Boston- The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy announced that, following significant repairs and upgrades, the signature Rings Fountain would be turned on this week.
After nearly $250,000 in repairs and upgrades, the fountain will return with a new continuous evening light show, a feature added this year for the 10th anniversary of The Greenway.
Work at the Rings Fountain has been underway since October 2018. Greenway Conservancy staff, technicians from WET Design (the design and exclusive programmer of the fountain), and contractors made upgrades to fountain equipment and programming.
156 lights were upgraded to energy-efficient color LED lights that are programed to sync to the fountain’s water shows. The jigsaw puzzle of 350 granite and concrete pavers were removed and replaced with a crane, and the fountain received new light stands, lenses, hoses, and more. Fountain equipment in the underground vault was upgraded, as were lights in the plaza near the fountain. Repair costs were covered with capital funds from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; the upgrade costs were covered with private funds.
“After hundreds of hours of work by our staff and contractors, I’m excited that the Rings Fountain will continue to be such a popular, free daytime attraction and newly a nighttime destination for the added light shows,” said Bob Stigberg, Director of Maintenance & Capital at the Greenway Conservancy.
The Rings Fountain is one of the most popular features on The Greenway. Hailed as “the most unconditionally happy spot in all of Boston” and “one of the most effortlessly diverse places in the city” by The Boston Globe, the Rings Fountain is located in heart of the park, near the New England Aquarium and Faneuil Hall. Throngs of visitors delight in the fountain’s gracefully choreographed and playfully unpredictable jets of water.
“We encourage all visitors to come enjoy Rings as part of a full day of fun downtown, including our world-class art, great food and drink options, and beautiful gardens,” said Jesse Brackenbury, Conservancy Executive Director. “We appreciate the support of the state and private funders to assure that the Rings Fountain remains a signature element of The Greenway.”
Multiple new initiatives in 2019 celebrate ten years of the Conservancy’s park operations, which have transformed The Greenway into a neighborhood amenity, an economic driver for the city and state, and a world-class destination. This spring, the Conservancy highlighted its organic gardens with three new additions: 10,000 bulbs in bloom in the Carolyn Lynch Garden, a new wildflower meadow growing in, and the introduction of beehives. The Conservancy’s 2019 public art exhibit, “The Auto Show”, harkens back to the demolished elevated highway with contemporary artworks; as one part of this, an augmented reality app offers visitors a chance to see historical photos and contemporary digital artworks. October 4-10 will be celebrated as Greenway Week, with special programming including a free day at the Greenway Carousel at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove on 10/10/2019.
The Conservancy invites visitors this summer to explore The Greenway’s other water features, which opened over Memorial Day Weekend: 2 fountains near the North End, the Armenian Heritage Park fountains, the Harbor Fog installation, and the waterfall in Chin Park. Fountains operate daily until October from 9a-11p.
The Greenway is the contemporary public park in the heart of Boston. The Greenway welcomes millions of visitors annually to gather, play, unwind, and explore. The Greenway Conservancy is the non-profit responsible for the management and care of The Greenway. The majority of the public park’s annual budget is generously provided by private sources.
In 2019, the Conservancy received the Boston Society of Architects’ Commonwealth Award, honoring organizations that have exerted an uncommon influence on public awareness of architecture and our built environment in the city. The Conservancy was recognized for “outstanding work on the dynamic transformation and activation of a portion of downtown Boston that was once lost to the Central Artery.”
