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From YouTube: Jamaica Pond Pathways Unveiling & Dedication Ceremony
Description
Join in as Mayor Walsh, the Parks and Rec Department, community members, and park advocates gather to unveil $4.7 million in renovations recently completed around Jamaica Pond. This investment features new and improved walkways, increased seating, signage, newly planted trees, a water bottle filler, and accessbility improvements. Additionally, the Jamaica Pond Boathouse will be dedicated to local park advocate, the late Christine Cooper.
A
My
name
is
Ryan
woods
and
I
have
the
honor
of
serving
as
the
park
commissioner
for
the
City
of
Boston.
Well,
thanks,
I,
don't
usually
get
that.
Thank
you
very
much.
We're
very
excited
to
show
off
the
work
we've
done
it's
because
of
Christine's
work
that
we're
here
today.
This
project
really
was
a
community
effort
and
we
have
great
Park
advocates
with
us.
I
want
to
thank
friends
and
family
members
of
Christine
Cooper
who
had
joined
us
today.
Thank
you
very
much
to
them
and
their
family.
A
A
We
have
Karen
Karen,
mone
Brock,
president
of
EMC,
and
a
team
over
here
from
Emerald
Necklace
Conservancy
that'll,
be
here.
So
thank
you
to
the
ANC
for
the
work
that
they
do
stop
by.
They
have
maps
and
some
future
programming
they'll
also
be
the
future
residents
or
working
outside
of
the
Curley
house.
So
you'll
see
a
lot
more
programming,
so
everyone
that
cause
Conservancy
will
have
a
home
just
across
the
street
from
the
pond.
A
That's
great.
With
this
investment
we're
now
able
to
enjoy
matrix
accessibility
upgrades
throughout
the
park,
newly
paved
pathways
for
walkers
runners,
bikers
increased
seating,
workout
stations,
improved
irrigation
throughout
the
park
and
a
lot
of
new
trees
make
sure
to
stick
around
after
speaking
program.
We
have
a
couple
guided
tours
that
will
be
led
by
our
team
that
worked
on
the
project
that
can
show
you
all
the
intricacies
and
everything
they
worked
on
throughout
the
project.
A
So
this
project
wouldn't
be
possible
without
our
project
management
team
led
in-house
by
Lauren
Bryant,
so
I
only
give
a
can't
alarm.
Bryant
today
is
also
her
birthday,
we're
saying
it's
our
35th
birthday
again
so
happy
birthday,
Lauren
once
again
to
our
consultant,
Kyle
zyk,
Landscape,
Architecture
Kyle's
with
us
today.
Thank
you
for
the
design
work
on
this
and
also
Tilda
Rousseau
in
Tasco,
who
helped
do
all
the
paving
work,
the
construction
workers
that
worked
on
this
project.
So
thank
you
for
all
your
efforts.
A
I
want
to
point
out
as
well
he's
not
in
the
speaking
program,
but
he
was
behind
this
project
from
the
beginning,
our
past
Park
Commission
in
our
chief
of
energy
environment
and
open
space
for
the
City
of
Boston
Chris
Cook,
is
here
with
us
Chris.
Thank
you
for
all
your
work
on
this
project
and
many
other
projects.
A
So
this
four
point:
seven
million
dollar
investment
woman's
made
possible
because
of
Mayor
Walsh's
advocacy.
He
challenges
us
each
day
in
the
parks
department
to
make
our
parks
better.
He
wanted
to
ensure
that
all
residents
are
within
a
10
minute,
walk
from
the
front
door
to
the
nearest
park.
He
really
is
our
parks
champion
and
please
give
a
warm
welcome
to
the
mayor
of
the
city
of
Boston,
Martin
J.
Walsh.
B
Thank
you
very
much
and
let
me
let
me
I'll
get
back
to
you
in
a
minute
Brian
and
the
parks
department.
Let
me
just
thank
the
elected
officials
over
here:
City
Council,
nice
rossabi
George's,
here
Thank
You,
councillor,
George,
Dutch,
Jeffery,
City
Council
met
O'malley's
here
and
talked
about
man.
O'malley.
B
Former
representative,
every
Sanchez
here,
thank
you
representing
a
lot
of
Representatives
I.
Don't
think
these
little
guys
represent
us.
Thank
you
for
being
here
with
us
today,
all
right,
nice
hat
last
call
foundation.
Thank
you
to
you
know
to
Ryan
and
the
parks
department.
They
do
an
amazing
job
in
our
city.
Thank
you
to
all
the
parks,
department
staff.
That's
here
with
us
today,
you
without
all
of
you
guys
and,
ladies
what
you
do
it
wouldn't
happen.
So
thank
you
for
your
work.
I.
B
B
B
This
is
something
that
Christine
believed.
Then
you
know
what
makes
Boston
so
special
people
who
do
extraordinary
things
when
you
think
about
what
we're
doing
here
today
in
this
neighborhood
christine
embodies
that
what
she
did
for
this
community.
That's
what
makes
our
neighborhoods
in
the
city
so
special.
We
take
it
for
granted.
Sometimes
I,
don't
think
the
neighborhood's
taken
for
granted,
but
I
think
as
a
city,
we
somewhat
take
it
for
granted.
We
live
in
the
greatest
city
in
the
world
yeah.
B
B
I
was
saying
to
a
young
couple
of
minute
ago,
we're
talking
about
the
investment
here
and
what
we
used
to
do
in
the
parks
department
over
decades,
and
we
would
do
projects,
but
we
do
some
of
it
now
and
then
some
of
it
later
and
some
of
it
later
and
some
of
it
later
and
somewhat
later,
in
the
two
projects
that
I'm
going
to
kind
of
compare
to
is,
is
this
pathway
here
in
Franklin,
Park
and
we'd
be
sitting
my
first
budget
season?
I
sat
with
Chris
Cook
and
we
sat
down.
We
talked
about.
B
You
know
we're
gonna
put
$150,000
into
extending
you
know.
You
know
25
feet
of
Jamaica
pond
we're
gonna
do
$125,000
over
at
Franklin
Park
into
another
another
25
feet
of
Franklin
pond
and
in
this
particular
project
man,
oh
man,
he
came
to
me
and
he
said
you
know
so
many
people
use
use,
use
the
the
walkway
the
running
kids,
dogs,
people,
everybody
do
you
think
we
could
do
something?
A
little
quicker
and
I
called
Chris,
Cook
and
I
said
to
Chris.
What
do
you
think?
Do
you
want
to
get
done
quicker?
B
Chris
is
absolutely
one
dudes
quicker
and
we
went
to
then
I
think
it
was
maybe
Justin
it
was
Justin.
Was
the
budget
director
who's
here
today
and
I
said
we
need
to
make
a
bigger
investment,
and
so
what's
gonna
cost
to
finish
the
to
do
this
part.
Do
this
this
project
right
and
they
went
back
to
Chris,
Cook
and
Ryan
and
came
back
and
was
four
point:
seven
million
dollars.
B
They
were
telling
me
that
there's
an
app
I
think
there's
an
app
you
said:
I
can't
see
it
right
now,
there's
an
app
that
you
can
focus
in
on
where
the
the
most
you
run
locations
are
in
the
United
States
and
if
you
look
in
Boston
you'll
see
a
bunch
of
a
bunch
of
dots
and
you'll
focus
in
on
and
Jamaica.
Pond
is
one
of
those
places
that
the
most
run
is
used
in
the
country.
B
B
So
just
so.
Everyone
understands
I
work
in
Jamaica.
Pond
is
part
of
a
major
citywide
improvement
process
that
we're
doing.
We've
invested
more
than
100
million
dollars
in
our
parks
in
the
city
of
Boston,
there's
another
180
million,
so
we've
built
100
million
dollars
of
parks
in
the
last
since,
since
2014
we
have
another
180
million
dollars
in
the
process.
Right
now
that
we're
building
out
we're
investing
66
million
dollars
in
the
Emerald
Necklace.
We
want
to
recognize
the
role
that
parks
play
in
the
quality
of
life.
B
Public
health
and
community
resilience
we're
making
these
investments
to
make
sure
that
that
let
people
know
that
their
equitable
investments
and
important
investments
we're
creating
resilient
parks
to
protect
our
most
vulnerable
communities.
So
we're
using
these
parts
not
just
as
open
space,
but
we're
also
using
it
as
effects
of
climate
change.
And
how
do
we?
How
do
we
combat
that?
And
how
do
we
fight
that?
How
do
we
get
ahead
of
that?
B
Last
year
we
became
the
second
city,
but
the
first
on
the
East
Coast
in
America,
where
every
single
resident
lives
within
a
10-minute
walk
of
a
park.
You
know
we
were
about
six
weeks
shy
of
being
number
one,
but
we
got
there.
Seattle
Seattle
could
beat
us,
but
that's
all
right.
Well,
the
first
East
Coast
seniors
in
East
Boston
and
Families
and
JP
families,
indoor
strand,
kids
in
Georgia
or
Roxbury
Mattapan
everywhere-
have
access
to
a
pond
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
make
the
investments
that
are
important
to
move
forward.
B
We
also
are
listening
to
the
needs
and
responding
to
the
community,
GP
soccer,
I'm
sure
there's
some
GP
soccer
youth
here
told
us
that
their
youth.
They
feel
that
the
field
is
worn-out
and
unsafe,
so
we're
gonna,
replace
it.
We're
gonna
make
sure
they
have
a
new
place.
Our
kids
in
Boston
deserve
to
play
on
a
field
just
like
the
kids
and
the
suburbs
do,
and
a
field.
That's
first-class
best
class
that
kids
can
enjoy
and
have
fun
fight
by
the
springtime.
That
field
should
be
ready,
we're
making
transformative
investments
that
reflect
our
progressive
values.
B
You
can
see
it
right
here
at
Jamaica
pond.
You
can
see
it
all
across
our
city,
with
a
billion
dollar
investment
to
start
in
modernizing
and
building
our
new
schools
and
public
schools.
Two-Thirds
of
our
schools
in
Boston
were
built
before
World
War.
Two
two-thirds
of
our
schools
in
Boston
were
built
before
World
War
two.
My
kids
will
waited
too
long
in
this
city
to
upgrade
our
school
system
and
we're
doing
it
now.
B
Making
the
investments
not
just
on
the
physical
plant,
while
making
the
investments
on
the
inside
of
the
school
were
offering
free,
Community
College
frog
for
high
school
graduates
will
join
that
other
cities
are
copying
us
la
Chicago,
New
York
they're,
all
following
alley.
We
have
universal
pre-kindergarten
that
we're
bringing
to
the
City
of
Boston
we're
trying
to
get
some
some
funding
through
the
legislature.
It
didn't
happen,
so
we
just
funded
ourself
with
a
universal
pre-k
that
every
four-year-old
has
access
to
high-quality
pre-kindergarten
in
us
in
our
school.
B
We're
closing
the
gender
wage
gap
through
our
office
of
women's
advancement
by
by
by
training
85
thousand
women
in
something
called
salary
negotiation
workshops
where
we're
bringing
women
in
and
training
women.
How
do
how
to
negotiate
a
salary
because
oftentimes
when
the
job
is
off
but
to
a
man,
they
sit
back
and
say:
okay,
we
want
the
job
we
want
to
make
twenty
thousand
dollars
more.
We
want
a
different
title
and
oftentimes.
The
man
will
get
that
historically.
B
B
We
want
him,
we
want
to
make
sure
that
everyone
has
a
place
to
call
home
we've
gotten
nearly
2,000
people
off
the
street
since
the
safe
housing
and
homeless
chronically
homeless,
people
that
living
on
the
day
I
got
sworn
in
as
Mia
in
January
2014
2,000,
people
that
were
on
the
streets
of
Boston
living
there
chronically
homeless
are
now
living
in
an
apartment
or
a
home,
we're
working
on
getting
more
than
then
there's
a
there's
a
lot
going
on.
You
get
the
point.
B
Yes,
it's
raising
so
I'm
gonna
end
with
this
we're
building
a
legacy
to
make
sure
that
we
continue
to
move
our
city
forward.
Boston
Common
was
the
first
public
park
in
America.
Dear
mother,
necklace
was
a
groundbreaking
idea.
It
was
a
huge
leap
forward
in
planning
that
role
that
parks
play
in
an
urban
environment
in
the
urban
environment.
We're
gonna
continue
to
do
that.
There's
a
woman
here
that
I
want
to
give
a
shout
out
to
my
name-
is
Julie
O'brien.
B
She
used
to
I,
know
well
she's
consulting
now,
but
she
worked
for
the
DCI
when
I
became
a
state
representative
in
1997.
Julia
came
into
my
office,
I
was
brand-new
state
representative
and
she
was
talking
about
this
idea
of
connecting
the
Neponset
Greenway
and
she
was
talking
about.
You
know
we're
gonna
build
a
series
of
talks:
they're
gonna
connect
self
Austin
to
Milton
to
Canton
all
over
the
country,
all
over
the
world.
They're
gonna.
B
Do
it
and
I
said
it's
great
Julia,
but
we'll
see
who's
gonna
take
some
time
and
I
started
to
listen
to
what
she
had
to
say
and
slowly,
but
surely
we
got
money
for
Pope,
John,
Paul,
Park
and
George,
so
we
got
money
for
the
extension.
We
got
money
from
a
Nepean.
We
got
money
for
the
trails
Julia
your
reality.
What
you
taught
me
in
that
office
that
day's
come
true.
I
walked
those
parks.
B
I
see
those
areas,
I
see
some
of
the
areas
we
took
as
industrial
buildings
shape
of
paper
saying
we
knocked
it
down
now
this
beautiful
green
space
there
I
want
to
thank
if
she's
over
here
somewhere
I
want
to.
Thank
you
for
helping
me
understand
the
importance
of
open
space
when
I
was
a
young
state
representative
and
really
wasn't
necessarily
focused
on
this.
B
You
helped
create
the
idea
of
what
we're
doing
in
the
city
of
Boston
in
in
our
open
space
in
that
green
space,
because,
regardless
of
your
ability,
whether
you're
a
young
kid
that
plays
football
or
soccer
or
whatever
it
is
or
you're
an
older
Bostonian
just
wants
to
walk
around
and
and
reflect
and
enjoy
yourself
that's
what
this
is
all
about.
Thank
you.
Everyone
for
being
here
today.
A
A
C
Thank
You
Commissioner,
Thank,
You
chief
and
thank
you
mayor,
Marty,
Walsh,
Marty
Walsh
is
the
park's
mayor
in
the
history
of
Boston.
He
has
done
more
to
invest
more
he's
to
talk,
he's
walk
the
walk
at
Marty.
This
is
just
another
example
of
your
commitment
to
our
open
space
in
our
parks.
Thank
you
all
for
being
here.
This
is
one
of
the
most
exciting
days
I
have
had
in
my
nearly
10
years
of
being
your
representative
at
City,
Hall
and
people
have
been
very
kind
and
saying.
C
I
was
PI,
played
a
very
small
role
in
getting
us
here
today,
but
I
want
to
tell
you
who
was
the
driving
force
of
getting
this
investment
made,
the
guy
from
Bonnie
who
fishes
over
in
the
South
Bluff
every
June.
It
was
the
two
women,
the
two
mothers
who
push
their
their
first
child
across
the
one
and
a
half
mile
loop
three
times
a
week.
It
was
the
park
run,
who
bring
more
of
our
friends
from
across
the
pond
here
every
Saturday
morning
at
9
a.m.
C
and
joined
them
I
guarantee
you
will
be
faster
than
me
running
with
them.
It
was
the
kids
from
south
street
who
come
over
every
day
and
get
a
great
tutorial
from
frederick
law
olmsted
himself
to
learn
about
marine
life
in
pond
life.
In
outdoors
it
was
the
community
of
Jamaica
Plain
and
more
than
anything
else,
this
is
JP's
town
square
and
you
come
at
any
time
of
year.
C
Nice
weather
the
winter
you're
gonna
see
a
you're
gonna
walk
around
the
pond
and
you're
gonna
see
people
who
look
like
the
vibrancy
and
the
diversity
of
the
neighborhood
and
the
city
that
we
love.
This
is
a
special
place
and
we
are
so
lucky
that
it's
in
our
backyard
and
this
five
million
dollar
commitment
from
the
city
of
Boston
shows
that
we're
going
to
not
only
protect
this
for
generations
to
come
and
it
has
been
more
than
a
generation
since
the
last
major
investment
in
this
pond
was
about
I,
think
Carol,
Matheson
and
John.
C
We're
saying
it
was
about
1986
1987,
so
we're
talking
30
plus
years
ago,
and
it's
an
amazing
thing
that
we're
celebrating
here
today,
I
love
being
your
voice
at
City,
Hall
and
I
am
incredibly
lucky
to
get
to
work
on
projects
like
this.
It's
going
to
benefit
all
of
us
and
benefit
visitors,
residents
and
generations
to
come.
So
thank
you
very
much.
C
A
D
Thank
you,
everybody
I
will
start
by
thanking
each
and
every
one
of
us
in
our
hearts
and
our
minds,
because
we
are
all
equal
when
we
walk
around
the
pond
and
there's
no
greater
testament
to
our
democracy
than
we
are
all
equal.
Therefore,
mr.
mayor
and
chief
cook
and
commissioner
Ryan
and
Madam
alley,
these
are
our
people
who
speak
for
us
where
it
counts
where
we
can
get
the
money
and
I
agree
with
everything
that
they
have
said
today.
D
This
is
a
centering
place.
This
is
where
you
come,
and
nature
is
before
us
around
us,
surrounds
us
in
the
sky
and
on
the
hill
which
we've
protected
for
these
last
30
years.
But
let
me
begin
with
Christine
Cooper
and
end
with
Christine
Cooper.
She
was
born
there
down
in
the
Bromley
Heath
development
I
like
to
call
it
because
she
developed
things
from
going
there.
Her
father,
her
father
at
the
age
of
2,
began
bringing
her
up
to
the
pond.
D
Christine
would
say
sometimes
he'd
carry
me
and
then
we'd
walk
together
around
the
pond
and
those
early
years.
I
think
the
pond
and
all
its
natural
beauty
Seiken
within
her
soul,
and
there
was
another
dimension
and
that
was
dealing
with
humanity.
If
you
ever
dealt
with
Christine,
you
know
you
were
gonna,
get
a
direct
answer.
It
would
be
her
truth
and
you'd
have
to
confess
yes
you're
right
Christine.
D
But
it
all
started
when
I
met
her
in
the
70s
and
I
met
her
here
for
a
few
minutes,
and
there
was
something
that
gripped
me.
She
was
with
a
small
daughter,
Angela
and
the
next
week
we
walked
again
and
then
she
dropped
off
some
poetry
and
I
began
to
think
wait
a
minute.
What
is
it
about
this
woman?
That's
so
grasping
and
so
gripping,
and
so
then,
when
we
walked,
we
said
we
better
start
picking
this
place
up.
It
was
glass
and
there
was
trash
all
over.
D
So
we
started
and
then
she
says,
I
have
some
friends.
Well,
the
story
could
be
told
that
take
a
long
time.
But
if
the
essence
of
the
story
was
this
critical
moment,
I
saw
the
head
of
the
boards
and
gorras
girls
cup
here
and
I
went
up.
There
said
what
are
you
doing
here?
Well,
we're
gonna
run
the
boathouse
I
said,
but
you're
from
Charlestown
and
then
I
said
wait
a
minute.
Let
me
I
want
to
sleep
with
the
mayor
or
than
they
did
not
the
mayor.
A
D
When
I
went
in-
and
the
mayor
said,
the
commissioner
said:
listen,
not
these
they're
organized
they've
got
a
big
organization
and
I
said,
but
you
don't
know
the
spirit
of
this
woman.
Christine
Cooper
give
her
a
chance.
We
pounded
the
table
and
said
I'll
drown
you
in
the
pond
Jerry.
If
you
fail
well,
Christine
came
out
and
all
of
a
sudden
things
were
happening.
She
had
some
friends
who
were
plumbers.
D
The
commissioner
said:
oh
you'll,
never
fix
those
things,
they'll
never
work
in
the
park
by
God
they
were
fixed,
Christine,
cleaned
up
the
base,
the
bottom
part
of
the
pond,
and
soon
people
were
stopping
by
for
hot
chocolate
and
it
grew
and
it
grew
and
then
she
said,
gotta
start
a
robo
program.
Let's
start
a
sailing
program
and
soon
there
were
kids
coming
here
to
be
educated
about
the
world
of
nature
and
how
to
get
along
with
each
other
and
this
spirit.
For
me,
this
is
the
greatest
day
of
my
life.
D
Quite
frankly,
my
family
is
here,
and
yes,
there
is
my
family,
but
Christine.
Cooper
is
a
mother
to
all
of
us,
as
we
are
around
this
part,
because
it
was
her
spirit
from
Bromley
Heath
coming
here
to
this
glorious
place,
the
people
from
all
over
our
community
join
where
we
were
all
equal,
and
that
is
the
spirit
of
this
country
and
now,
with
a
great
poet,
she
was
a
sailor
and
the
great
poet
thereunder
he
was
around
and
he
saved
his
life
by
working
in
the
hospitals
to
take
care
of
the
wounded.
D
But
his
poetry
remains,
and
these
words
we
too
take
ship
o
soul.
We
to
watch
out
in
trackless
seas,
caroling,
free
and
singing
our
song
of
praise
and
chanting,
our
chance
of
pleasant
exploration
steer
for
the
deep
waters,
only
I
with
the
and
L
with
me,
for
we
are
headed
where
the
Mariner
has
not
yet
dared
to
go,
and
we
will
risk
the
ship
ourselves
and
all
and
the
spirit
of
Christine
and
with
my
heart
and
mind
flowing
with
an
to
a
hurt
order.
D
A
Thank
You
Jerry,
we
will
do
an
official
ribbon-cutting
for
the
pathways,
but
at
this
time
it
asks
if
angela
is
a
Grinch,
Christine's
grandchildren.
We
joined
the
mayor
just
to
unveil
I'll
show.
The
plaque
is
up
on
the
door
right
here
for
everyone
to
enjoy,
but
there's
a
larger
version
of
it
right
here
on
the.