The Spicket River Greenway

Spicket River Greenway
Heather McMann, Groundwork Lawrence
Groundwork Lawrence - Mission
₋ To bring about the sustained
regeneration, improvement and
management of the physical
environment
₋ by developing community-based
partnerships which
₋ empower people, businesses and
organizations to
₋ promote environmental,
economic and social
well-being
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Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
• 74% Latino
• 38% foreign born
• 29% under 18 years old
• 29% below poverty line
• 30% homeownership
• $32,851 median
household income
Creating the Spicket River Greenway
• 1998
SRG identified in GWL Feasibility Study
• 2002
1st Annual Spicket River Cleanup, MA Urban River Visions
affirms Greenway vision
• 2004
SRG Design Guidelines
• 2006
Dr. Nina Scarito Park
• 2007
Misserville Skate Park & William Kennedy Playstead
• 2008
Topographic Survey of the river completed
• 2009
Manchester Street Park
• 2010
Spicket River selected as MA Priority Site, SRG funded
through Gateway City Parks grant, Spicket River Natural
Resource Assessment (DER)
• 2012
SRG Phase I completed, includes connection to Rail Trail
• 2013
Oxford Paper site park
• 2014
In-stream restoration, Facella pocket park, 1st Annual Greenway 5K
• 2015
Spray Park & Ferrous Park – connection to Merrimack Riverwalk Trail
Environmental Challenges
Watershed
•Lawrence’s three rivers suffer from
compromised water quality due to
occasional sewer overflows and
aging infrastructure.
•Flooding is a persistent problem
along the upper section of the
Spicket River.
•Illegal dumping has been
persistent in/along the Spicket River.
100 and 500 year flood zones:
Environmental Challenges
Rivers
•
•
Lawrence’s Combined Sewer System empties directly into the Spicket and
Merrimack Rivers, overflowing on average 14 times per year.
Flooding is a persistent problem along the upper sections of the Spicket
River, especially at the FEMA site.
Parks
•
•
The nine census tracts that make up the central core of north Lawrence
had less than 140 sq. ft. of open space per capita.
The greatest concentration of children and elderly residents lived in the
census tracts bordering the Spicket River, where there is the least amount
of open space.
Brownfields
•
There were 44 DEP Tier Classified Oil or Hazardous Materials sites, of
which more than half were located on or near a river.
Spicket River before 1880
Parks & Schools along the River
Open Space Per Capita
Density of Children Under 15
& walking distance to parks
Community Engagement & Planning
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Young
Architects
Program
River Model
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Green Team Youth Program
Spicket River Task Force
Brook Street site
Leonard School/ Misserville Park
Oxford Paper site
East Island/Ultimate Windows
Creating a Vision
Groundwork Lawrence
Spicket River Greenway
Creating a Vision
Creating a Vision
Making the Vision a Reality
Making the Vision a Reality
Making the Vision a Reality
Making the Vision a Reality
Design Guidelines
Design Guidelines
Education Opportunities
The proposed Rivers & Wetlands Ordinance
Why we need it, what it can do for Lawrence, and how.
Clean Spicket Campaign
NO DUMPING
•City of Lawrence Municipal Code Section 9.08.090
reads as follows: No person shall throw or drop any
material of any nature or description in the Spicket River
nor along the shores of the River within the confines of
the city.
•M.G.L. Chapter 270, Section 16 Disposal of rubbish,
etc. on or near highways and coastal or inland waters;
penalties; enforcement; park rangers
Max of $5,500.00 fine for 1st Offense
Max of $15,000 for each subsequent offense
Keeping Momentum
Green Team Tree-Trimming
Annual Spicket River Cleanup
EPA World Water Monitoring Day
Brook Street vacant lot
Dr. Nina Scarito Park
FEMA Site
60
In October 2007,
the “FEMA Site”
officially became
the Arlington
Neighborhood’s
newest park –
Kennedy Playstead.
Kennedy
Playstead
Misserville Park
Misserville Park
Misserville Park Redevelopment
Misserville Skate Park
Misserville Skate Park
68
Covanta Site
Manchester Street Park
The Spicket River Greenway:
A series of riverfront parks
2009
1880
2006
2007
1986
2007
Maintaining & Celebrating the Vision
Spruce & Myrtle Street Lots
Spruce St. Community Garden
Spruce & Myrtle Community Garden
Designing & Building the SRG
DPW Yard: Before
DPW Yard: After
Stevens Pond: Before
83
Stevens Pond: After
84
Hayden Schofield: Before
Hayden Schofield: After
Immigrant Place Park: Before
Immigrant Place Park: After
88
Activation & Stewardship
89
Spicket River Clean-up
Water Quality Testing
Greenway 5K
Expansion & Connections
Expansion & Connections
The Ferrous Site
Scenic Waterway
Ferrous Site: Site Plan
Ferrous Park & Riverwalk Trail
Ferrous Site: Activation
Creating the Spicket River Greenway
• 1998
SRG identified in GWL Feasibility Study
• 2002
1st Annual Spicket River Cleanup, MA Urban River Visions
affirms Greenway vision
• 2004
SRG Design Guidelines
• 2006
Dr. Nina Scarito Park
• 2007
Misserville Skate Park & William Kennedy Playstead
• 2008
Topographic Survey of the river completed
• 2009
Manchester Street Park
• 2010
Spicket River selected as MA Priority Site, SRG funded
through Gateway City Parks grant, Spicket River Natural
Resource Assessment (DER)
• 2012
SRG Phase I completed, includes connection to Rail Trail
• 2013
Oxford Paper site park
• 2014
In-stream restoration, Facella pocket park, 1st Annual Greenway 5K
• 2015
Spray Park & Ferrous Park – connection to Merrimack Riverwalk Trail
Partners
Lessons learned:
Challenges are Opportunities
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
Negative Perception
Brownfields
Vacant lots
Illegal dumping
Flooding
EJ neighborhoods
Opportunities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Neighborhood Leadership
Environmental Education
Community Development
Active Transportation
Recreation & Exercise
Improved Environment & Public Health
Increased Property Levels
103
Thank You
Heather McMann
Groundwork Lawrence
hmcmann@groundworklawrence.org
www.groundworklawrence.org