Jamaica Pond

Late this afternoon, Boston firefighters and EMTs rushed to the Jamaica Pond boathouse, off of which a man took a plunge into the ice-covered water after his dog did likewise, a day after a woman and her dog had to be rescued from the icy depths. Both man and beast got themselves out and left the scene before emergency responders could ask any embarrassing questions.

Boston EMS tweets the woman was taken to a local hospital this afternoon to be checked out after firefighters and police managed to get her out. The dog was also recovered alive, Alex Jones tweets.

We spent a some time on the north side of Jamaica Pond today, watching the geese (and some ducks and one seagull) flocked around the one remaining patch of open water on the pond (what looks like open water near the boathouse in the photos below is actually ice):

A color-conscious citizen complains about a brownish light pole on the path around Jamaica Pond:

Doesn't match color of every other streetlight around the pond. It's not black.

Jamaica Plain Patch reports.

Andy Dean spotted this downed tree this morning on the Perkins Street side of Jamaica Pond.

Jamaica Pond Monster (Jessie) sightings.

Leslee took in the lantern festival at Jamaica Pond last night. The lantern parade continues today, starting at 6 p.m.

Posted under this Creative Commons license.

Ron Newman gets e-mail from the Forest Hills Educational Trust that the cemetery has put the kibosh on the trust's once annual Nov. 2 celebration of the Mexican ritual.

JP fans of the mystical will instead have to content themselves with this coming weekend's Lantern Festival at Jamaica Pond.

At the brand-new crosswalk installed by the DCR on the Jamaicaway at Jamaica Pond, Carol Garfield ponders how, exactly, the state wants her to get across the road.

Photo by Steve Garfield posted under this Creative Commons license. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.

Steve Garfield chronicles the return of Matthew Hincman's bench, which makes periodic pondside appearances.

2006 Hincman interview.

Posted under this Creative Commons license. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.

Courtney Sacco captured the scene at Jamaica Pond the other evening.

Copyright Courtney Sacco. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Steve Garfield reports the city recently replaced the white no-bicycles signs on the Jamaica Pond path that bicyclists routinely ignored with bright yellow no-bicycles signs.

Posted under this Creative Commons license. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.

Roving reporter Carl Lichenstein checks in from the path around Jamaica Pond:

I was walking by the pond today and on the Brookline side a nasty stench alerted me to check the shoreline for the source. Was shocked to see at least 100 dead fish washed up.

The new Jamaicaway crossing at Jamaica Pond is making progress with all the curbing installed. Now you can see how it's going to look when completed.

We'll be watching for the crossing lights next.

New Jamaicaway crossing at Jamaica Pond [ Facebook Video]

The Friends of Jamaica Pond hold a meeting on Wednesday to figure out ways to keep 12.5 acres of land on Hellenic Hill from ever being developed - possibly by convincing state and city officials to buy the land.

Earlier this year, Hellenic College, which owns the land, listed it for sale. The college took the listing down, but said it is still thinking about selling off the land.

The Friends say keeping the land wooded is vital because of the pond's history, its continued designation as an emergency water source for the city and because "Jamaica Pond Park is used daily by thousands of people to revitalize their physical, mental and spiritual health."

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the First Church in Jamaica Plain, Eliot and Centre streets.

Steve Garfield spotted a teepee frame by the waters of Jamaica Pond.

Posted under this Creative Commons license. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.

Nathaniel Smith, who lives in Jamaica Plain, limns the joys of an early morning run through the Emerald Necklace:

I run around Jamaica Pond, then down around Wards Pond and Olmsted Park. The park system is great, with sidewalks, ponds, and unpaved wooded paths, and while very popular it feels like a private moment when I run at 7am.

The Herald reports on the hundreds of fish poured into Jamaica Pond yesterday.

At least, the first time around. J.L. Bell reposts part of a memoir from a British officer assigned to colonial Boston in 1774 and 1775, who much enjoyed skating on Jamaica Pond until:

[T]he Yankees were constantly exercising [i.e., training for war], and became more and more insolent, so much so that the officers did not think it safe to go into the country near Boston.

Skating eventually returned, at least until 50,000 people almost drowned when the ice began to crack.

Erica Russo walks around places with a video camera embedded in her guitar. Here, she takes us on a musical stroll around Jamaica Pond:

The Jamaica Plain Gazette delivers a stinging report.

As we watched the guy at the base of the gazebo at Jamaica Pond, he caught a fish, which he promptly unhooked and tossed back in. The kidlet, clearly a Girl of Action, was puzzled by the concept of catch and release - she didn't get why you'd go to all the bother just to toss the thing back.

Boston Fireman reports the Boston Fire Department rushed to Jamaica Pond around 12:30 p.m. today when a boat overturned. The kids were rescued first; adults still hanging onto boat.

Steve Garfield photographed the new boats at Jamaica Pond today.

Posted under this Creative Commons license. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.