Boston Planning & Development Agency, local residents, officially open garden and park at once polluted site in Jamaica Plain
Jul 01, 2021
The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), Burnett Street Garden and Park, Inc., as well as local residents, officially opened the Burnett Street Garden and Park in Jamaica Plain yesterday with a ribbon cutting. Burnett Street Garden and Park, Inc. is the newly formed 501(c)3 that manages the garden - a subcommittee of the Stonybrook Neighborhood Association. The park was funded as part of the community benefits from a nearby BPDA-approved project at 3521-3529 Washington Street, the Flanagan and Seaton Development Project by SSG Development and Construction. There are multiple projects within that parcel, including residential housing, a multi-use building, and a self storage facility which has taken over maintenance of the park. Construction was completed on that project in February of 2020.
The opening of this new green space marks the completion of ten years of work and effort to bring the Flanagan and Seaton Development Project site back to life, after it was once considered to be one of the most contaminated sites in Jamaica Plain. Significant environmental remediation was necessary to reduce the contamination within the soil at the site, which was due to past industrial use.
“I am happy to finally see this project come to fruition and provide a community green space for Jamaica Plain's Burnett Street neighborhood,” said BPDA Director Brian Golden. “To transform an area that had been blighted by contaminants, through development that includes both affordable housing and community space, is a win for this neighborhood and its residents.”
“The 15,000 square foot park, which includes a community garden and a passive park, is an active living asset to the neighborhood and city community,” said David Williams, Director of Development at SSG.
“We are proud of the lasting transformation of this block, which came out of a healthy process with the neighborhood groups, BPDA and City officials”, said Dave Fulton, CEO, at SSG.
The community will be able to enjoy 11,600 square feet of park space, as well as 2,800 square feet of garden space. Within that space are 28 raised garden beds, four of which are ADA accessible. The community garden is maintained by Burnett Street Garden and Park, Inc. There are also benches and picnic tables for people to use.
“With all the development going on in Jamaica Plain and Boston in general, I was thankful that the SNA and BPDA had the foresight to include much needed open and green space into this development plan 10 years ago,” said Beth Abelow, Jamaica Plain resident and Board Member of Burnett Street Garden and Park, Inc. “I hope this will continue to serve as a model in new developments along Washington Street and that the BPDA and the state will look for ways to connect these green spaces to increase community access to them.
In addition to the community garden and park, community benefits also included a community room in the self-storage building, and the funding of multiple neighborhood murals.