Partnership: FOPG Enters into 50-Year Agreement with City for Care of City Parks

With the Friends of the Public Garden celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year, the nonprofit entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Boston Parks Department on Friday that strengthens their partnership and shared commitment to caring for  and preserving the Public Garden, Commonwealth Avenue Mall and the Boston Common for the next 50 years.

“Our parks and gardens are so important to our community: they hold our history, they bring people together, and they bring the beauty of nature into our City,” Mayor Martin W. Walsh stated in a press release. “The Friends of the Public Garden put their heart and soul into these community spaces, and has been a partner to the City for a long time. I want to congratulate them on their 50-year anniversary, and am proud that today, we made our partnership official.” 

This agreement aligns with the City’s Open Space and Recreation Plan that focuses on access, equity and excellence, ensuring that every neighborhood is home to greenspace. The partnership will improve quality of life for downtown residents while increasing the resilience of these three parks that welcome millions of visitors from the metro region and the world. Restoration and maintenance work in Boston Common, the Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall are part of investments outlined in Imagine Boston 2030 – a vision for Boston and the framework for its future leading up to its 400th birthday and beyond based on the input of 15,000 city residents, according to city officials.

“Our core mission at Boston Parks and Recreation is to design and maintain parks that delight visitors,” Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods said in a press release. “I look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the Friends of the Public Garden and ensuring that all visitors to these iconic parks have the best experience possible.”

Liz Vizza, executive director of the Friends of the Public Garden, said in a press release: “Parks remind us that we are not alone. They are places that do not charge admission but are where we come together and make some of our most priceless memories. Together, the City and the Friends will continue to ensure that these parks remain special sceneries that serve the people of Boston and visitors alike while protecting these important open green places for decades to come.”

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