Fun, sun, and a warm welcome at Carson Beach for Waterfront Wellness Week

From the mouth of the Charles River and the Seaport District to the North End and out onto the Boston Harbor Islands, Boston’s expansive waterfront is one of the area’s most vital ecological and recreational resources. But in addition to being threatened by climate change, the waterfront isn't always accessible to all of the city's residents.

As part of its Waterfront Wellness Week, the Coalition for a Resilient and Inclusive Waterfront is hosting a series of events focused on engaging people with the waterfront. That includes a special edition of Java with Jimmy, hosted by James "Jimmy" Hills, live from Joe Moakley Park and Carson Beach Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Hills said that the waterfront is a place of peace for him.

“It is a place of self-care. It is a place of deep thought, a place of also good exercise, when I get out there and think about exercising,” Hills told GBH’s Morning Edition hosts Paris Alston and Jeremy Siegel Wednesday.

Though Boston is on the waterfront, beaches are not always easily accessible to all its residents. Carson Beach, where Wednesday’s event is taking place, became a symbol of racial segregation in the 1970s.

Today, getting from Mattapan to Dorchester Shores Reservation in Neponset, for instance, takes between 45 minutes and an hour and requires transferring form the Mattapan Trolley to a bus and walking. The four-mile journey takes only 15 minutes by car.

“I don't want to believe it was designed to keep people away, but I believe there was some intentional design for those that just had the resources to get there, maybe before public transportation,” Hills said.

Climate change, too, is threatening waterfront access, Hills said.

“This is a conversation that is perpetual,” Hills said, borrowing a phrase from Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Boston’s chief of environment, energy, and open space. “What she talked about is the intentionality around the design. To be able to adapt to the unfortunate outcomes of climate change, we need to design those areas most of all to be safe.”

Wednesday’s event is focused on fun, Hills said. There will be free food, music by DJ Jeff 2Timez and double-dutch jump roping.

“We have food trucks coming. We have a cookout starting at 5 p.m.,” he said. “But before that, we have a lot of young people and families that are coming to participate in life-size games. I just got a challenge yesterday morning for a double-dutch contest, so I'm going to be on the waterfront.”