Somerville Park Renovations, Summer 2009

Submitted by City Of Somerville, Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development

The City of Somerville’s parks and open spaces receive intensive use by the city’s nearly 80,000 residents. Sixty-three parks, fields, playgrounds, community gardens, and other public spaces are scattered throughout the City, most under half an acre in size. Somerville parks fulfill diverse needs: residents want to play basketball, push their children on swings, walk dogs, sit under trees, and grow organic vegetables – and those are just a few of the many uses our parks see.

Since open space is in high demand, the protection and (where possible) expansion of these spaces is an important goal for Somerville. Thirteen parks have been built or renovated in the past five years, in addition to other open space improvements. This summer, Somerville is continuing to move forward on a number of quality-of-life projects. This is part of Mayor Curtatone’s commitment to make Somerville a greener and healthier city.

Albion Park (Albion Street), Grimmons Park (Governor Winthrop Road) and Hodgkins-Curtin Park (Holland Street) will all be under construction this summer, undergoing significant upgrades. These renovations will bring new opportunities for recreation and relaxation to three distinct areas of the City. In addition, the design process is underway for a new park at Zero New Washington Street in the Inner Belt/Brickbottom area. A land swap is underway that will bring East Somerville’s Harris Park (Cross Street East) away from Route 93 to a location closer to Broadway, where it will be fully redesigned. Finally, a design contract for Morse-Kelley and Dickerman Playgrounds (both on Craigie Street) is in process, which will use federal stimulus funds to address community concerns in the Spring Hill neighborhood.

More information on Somerville parks, a new five-year Open Space and Recreation Action Plan, and a new Parks Map can be found at the City website: somervillema.gov.