Boston Harbor Now praises Georges Island visitor pavilion funding

The Boston City Council voted Wednesday to approve $125,000 for a new outdoor permanent shade pavilion at Georges Island in Boston Harbor through the City of Boston Community Preservation Act Fund.

Georges Island, just seven miles from Downtown Boston by ferry, is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park and welcomes approximately 60,000 visitors a year. The proposed climate-resistant shade pavilion will create a safe and healthy, social gathering space for family, friends and community within the Harbor Islands.

On March 23rd, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Jim Montgomery also announced a $50,000 Partnership Match contribution toward the construction and project management of the facility through the DCR Partnership Matching Funds Program.

The grant from the Community Preservation Act Program will be part of an innovative funding partnership between the City of Boston, DCR and Boston Harbor Now, a non-profit organization that works in partnership with public, for-profit, and non-profit partners to plan, advocate, and activate a thriving waterfront, harbor, and the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. Each of the partners will contribute different elements to the construction of the pavilion and catalyze work around site preparation, utilities, and lighting.

The new pavilion has a total project cost of $223,000, and the partners will work collaboratively with the goal of breaking ground this summer.

“We are thrilled that the Georges Island Pavilion proposal has been accepted for funding and extend our deepest gratitude to the Boston City Council, DCR, and the Boston Community Preservation Committee,” said Kathy Abbott, President and CEO of Boston Harbor Now. “The Georges Island Pavilion – set to become a beautiful and safe place where families and friends can meet, recreate, and relax – is another important milestone in creating welcoming spaces for all on the Harbor Islands.”

City Councilor Frank Baker, District 3, said: "Congratulations to Boston Harbor Now on receiving a grant from the Community Preservation Act. These funds for the Georges Island Pavilion will continue to make the Boston Harbor Islands a welcoming place for all. I am proud to support this proposal, made possible through the partnerships we have with the City of Boston, DCR, and Boston Harbor Now."

“This is great news for every visitor to the Boston Harbor Islands and demonstrates what can be accomplished when strong partnerships are forged through common purpose,” said Michael Creasey, Superintendent of National Parks of Boston. "We are excited to welcome visitors to the Georges Island Pavilion and make it one of the premier destinations in Boston Harbor.”

“A shade pavilion on George’s Island will be a welcome addition to the popular Boston Harbor Island,” said DCR Commissioner Montgomery. “The work executed collaboratively by Boston Harbor Now, DCR, and the National Park Service is a shining example of public-private partnership to reach shared goals, and DCR is thrilled to contribute funding to this worthwhile project.”