City: Boston
State/Province: Massachusetts
Country: United States

Michelle Wu, Boston City Councilor At-Large, City of Boston:
“The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a beloved public asset that has demonstrated significant benefits in terms of economic impact, creative placemaking, and social cohesion. The Greenway is a shining example of what we want to see throughout Boston. Through its public art program, free performances, Play programming, festivals and more, the Conservancy has created the expectation that you can always see something pleasantly unexpected on The Greenway.

The Greenway has clearly brought economic benefits to the City. The Conservancy’s stewardship of the park has been a significant factor in the growth of a thriving residential, business, and tourism district downtown. However, The Greenway is not just a downtown park. The key to successfully activating the park was making it a space for everyone—people of all income levels, ages, and ethnic backgrounds, from all of Boston’s neighborhoods. In this regard, The Greenway is one of the most successful public spaces in Boston.

The Greenway has become a favorite place for people from throughout Boston’s neighborhoods to visit on the weekends, and numerous festivals collectively representing the rich array of cultures in our city have found a perfect home on The Greenway. Their organizers see The Greenway as the ideal place to hold their events because, in addition to providing a beautifully landscaped and maintained park setting in the city center, The Conservancy makes it easy to plan and execute a successful event. Hundreds of free public programs take place on The Greenway each year—nearly all of them led by community groups—demonstrating that in the heart of Boston’s economic success, our city is still about people and the diversity of all these communities that come together to make Boston a truly great place to live and work.”