More than 250 people—and an official proclamation from Mayor Michelle Wu—helped Boston Harbor Now and our supporters celebrate this year’s Onboard Award honorees: Vivien Li, the former president of our forebear The Boston Harbor Association, and Ocean Havens co-principals Ann and Chuck Lagasse.
Guests at the 2024 Onboard Awards at the Boston Harbor Hotel. (Photo credit: Arlan Fonseca)
The 40th anniversary of the Boston Harborwalk took center stage at this year’s event, held in the Wharf Room at the Boston Harbor Hotel—a space framed by one of the walk’s most beautiful and scenic stretches—on the bright and sunny morning of December 12. Vivien was saluted as the visionary who got more of today’s 43 miles of Harborwalk built and opened to the public than any other single figure in its history, while Ann and Chuck Lagasse and their marina-development firm were honored for all their contributions, particularly to their Charlestown Marina stretch of Harborwalk, which represents the gold standard for public access and welcome.
Read the news release announcing the awardees
Before Vivien received her award, Boston Harbor Now played a video featuring the former TBHA president speaking about her 25 years of work transforming Boston’s waterfront and Harborwalk:
Introducing Vivien to receive her award was Amos Hostetter, co-founder of the Barr Foundation and chairman and CEO of Pilot House Associates.
“As I have thought about how to describe Vivien, the word ‘indomitable’ was the way to put it all together,” Hostetter said. “Vivien has been an indomitable leader, with an unrelenting will to push people in both the public and private sectors to really reimagine who gets access to the waterfront [and] establish the standards of what access to a public waterfront means.”
Amos Hostetter, co-founder of the Barr Foundation and chairman and CEO of Pilot House Associates, presents Vivien Li with her 2024 Onboard Award. (Photo credit: Arlan Fonseca)
Noting that the Boston Harbor cleanup and the creation of the Harborwalk have fueled “a transformational boom for the city,” Amos said one of Vivien’s great legacies will be Boston’s widely shared and embraced understanding that “waterfront property owners have not just a legal obligation under Chapter 91, but a moral obligation to share their precious asset with the public.”
Ann Lagasse said she and her husband and co-principal Chuck were “beyond honored to receive this award, especially knowing that Vivien Li will be on this stage. She has been our teacher and mentor.’’ Noting Boston Harbor Now’s strong commitment to not just a welcoming but climate-resilient Harborwalk, Chuck Lagasse described how crews based at the Boston Shipyard assembled and installed structures that make the Charlestown Marina’s Pier 6 and Pier 8 resilient to a Category 5 hurricane and bolster protection for nearby sections of the waterfront as well.
James Miner (center), Boston Harbor Now Trustee and Principal at Design Intelligence, presents Ann and Chuck Lagasse with their 2024 Onboard Award. (Photo credit: Arlan Fonseca)
Representing Mayor Wu, her Chief of Staff Tiffany Chu delivered and read aloud a proclamation praising the work of Boston Harbor Now and its supporters and celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Harborwalk.
Read the full text of the proclamation
“It’s really a gift to all of us, because the Harborwalk belongs to all of us,” said Boston Harbor Now Board of Trustees Chair Meaghan Hooper-Berdik, receiving the proclamation on behalf of the organization.
Tiffany Chu, Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, presents an official proclamation honoring the 40th anniversary of The Boston Harborwalk to Boston Harbor Now Board of Trustees Chair Meaghan Hooper-Berdik. (Photo credit: Arlan Fonseca)
Vivien graciously thanked by name more than 50 people in her remarks accepting the award for their roles in conceiving, executing, and expanding the Harborwalk.
“I was merely shorthand for all of you, because support for the Harborwalk was so broad,” she said.
“There’s still unfinished business” when it comes to the Harborwalk, Vivien reminded us—including still-missing segments along the city’s 47 miles of coastline, particularly in Dorchester and East Boston. She urged everyone in attendance to continue to support Boston Harbor Now and its advocacy, celebrate exemplary new additions to the Harborwalk like the 25,000-square-foot public plaza and playground Pembroke Real Estate and Massport are building at Commonwealth Pier, and “urge more public activation and programming” of the Harborwalk and entire Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.
From left to right: Boston Harbor Now President & CEO Kathy Abbott, with 2024 Onboard Award honorees Ann Lagasse, Vivien Li, and Chuck Lagasse. (Photo credit: Arlan Fonseca)
“This is family in this room, for Vivien, for me, for many of you,” noted Boston Harbor Now CEO Kathy Abbott in her closing remarks. “It’s a family that has accomplished a lot in the last four decades, and hopefully will for the next four decades and a long time to come. You are all an inspiration.”
Funds raised through the Onboard Awards enable Boston Harbor Now to prepare for the impacts of climate change, support our working port economy, and offer free and low-cost access for underserved communities to enjoy the waterfront and Islands.
Though this year’s Onboard Awards are over, you can still support our work by making a gift today!
Photo credit: Arlan Fonseca
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