Spy Pond, Wellington Park Projects To Start In Arlington

ARLINGTON, MA — The following is an announcement from the Arlington Department of Planning and Community Development.

The Department of Planning and Community Development is pleased to announce that two exciting park improvement projects will kick-off in May after many months of planning. The Spy Pond Edge and Erosion Control Project and the Wellington Park Project will improve the environmental and ecological quality along Spy Pond and Mill Brook, respectively. Both projects were competitively bid, and two different contractors were awarded the projects. Construction at both sites will get underway in May.

Spy Pond Edge and Erosion Control Project

The Spy Pond Edge and Erosion Control Project has approximately $640,000 of construction funding to stabilize the pond's shoreline along Town-owned property, mitigate erosion, revegetate banks, build a timber overlook, and create an ADA-compliant and permeable pathway through the park. A majority of the work will occur within Spy Pond Park, though additional shoreline stabilization will occur behind Scannell Field and adjacent to the Boys and Girls Club. Spy Pond's banks have been eroded over the years due to park-users walking off formal trails and onto banks, creating informal paths that have caused unstable banks and erosion.

The banks need to be restabilized in order to reduce sedimentation into the pond. Funding sources for this project include the Community Preservation Act (CPA), Community Block Development Grant (CDBG), Park & Recreation ADA funds, and Land and Water Conservation Funds from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Additionally, two generous donations were made by the Friends of Spy Pond Park and the Mass Audubon Judy Record Fund. Haven Contracting Corp has been selected as the construction contractor.

"The Spy Pond Edge and Erosion Control Project has been in the works for several years now, so it's exciting that the Town is finally breaking ground," said Emily Sullivan, Arlington's Environmental Planner and Conservation Agent. "This project is a crucial step in improving the health of Spy Pond, one of Arlington's most enjoyed natural resources."

At Spy Pond Park, invasive species removal will begin imminently, closing off some of the bank areas behind Scannell Field and along Spy Pond Park. As the project gears up for pathway surfacing, overlook construction, and bank stabilization, sections of Spy Pond Park will be periodically closed off to the public. All construction within Spy Pond Park will be completed by the end of June. In September, bank stabilization adjacent to the Boys and Girls Club and behind Scannell Field will begin.

A rain garden swale will also be constructed adjacent to Scannell Field during the Fall.

Wellington Park and Mill Brook Project

The Wellington Park and Mill Brook Project has approximately $370,000 of construction funding to increase flood storage capacity, open up the brook for passive recreation, and create an ADA-compliant and permeable pathway and overlook through the park. These physical improvements are only Phase I of a larger park revitalization vision. Funding sources for this project include the CPA and the State's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant. The Town successfully applied for, and received, the MVP Action Grant in 2018 following the completion of the MVP Planning Process.

The Planning process identified flooding in the Mill Brook Corridor, which has caused significant damage to homes, businesses, and other properties in the brook’s vicinity, as a significant concern. Combining the MVP funds with CPA funds enables the Town to leverage funds in an effective manner to improve Wellington Park. This project is co-managed by the Town and the Mystic River Watershed Association. RAE Contracting has been selected as the construction contractor.

"Our hope is that as this section of Mill Brook is opened up, people can begin to visualize the impact that future improvements can have on the entire 2.7-mile corridor between the Arlington Reservoir and Mystic Lakes," said Amber Christoffersen, Greenways Director at the Mystic River Watershed Association. "This has the potential to be a linear park that provides access to nature and a slower-paced, recreational trail for community members."

Work will begin in late April, during which the park (not including the tennis courts) will be closed to the public. The work will be completed by the end of June.

For all other information about the Spy Pond Edge and Erosion Control Project and/or the Wellington Park Project, please contact Emily Sullivan at 781-316-3012 or esullivan@town.arlington.ma.us.