That's Charles Street on the left. See it larger.
Plans released by Boston 2024 show most of the Common and a significant portion of the Public Garden - including the Make Way for Ducklings statues - off limits to the public during the Olympics. Construction of a 16,000-seat beach-volleyball stadium and related structures, meanwhile, would shut the ball fields and other parts of the Common for months before the games.
The plans also show Charles Street shut for both access to the beach volleyball and for the start and finish of the Olympic marathon. The Public Garden along Charles would also be within the "secure perimeter," with a ticket gate for spectators between the Lagoon and Mrs. Mallard.
Frog Pond would also be shut to the public, according to the Boston 2024 proposal. The Frog Pond playground might still be open, though. The Public Garden Lagoon and the Swan Boats dock would be outside the fence, although many people would have to take a roundabout way to get to the dock because the path from Charles would be shut.
The volleyball stadium, intended as a temporary structure, would sit mainly on the ball fields along Charles,with a number of structures planned for the large grassy fields by the parking-garage entrances. This would leave the trees now along Charles, but might require chopping down some trees deeper inside the Common.
The red line shows the security perimeter:
The Olympic marathon would start and finish on the Beacon Street side of Charles Street and wend its way through the Back Bay, downtown, South Boston, the North End, Cambridge, Allston and Brookline.
Athletes and Olympic panjandrums would have access to the venues via dedicated lanes on the turnpike, Stuart Street and Charles Street (the plans seem to indicate the Common garage would be used for their vehicles; the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, which owns the garage, is an enthusiastic backer of the Olympics proposal). Spectators could use any of the nearby Red, Orange and Green Line stops.
Boston 2024 sports venue proposal (70.5M PDF).
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
Put it in City Hall Plaza
By Ron Newman
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 2:11pm
I'm serious.
There's no grass to disturb, and it's pretty much the opposite of a beloved public place. We already let the Big Apple Circus fence most of it off for two months every year, and nobody much minds that. Plenty of other events take place there that charge admission, such as Boston Calling and Phantom Gourmet festivals. Speaking of Phantom Gourmet, didn't they once turn the plaza into a sandpit for one of their events?
Ron, this is no place for
By Carty
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 2:19pm
Ron, this is no place for constructive suggestions.
Share the profits
By Old Guy
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 2:19pm
I'm all for the Olympics if we Boston residents get to share in the profits. We already pay for the Park/Common - I suggest we lease them to the business people who are bringing this unpleasant event to town. And we use the profits to pay my real estate taxes that year!
Worse With Every New Revelation
By Suldog
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 2:36pm
Can't we just rush these fucks with pitchforks and get it done with?
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
How about White Stadium?
By Hyde Parkish
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 2:40pm
Is white stadium already slated for use...it's a 10,000 seat stadium that seems like an option and could spur development in that area that needs a reason to pump money into it!
Already spoken for
By adamg
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 2:42pm
A 'secure perimeter' would enclose much of Franklin Park for the horsey set and athletes with 19th-century military training.
Pages