Sponsor a Bench on the Common

The Friends of the Public Garden are looking for donors for Boston Common.

The following is taken from the Friends of the Public Garden blog: As construction of a renovated Brewer Fountain Plaza continues, 10 benches have been installed in the space surrounding the fountain. In addition to bringing this ongoing initiative a little closer to its ultimate goal of being a public gathering spot and respite, the benches can be marked with messages in honor of Friend’s donors. Donors who wish to purchase a plaque on these “Seats of Honor” will be directly supporting renovations of the surrounding space. Other opportunities of the same vein to aid in the funding of ongoing construction exist as well. Trees around the fountain can be marked with a dedication and granite engravings adjacent to the fountain itself may also…

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Boston Common Won't See Tables Until the Spring

Construction on the latest phase of the renovation is due to be complete in early November, but the accompanying tables and reading room have been delayed.

It should only be a couple more weeks that Beacon Hillers have to walk around the large fenced-off section of the Boston Common. Although they had hoped for an October opening, the Friends of the Public Garden announced this week that the latest phase of the Boston Common renovation will be finished in November. The first phase of the project – the $640,000 restoration of the Brewer Fountain – was completed in May 2010. The current phase involves "landscape and hardscape improvements including a new storm draining system, irrigation system and pathway improvements," according to the Friends' blog.  Originally, the plan had included the installation of about 30 tables – some with umbrellas – around the Brewer Fountain, a reading room, a …

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PHOTO: Getting Ready for a Fall Opening

Sidewalks on the Boston Common were pulverized this week in preparation for repaving.

Asphalt is ground up to be used as subbase material in the repaving of part of the Boston Common. The process saves material and money, and also means less truck traffic through the Common. "The trade-off, however, was that we needed to fence off the entire project site, rather than doing the construction in two phases and keeping the diagonal path open from Park Street station up the hill toward Beacon Street, a well-used path through the Common. We appreciate everyone’s patience!" the Friends of the Public Garden wrote in their blog. 

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Latest Phase of Boston Common Renovation Expected to be Complete in October

A springtime delay stopped the project for nine weeks.

After an unexpected nine-week delay this spring, the Boston Common renovation project is moving forward with the latest phase expected to complete by mid-fall. "We hope to be out there for a tiny pilot season this fall," Elizabeth Vizza, executive director of the Friends of the Public Garden, told Patch today. The Friends are financing and executing the project on land owned by the city's Parks Department. The total cost is $3.5 million, Vizza said. The delay happened after the MBTA asked the Friends to stop work because of concerns about construction over the shallow green line tunnel, Vizza said. Although engineers hired by the Friends had investigated the issue before work began, it took a while to get all the permission from the MBTA, …

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