Community Corner
State Leaders Gather At Malden River As Park Project Draws Closer To Completion
The climate-resilient space is expected to open to the public later this year.
MALDEN, MA — City and state leaders recently gathered at the Malden River to discuss the progress of the riverfront park project that is slated to be completed later this year.
The public park, which will be located on 356 Commercial St., has been in the works since the start of the decade when the concept was first presented to the City Council after a year gathering community feedback. The $13 million endeavour entered the design phase in 2023, and construction began last spring. On display at the event Thursday was a federal funding check worth $3,849,610 secured by Democratic Minority WHIP Katherine Clark, who was among those in attendance.
“At a time when many initiatives have been paused due to financial pressures, the Malden Riverworks Project is not only moving forward, it’s in the final stretch,” Mayor Gary Christenson said during the event.
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Christenson gave credit to Clark and Senator Ed Markey for their support on a state and national level to fund the project.
“Their partnership has made a critical difference,” Christenson said. “Beacuse of their advocacy, our community is on the verge of creating a climate-resilient waterfront park.”
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The recently-acquired funds will help pay for hundreds of freshly planted trees and a massive dock for boating at the site. Markey then took to the podium to discuss what the Malden River was like when he was growing up in the city and how much the body of water has improved since.
“A vision without funding is a hallucination,” Markey said. “A lot of kids in Malden aren’t going to make it to Yosemite… this is their park. This is where they can come. This is where they can enjoy nature as well.”
The park’s plans also feature several coastal resiliency features to help with potential flooding in the area. The park is scheduled to open later this coming summer.
“For generations, this Malden River was cut off from Maldonians. But that will change with this park.”
The Malden River spans more than two miles beginning at the southern end of the city, and also includes parts of Medford and Everett.
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