program at the library.
“A lot of people in East Boston don’t realize that the section from Marginal Street to Porter Street – from the Blue Caboose to the dog park – will be under construction for almost two years through the end of 2026,” noted Fanuele.
“Though that section will be closed, we will still be holding a lot of events, and a lot of fun will be happening on the Greenway,” she added. “Lisa Cappuccio is responsible for planning those events. She’s ready to roll. We just got some funding from the East Boston Foundation for our concert series, and Lisa is going to start booking artists and musicians and putting together the calendar.”
Fanuele said a website for the Friends of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway is under construction.
“We’re creating a better website, so people can learn more about the Greenway and see what events are coming up, and how they can get involved and volunteer. We’re also starting a garden club this spring,” said Fanuele, adding that the residents can follow the group on Instagram and Facebook as well.
Keeley Fanuele, 43, is graduate of UMass Amherst where she majored in hospitality and tourism. She previously worked in event planning for big-city hotels, including the Boston Park Plaza and the New York Hilton. Keeley and her husband, Luke Fanuele, live in East Boston and have three children, Francesca, Philomena, and Enzo.
Fanuele is excited to oversee such a vital portion of the East Boston neighborhood.
“I think the Greenway has a lot of potential and it’s a great thing that East Boston has,” said Fanuele. “We want the Greenway to be a place, a destination for all the neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts, and beyond. We have a world-class park here, and we’d love to engage as many people as we can.”
Rep. Madaro praises
Fanuele’s appointment
Rep. Adrian Madaro praised Fanuele’s appointment as the Greenway’s first-ever executive director, stating, “Keeley Fanuele’s appointment as the first executive director of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway marks an exciting new chapter for this vital greenspace in East Boston. The Greenway is a treasure that brings together families, cyclists, runners, and nature lovers, all while honoring Mary Ellen Welch’s legacy of advocacy. With Keeley at the helm, the Greenway will continue to thrive as a place of connection, recreation, and environmental stewardship.”