Bostonians have made steady progress monitoring the city’s groundwater issues, but all agree there is a need for continued vigilance.

That was the underlying theme in the testimony by representatives from the city’s Environmental and Energy Services, the Boston Groundwater Trust, Boston Water and Sewer, Commission, the MBTA and Citywide Groundwater Emergency Taskforce (GET) who updated a subcommittee of the Boston City Council on the progress on the issue that has ebbed and flowed throughout Boston’s history.

“It’s fascinating where we are today and where we can go now, given the accuracy of our data, the resources now on the table and the contributions of city and state agencies,” said City Councilor Michael Ross, reflecting on the progress made during recent years to bring the problem to the forefront and to gain the cooperation of all participating stakeholders to work toward lessening groundwater depletion.

The Boston Groundwater Trust now regularly monitors the 800 wells it has installed throughout the city for data collection with particular attention to six “hot spots” that continually show low groundwater levels. The groundwater overlay district zoning requirements have brought the problem and solution to the attention to homeowners and builders. The Boston Water and Sewer Commission is beginning to take a good look at its infrastructure to make sure it is not responsible for leaking water, and the MBTA has taken action to address the water depletion near the Back Bay Station.

“We are just getting on top of the problems and beginning to understand what we need to do,” said Gordon Richardson of Citywide GET. “We are probably a couple of years away from coming up with an integrated long-range plan that shows what needs to be done to permanently solve this problem.”

Elliott Laffer, executive director of the Groundwater Trust, on the other hand, does not think there will be a single solution, but is trying to come up with different solutions for each agency involved. “No matter what, we must constantly monitor [the water levels] for leaks. We install new systems, they break, and we always need to be on top of it.

In the meantime, Laffler’s greatest fear is that people will think the problem is solved and that there is no need to be concerned anymore. “We need to institutionalize the solutions. We will always have to pay attention to groundwater levels.”

The Esplanade’s own “Gondola di Venezia” will open their season this weekend with a new owner at the helm. Berklee graduate, Megan Sliger has purchased the business from the founders, Joseph and Camille Gibbons.

Sliger was walking on the Esplanade in 2003 when she came upon the gondolas. A professional musician, with an enduring interest in European music and culture, she asked about a job singing and playing accordion. She was hired and began her love affair with gondolas. Her eyes sparkle when she talks about the boats. “To be able to pursue a livelihood in gondolas and preserve Venetian culture and its history through the gondolas is a dream come true.”

Last October she graduated from musician to gondolier by training in the traditional skills and postures needed to guide the vessels on their journey through the park. She is now the sole female gondolier outside of Europe and one of only three in the world.

There are only 12 authentic Venetian gondolas in North America and Boston has two of them. In 2000 the “Maria” was custom-built for the Gibbons in one of the three surviving “Squero” or boat yards in Venice. While the “Maria” was under construction, the Gibbons had the opportunity to purchase the “Frienze.” It was built in 1994 by Maestro Daniele Bonaldo, one of the few contemporary masters of this ancient craft.

Contrary to popular belief, gondolas are not poled but are rowed using a traditional Italian rowing style called “Voga.” One carefully-designed, handcrafted oar is worked back and forth, along a special type of support called a “forcole.” “Essentially you are moving forward through the water like a fish,” explained Sliger.

The design of the boat, with its flat bottom, provides a smooth stable ride and the ability to slip along in shallow water. The standing gondolier is counterbalanced by an asymmetric hull, and the weight of the iron decoration found at the gondola’s head.

The work of protecting and maintaining these exotic watercraft takes up much of Sliger’s time these days, but she rejoices in this stewardship. “I’m so excited to be able to share these boats with the neighborhood and with Boston. I look forward to seeing as many people come out this summer as possible. It’s really something that I think everyone should experience, and see the city from a different perspective from these canals and from the Charles River,” she said.

One neighbor who has enjoyed this perspective is long-time park advocate, Linda Cox. Last year, she and her partner Jack Kroh celebrated her birthday with a gondola tour of the Esplanade. “It was so lovely to see the park from the water and from a quiet gliding, peaceful boat. The total experience was very romantic, and it was also quite special to be in a handmade gondola that you knew was authentic,” said Cox.

In her history of the park, “The Charles River Esplanade Our Boston Treasure,” Cox documented the appropriateness of an activity like gondola tours in this historic place. She quoted Arthur Shurcliff, one of the landscape architects who created this space. “Boating should be encouraged by easy and frequent access to the water, with floats, landings, and stairs. "The more Venetian the Basin activities, the better."

Reservations are strongly recommended for this particular Venetian activity. However, there is occasionally a time slot available for a neighbor who would like to take advantage of proximity and a perfect day to slip away for a romantic hour aboard a work of art.

More information is available at the “Gondola di Venezia” dock located beside Café Esplanade near the Hatch Shell or at the website www.bostongondolas.com.

The joy of learning about science was on display at the annual Kingsley Montessori School Science Fair on May 3 inside the school building on Exeter Street.

Ninety-eight elementary students participated in the fair, and this past Wednesday, 24 kindergarteners took part in their own science fair.

Parents and guests at the fair received a personal demonstration of the science exhibits while students stood ready to answer any questions about their observations or research.

Students have a couple of weeks to build their exhibit and conduct their research, according to Head of School Renee Farkes. “The students work with the classroom teachers and the science specialist [Alice Catlin],” said Farkes. “Students do some of the work at home, and they have to write up observation sheets.”

While most science fairs crown a winner for best exhibit, Farkes said the Kingsley Montessori Fair is more about the educational experience. “This science fair is about a child having the experience,” said Farkes. “Sometimes a science experiment doesn’t work exactly right, and then there’s a reason to further investigate which is what the real scientists do.”

credit: D. Harney



Ivanna and Mark Burds of Sturbridge played in the fountain on the Christian Science plaza during the 80 degree weather on Wednesday.

credit: S. Besser
caption: Some users said fewer dogs are using the new dog space. On May 2, there were 45 dogs there at 6 p.m. compared to the 83 counted when it first opened.






For the most part, the new dog recreation site on Boston Common has most dogs wagging their tails, although some dog owners are growling.

“Well, it's better than nothing... that's for sure,” said J. Alain Ferry, chairman of the Boston pet owners group DOG (Dog Owners Group.) “Based on the lower usage and conversations with dog owners, it's clearly less popular than the old space on the parade grounds. It's significantly smaller and it doesn't really allow for throwing balls except for in one very narrow direction.”

Despite the limitations, most pet owners seemed pleased with the temporary accommodations provided by the Parks Department during the Parade Ground renovations.

“I am happy with our new area, but I do miss the space of the old one,” said Beacon Hill resident Jennifer Garrity. “The new area is a fair size, and the dogs seem to know the boundaries. I feel as though the Parks Department was helpful and flexible in finding dog owners a new space for their dog to play. I have to admit that I was concerned of the actions they might take for dog owners initially, but I feel that they found a comparative replacement area.”

Don Scott of Bowdoin Street said that he has heard some complaints from fellow dog owners, but feels the space overall is better than the old space.

“I think it’s a great spot for a number of reasons,” said Scott. “Even though it’s a little smaller, it’s really about the same amount of room we were supposed to be using on the parade grounds. Plus, the temporary space has trees for shade and benches for sitting.”

As for relocating the off-leash space 100 yards further away from Back Bay, Scott, said he has not noticed any difference in the number of Back Bay residents using the space with their dogs.

Pinckney Street resident Amanda Ellis feels differently. “It is general mayhem here,” said Ellis. “In the beginning there were as many as 83 dogs here at once. Now it is a lot less. Ellis said she suspects Back Bay residents are choosing to go the river instead and that she too may head there from now on.

Scott has heard some owners complain that there is not enough room to throw a ball, but thinks the bigger concern should be about the proximity to the Frog Pond, which he fears will draw running dogs during the summer months.

Ferry agreed and also fears that the smaller space could be causing a faster than expected deterioration of grass in the new dog space, because dogs are turning and changing direction more than they did in the larger space at the Parade Grounds.

“Personally,” said Scott. “I think any space should stay temporary, until they find us a real, permanent home, because you have upwards of two dozen dogs a day at that space. They might want to consider rotating us around on an annual basis.”

Jeanette Nibouar, Garden Street, said she generally is happy with the space as well.

“I did find in the little triangle area 2 large bolts poking out of the ground about 2 inches. They looked like maybe they were once used for a lamppost or something . . . and could cause an injury. There is also a metal square box in the ground. It might be something for utilities,” said Nibouar. “These are minor points that the park board can easily fix. The new off leash area is closer to the children's play areas. I have noticed that the kids and parents stop to watch the dogs play and they seem to enjoy the dogs.”

However, overall Ferry said that dog owners seem to be adjusting to the new space and making do, at least in the short-term.

credit: D. Harney
caption:



Artist Martha Ewir showed her artwork at Emmanuel Church at 15 Newbury Street. Every Wednesday the Ecclesia Ministries program runs Common Art, which provides space, materials and support to homeless and low-income members to develop their artistic abilities and display and sell their work.

If you’ve sat through the meetings about the Storrow Drive Tunnel reconstruction or if you have been reading about them in this newspaper, you may have noticed a theme emerging.

Investigate adding ramps to the Mass. Pike.

That’s a good idea.

But a study of additional ramps is not enough. We need to understand the whole traffic ecosystem in downtown Boston. If we changed the directions of some streets, if we made some one-way streets two ways, if we closed some streets to traffic completely, if we opened now-closed streets — would we benefit? If we charged cars a fee to enter the city, what effect would that have? If we determined that only vehicles under a certain size could enter a restricted downtown zone, would our lives improve?

It is obvious that Storrow Drive affects and is affected by all other routes around the city. It’s not just the Mass. Pike. It’s also local streets. It is the bridges to Cambridge.

It is also the history. Since the 1950s streets have changed direction, sometimes on a whim, but at least on an ad hoc basis. For example, about 15 years ago a Beacon Hill neighborhood group closed one exit from Storrow Drive into Charles Circle with no analysis of the effect on other roadways. Probably when the Mass Pike extension opened it increased traffic on Arlington Street, since one entrance ramp is located there. But it is hard to imagine that at that time anyone analyzed the effect to the extent they would now. When Mayor White decreed that traffic on Charles Street should go south rather than north, no consideration was given to the the fact that Berkeley Street would become more crowded.

At this point, with few exceptions — Mass. Ave. and Commercial Street — in downtown Boston neighborhoods, it is only wide streets with medians or parks in the center that are two ways. Commonwealth Avenue and Cambridge, Causeway and Congress streets are good examples.

Changing the way a street works can be a political minefield.
Already, advocates for children are complaining about a Storrow Drive tunnel plan that would greatly benefit the Esplanade, but would cause an increase in traffic on Clarendon Street.

Back Bay residents would like to see Charles Street return to its pre-1984 direction, but Beacon Hill residents will have none of it.

This is not about slowing the process. That’s the last thing that should be done.

But this is a good time to do some brainstorming about what we want downtown Boston to be in terms of traffic. There are three other major projects — the Longfellow, the Science Museum and the BU bridges, — that are also moving forward.

It is also a time when other old cities — Paris and London come to mind — are experimenting with new ideas that reduce traffic that never see the light of day in this new world municipality.

We should also be considering how a subway or a light rail line could enhance this project. So far the Storrow Drive studies have pretty much discounted how rapid transit could be employed to our benefit.

This is an exciting time for transportation buffs in Boston, mostly because of what the Big Dig has brought us in terms of urban improvement. We should not lose our momentum.