Emerald Necklace Conservancy Lights Up Winter Bridges

BROOKLINE, MA —Between the pandemic and the short winter days — who couldn't use a little more light during these dark time? The Emerald Necklace Conservancy made it happen.

For the past month, the conservancy has lit up the bridges in color along the Muddy River pathway from Brookline past the Longwood area and into Jamaica Plain.

The exhibit was set to close March 13, but, with so many positive posts on social media using the hashtag #NecklaceLights about it, the group decided to raise enough money to keep it until the end of the month.

"Our winters are already long, and this winter especially we need light, hope and safe opportunities and destinations to continue to enjoy the outdoors with limited daylight," said President Karen Mauney-Brodek. "We hope this limited-time installation will do just that – give folks an excuse and a reason for an enjoyable outing after hours."

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is no stranger to embracing art that makes people pause. During the Conservancy's 20th anniversary year in 2018, they celebrated the parks with an installation called "Fog x FLO: Fujiko Nakaya on the Emerald Necklace."

One of those installations in Franklin Park was lit up, too.

For the bridges installation this winter, the Conservancy team put their heads together to figure out ways to highlight community, light and the bridges and came up with the idea, raised the funds, applied for the permits and made it happen.

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a non-profit founded in 1998 to steward and champion the Emerald Necklace, which weaves through Boston and borders Brookline. The Conservancy protects, restores, helps maintain and promotes the Emerald Necklace’s six parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and includes 1,100 acres of meadows, woodlands and paths.

Illuminated bridges dusk to 9 p.m, daily:

• · Boylston Street Bridge in the Fens
• · Liff Park Bridges in the Fens
• · Chapel Street Bridge in Riverway
• · Bridle Footbridge in Riverway
• · Longwood Avenue Bridge in Riverway
• · Leverett Pond Footbridge in Olmsted Park
• · Ellicott Arch in Franklin Park

Since the pandemic, the conservancy has offered several free events and many online.