40 Years of Advancing The Public's Right To The Waterfront
In 1984, the City of Boston embarked on a novel and ambitious plan called HarborPark to ensure the waterfront remained open to the public. From this initiative came the Harborwalk, 43 miles of interconnected parks and public walkways along the water’s edge from Dorchester to East Boston. Today, the Boston Harborwalk boasts hundreds of public amenities including parks, boat launches, public restrooms, observation decks, eateries, and more.
Join us in celebrating the Boston Harborwalk's 40-year milestone through the events, resources, and guides below!
The Harborwalk at 40: A Conversation with Lorraine Downey
Everyone who enjoys and advocates for the Harborwalk is building on the amazing legacy of Lorraine Downey, who served as former environment director for the City of Boston and chair of the Harborpark Plan Commission. At our November Harbor Use Public Forum, Lorraine sat down with our CEO and President Kathy Abbott to tell the story of how her vision of public access to the waterfront became the Harborwalk we know and love today. Watch the video below!2024 Onboard Awards
Dec. 12, 8-10 a.m.
The Boston Harbor Hotel
Boston Harbor Now recognizes the work of Vivien Li and Ocean Havens and celebrates 40 Years of the Harborwalk at the 2024 Onboard Awards! Join us for our annual celebration of our city’s most innovative and socially responsible partners in waterfront development.
An Online Guide To The Waterfront
Want to go for a waterfront walk, find the nearest public restroom, or enjoy a rooftop view of the harbor? Use Harborwalk Webtool tool to find what you need along the Boston Harbor shoreline.
Op-Ed: Celebrating The Boston Harborwalk At 40
In this Boston Globe opinion piece, Boston Harbor Now CEO Kathy Abbott and Boston's first Chief Climate Officer Brian Swett reflect on the now 43-mile-long stretch of publicly accessible paths, walkways, and piers along the edge of Boston Harbor and envision the future of our waterfront.
Highlighting Often-Overlooked Harborwalk Stories
Friends of Boston Harborwalk have added 55 interpretive signs to the Boston Harborwalk in the past six years.
Visit These Harborwalk Spots
What are FPAs, or Facilities of Public Accommodation? Explore these spots along the Harborwalk that are perfect for remote working, warming up and cooling off, and family fun.
Fort Point Resource Guide
Together with the Fort Point Neighborhood Association, Boston Harbor Now has developed this guide to the opportunities, challenges, desired community amenities, and flood resistance measures that can be woven into redevelopment of the Fort Point Channel.
Visualizing Harborwalk 2.0
What does the ideal future of an equitable, accessible, and resilient waterfront look like? Boston Harbor Now is pushing for a bolder waterfront vision encapsulated by Harborwalk 2.0. This document highlights best practices we hope to see incorporated along the waterfront.