“We went a-sliding down the river, and it did seem so good to be free again…on the big river.”- Huck Finn
Workbar's social email list circulated the news of Boston's first City Splash event of the summer. With the second Splash coming July 25, here's a recap that will send you scrambling to pick up your bathing suit from the dry cleaner's.
Acting on a hot tip from the Workbar social email group, I biked the whip over to Fiedler Field so that I could go all Huck Finn and throw myself in the Charles River. This summer’s first official “City Splash” event was a long time coming. After a massive clean up effort by the Charles River Conservancy (fifty years and half a billion dollars) the Charles was given the green light for recreational swimming in 2013, at least during a few prescribed dates per summer, subject to availability and pre-registration. Tuesday was this summer’s first public swim (next one is July 25) and it was kind of a big deal. Extensive media coverage served as a potent reminder that this water had come a long way from its recent levels of pollution. After being tainted for so long, the Charles River was alive with the sound of splashing and interviews about how the water felt. [Answer: Cool, not cold, and tasted like five-minute sun tea.]
Here are eight scrapped headlines for the Charles River City Splash:
“Mad Props, Free T-Shirt Greet Area Youth on Heels of Charles’ Green Light”
“Betting on Conservancy, Charles Bathers Go “All In” For City Splash”
“Charles River Conservancy To Sweaty People Just This Once: ‘Bring It’”
“Area Cannonball Blows Up Front Page”
“Got Tested? Charles River Turnt Up After Clean Bill of Health”
“Boston Steps Out of Khakis, Into Charles River”
“City Splash Renders Pollution, Sweat Biggest Losers”
“Boston Bathers Brave Bacteria, Partial Sun”
About the Author: Dave Gentry is a fan of progress and recess. He believes in old English and new fortune cookies and answers to #davertido.
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