Greenways
Image Credit: Offshoots Productive Landscapes, LLC.
The Mystic Greenways Initiative will connect 25 miles of paths, improve hundreds of acres of parklands and engage thousands of community members from the Mystic Lakes to the Boston Harbor.
A high-quality network of greenways for active transportation and recreation will enhance climate resiliency, provide sustainable mobility, and improve physical and mental health outcomes for the more than 600,000 residents of the watershed.
The Mystic River Watershed Association is leading this vision and creating a roadmap to transforming these waterfront parklands with full participation from area residents.
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Progress
Nature and green spaces should be accessible to everyone. In reality, however, we know there are disparities in how nature’s benefits are accessed and experienced. We’re well on our way towards the Mystic Greenway vision—with a strong focus on addressing lack of access to greenspace in environmental justice communities within the watershed.
There are dozens of projects in design and construction, from a brand new waterfront park with athletic fields to a shared-use path completing the missing link of the recreation and transportation network along the Mystic.
Projects
Open space improvements at Blessing of the Bay Park are building towards a community-driven revitalization plan.
Providing universally accessible recreation along, and improving the ecological health of, the Mystic Lakes and their shoreline.
A community-driven effort to connect Charlestown residents to the Lower Mystic River.
A safe, off-road walking and biking route along Mystic Valley Parkway in Arlington, Medford, Somerville and Winchester.
We’re creating a connected greenway and new parks along the Malden River, in Medford, Malden and Everett.
Partners
This ambitious effort is made possible by partnerships with all types of stakeholders across the watershed. We are working collaboratively with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), dozens of municipalities and many local community groups and citizens. We are grateful for the philanthropic and thought leadership from the Barr Foundation, the Conine Family Foundation, the Hamilton Charitable Foundation, Llewellyn Foundation, and the Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Foundation.
For more information: Karl Alexander, Greenways Program Manager, karl.alexander@mysticriver.org, 781-316-3438.
Medford