Amber bikes along the Mystic River Greenway
From Amber Christoffersen:
What an incredible journey and privilege it’s been to be a part of the Mystic these past 6+ years! I began working with a staff of 5 and am leaving a staff of nearly 15. Together we saw new developments and paths rise up on the banks of the Mystic River , documented one of the largest fish migrations in New England, weathered a global pandemic and are tackling the next-generation challenges around climate change, equity and justice.
As the Greenways Director, it’s been exciting to see a community of partners – residents, municipal/agency staff, funders – adopt, enhance and advance our shared-vision for a network of linear parks from Mystic Lakes to Boston Harbor. Thanks to these collective efforts, we are well on our way to a completed 25-mile recreation and active transportation system in the Mystic. 2.5 miles of new paths have been built, 5 additional miles are in design or construction, and 5 waterfront parks in Arlington, Everett, Malden, Medford, and Somerville are undergoing major revitalization efforts.
We’ve raised more than $10 million in capacity and project support that brought improvements at Wellington Park in Arlington and Blessing of the Bay in Somerville – and a new, signature park at Rivergreen Park on the banks of the Malden River complete with a Riverwalk, picnic areas, athletic fields and a restored shoreline.
In the next few years, I’m looking forward to seeing projects we’ve been advancing, including Clippership Connector in Medford, Mystic River Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge in Somerville and Everett, and the Malden River Works Park.
And while I’m moving on from MyRWA, I’m not going far. I’ll be on the statewide Greenways and Trails team at the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), working to create new, and improved, parks and paths across the state. Massachusetts has such a rich history with an incredible, Olmsted-created park system -- I look forward to building on that legacy at the state-level and as a partner of MyRWA.
I will miss everyone and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Mystic. I’ll hope to see you around the river and at MyRWA’s yearly events like the Annual Meeting and Herring Run and Paddle!
Interested in carrying on this work? Apply to be MyRWA’s Greenways Program Manager!
