Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is dedicating $25,000 to make dream events happen next summer on the region’s public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket. Public participation is necessary to make this summer the best one.
Save the Harbor will be collecting ideas until Jan. 27. Suggestions will be used to create a ballot to be voted on by the public. Voting will take place from Feb. 5 to March 6 with the winners announced at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Annual Shamrock Splash in partnership with Harpoon Brewery on March 12.
“We hope to center the voices of people of color, people with disabilities, and non-native English speakers,” said Maria Rodriguez Ortega, Public Policy Coordinator at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, “These groups face barriers that prevent them from enjoying our region’s beaches due to discrimination and limited access. We strive to make our beautiful natural resources welcoming, safe, and accessible to all.”
Community members of all ages who reside in Massachusetts or utilize the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) beaches are eligible to submit ideas and vote.
Participants are encouraged to develop a proposal providing free and open access to the public, scheduled for summer 2023, and meeting DCR beach usage requirements. Save the Harbor will be prioritizing events that center on people of color, people with disabilities, people who do not primarily communicate in English, and other groups that do not currently have equitable access to the waterfront.
By distributing $25,000 of the Better Beaches money in 2022 through a participatory budgeting process, Save the Harbor prioritized the voices of the local community. More than 200 community members submitted ideas for the free events they wanted to see on the beaches this summer.
The Diversity Matters Festival in Lynn, the Beats on the Beach Block Party in Dorchester, and the Teen Beach Bash in South Boston all received more than 600 votes apiece. These events brought thousands of kids, families, and community members to the beach for free, enjoyable activities during the summer.
Fill out the form to submit ideas at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWsXNFNiyiutHwSLTra4ZMnYdoW7oLbbpTLjgJETsqeHN3rg/viewform. The other form which can be translated into over 100 languages is at https://docs-google-com.translate.goog/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWsXNFNiyiutHwSLTra4ZMnYdoW7oLbbpTLjgJETsqeHN3rg/viewform?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=es&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp.
