Boston Flora

Tag: Mayor Thomas Menino

  • Wednesday, April 18, 3:00 pm – Japanese Cherry Tree Planting

    Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Thomas Menino and Japan Airlines Chairman Emeritus Kazuo Inamori will join Consul General of Japan in Boston Takeshi Hikihara for a ceremonial planting of Japanese flowering cherry trees in Boston’s Public Garden on Wednesday, April 18 at 3:00pm near the corner of Beacon and Charles Streets.

    The planting ceremony is part of the Greater Boston-Japan Cherry Blossom Festival which marks the 100th anniversary of the gift of Japanese flowering cherry trees from Japan to the United States. The original trees, which were planted in Washington D.C., have become a symbol of the close relations between the two countries. One of the cherry trees to be planted in the Public Garden is a graft produced from those in Washington’s Tidal Basin.

    At the April 18 ceremony guests will hear remarks from Governor Patrick, Mayor Menino, Chairman Emeritus Inamori and Consul General Hikihara. Women of the World, a rising international vocal ensemble made up of Berklee graduates, and Japanese koto player, Ms. Yuki Yasuda, will add enjoyable cultural color to the occasion.

    For further information on the Greater Boston-Japan Cherry Blossom Festival 2012, which includes a gagaku (Japanese Imperial Court music) concert; Haru Matsuri, a Japanese-style festival in Copley Square as well as other performances, lectures and exhibits, visit:

    Consulate General of Japan in Boston: www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp/

    Japan Society of Boston: www.japansocietyboston.org/sakura/eng

    For national information, see:

    Embassy of Japan in Washington DC: www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/sakura100

    For questions regarding this event, contact: Susan Gill s.gill@cgjbos.org or 617 973-9772

  • Thursday, December 2, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Boston Common Tree Lighting Ceremony

    The City of Boston’s Official Tree Lighting hosted by Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, title sponsor the Province of Nova Scotia, and media sponsors WCVB-TV Channel 5 and MAGIC 106.7 FM comes to Boston Common on Thursday, December 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This will be the 69th annual Tree Lighting on Boston Common. Chronicle’s Anthony Everett and NewsCenter Five’s JC Monahan will host Channel 5’s live broadcast of the event beginning at 7 p.m. The celebration will feature the Radio City Rockettes, 2006 American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee, Grammy-winning R&B singer Patti Austin and the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, among many others.

    Boston Common Christmas Tree

  • Twilight Garden Party 2010

    We thank all the sponsors and volunteers for making the Garden Club of the Back Bay’s Twilight Garden Party 2010 such a success.  We especially thank Mayor Thomas Menino for gracing us with his presence.  A more complete description of the evening will follow, but we thought you would enjoy a few glimpses of the event, captured by member and photographer Calla Jean Schaefer-Adams:

    Mayor Thomas Menino, Garden Club Co-President Jolinda Taylor, and Twilight Garden Party Co-Chair Jessica Seth

    Goethe Institut, Decorated with Photo Murals of Back Bay in Bloom

    Mayor Menino with Magnolia Award Recipients from the Vendome Condominium

  • A Facelift for Newbury Street

    Joyce Hampers, President of The Newbury Street League, has made a significant announcement.  After many years of  persistent hard work, it has secured A Facelift for Newbury Street. In a partnership between The Newbury Street League and the City of Boston the following improvements will be taking place:

    Streetlights: Mayor Menino was asked to take a close look at the condition of the streetlights on Newbury Street.  Thankfully, the Mayor has “a thing about street lights.”  He immediately sent Joanne Massaro, Commissioner of Public Works, to the rescue.  Joanne, Glenn Cooper, Director of Street Lighting, Will Onouha, The Mayor’s Neighborhood Coordinator, Tom Brennan and Michele Messino walked the entire street and, a week later Joanne called with the great news.  She had met with the Mayor and they had agreed that new streetlights would be installed along Newbury Street.  The new lights will be 17’ tall (the current lamps are 13’).  The light will be a frosted acorn style with a black cap and finial top.  If all goes according to plan, installation should start in late summer 2010 and will take approximately 10 weeks, with a goal to  complete the project by mid October, just in time for the stringing of the Holiday Lights.

    Trash Barrels: The Newbury Street League has agreed to sponsor new trash barrels for the street.  Representatives are now working with the City on a design that will be practical from an economic and aesthetic standpoint yet will withstand the sands (or graffiti) of time.

    Trees: The League has always stated that the trees on Newbury Street are a priority -  whether  dressing them up in lights for the holidays, replanting those that have died, installing tree pit fences, or weeding and mulching for the summer season.  After working hard for 2 years to get certain trees replaced, Tabatha White, new to the Boston Parks Department in the spring of 2009, came to the rescue, and was soon on the street planting trees.  Again in March, she came and walked the entire length of Newbury Street, identified trees for removal, stump grinding, and replacement and compiled a full list of the work to be performed.  Her dedication to her job is unbelievable.  Many of you may remember John, the young man the League hired last year to weed and mulch the tree pits, and sweep and maintain the street during the spring/summer season.  He will be back at work starting next week.  Last year 8 tree pit fences were sponsored by our members, with guidance from the Garden Club of the Back Bay.  This year the League will pay half for anyone who would like to sponsor a tree pit fence.

    Sidewalk Repair:  The City is working with the utility companies to have any blacktop fill in our sidewalks replaced with concrete for a uniform look.  This work will start in late April.

    For more information on the work of the Newbury Street League, log on to www.newburystreetleague.org.

    http://www.newburystreetleague.org/html/newbury_newsletter_clip_image002_0005.jpg

  • Sunday, May 17, 11:30 a.m. – Hill House Backyard Dash

    Lace up your sneakers and get the entire family warmed up for a day of outdoor fun along the Esplanade at the Hill House Backyard Dash.  The 1 mile fun run/walk along the Charles River will take off from Fiedler Field, and will precede the community picnic and “backyard” themed kids festival, with family-friendly carnival games & activities ranging from obstacle courses to face-painting.  There will also be the second annual toddler-trotted Diaper Dash for children 4 and under.  Mayor Thomas Menino, along with Wally the Green Monster, will be on hand to add to the excitement of the day.  The event is open to participants of all ages.  The race fee is $10 per child, $15 per adult, and $50 for a family.  Then, the day after the Dash, head over to Charles Street where several businesses will be offering deals and discounts to anyone wearing their Backyard Dash bracelet or medal.  For more information, or to register on-line, log on to www.hillhouseboston.org.