City Council Unanimously Supports Investment at Park

On Monday the City Council unanimously approved the following Council Order, co-sponsored by Mayor Denise Simmons and Vice-Mayor Marc McGovern.

WHEREAS: At 17 acres, Magazine Beach Park is Cambridge’s second largest park and centrally located, beside the BU Bridge and along the Charles River; and

WHEREAS: The park has been a favorite picnicking and swimming destination for Cambridge families for over 100 years; and

WHEREAS: The park is the only stretch on the Cambridge side of the river that has the space to offer recreation, family gatherings and nature, that has the potential of becoming a destination; and

WHEREAS: Both the State and City have designated it as such in their 2001 Master Plan of the Charles River Basin and 2011 Cambridge Riverfront Plan: Reconnecting People to the Water; and

WHEREAS: The park badly needs renovation with its broken picnic tables and benches, a broken wading pool, no play features, sunken pavement, and many dead or dying trees; and

WHEREAS: Landscape architects Crosby Schlessinger Smallridge have almost completed the design for the western part of the park (Phase II); and

WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Conservation (DCR), the guardians of this park (that Cambridge created!), lack the capital to make all of the necessary improvements to the park; and

WHEREAS: Over the past few years, working collaboratively, the City, State and community have successfully restored the historic 1818 Powder magazine; and

WHEREAS: The City has already invested $1.5 million into the renovation of the playing fields and exercise area in the eastern part of the park (Phase I); and

WHEREAS: The Magazine Beach Committee of the Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association (CNA) is committed to continuing to advocate for the park, to raise funds to renovate it, and to organize summer programs for the enrichment of local children and families; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City of Cambridge partner with DCR and the CNA to revitalize Magazine Beach; and be if further

ORDERED: That the City make a substantial investment in Phase II improvements and explore with DCR the possibility of maintaining the park; and be it further

ORDERED: That the City Manager report back to the Council on this matter.

Approved 24 April 2017