Making the memorable Charles swimmable as well
The Charles River is more than a frame of reference around Boston. It's an 80-mile stream of consciousness linking 35 communities to the Atlantic Ocean and the world. Its blue ribbon waves past Brandeis, Harvard, Boston University and MIT, dotting campus scenery with sailboats, motorboats, and a compliment of birds who fish the eco-diverse source morning, noon and night. This world class compass point is the scene of Boston's Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival each June, the Hatch Shell's Pops celebrations each summer, and The Head of the Charles regatta every October. The banks of the river have been featured in movies, television shows and the every-day occasions of Bostonians so frequently the Charles is somewhat of a super model.
In the very best sense, the Charles is a model of community activism. Jeffrey A. Simon, senior principal with the design and consulting company Stentec, told the Charles River Conservancy, "Many cities around the country and the world are realizing how great an asset their urban waterfront can be and are investing in the protection, revitalization and redesign of their waterways, many focusing on restoring opportunities for swimming in these urban rivers."
