Mayor Carlo DeMaria and the Office of Planning and Development recently held a successful public meeting to discuss the redesign and renovation of Jacob Scharf Park, often referred to as Florence Street Park. Residents, City employees, and the architectural firm, LDD Collaborative, Inc., came together in an effort to stimulate community dialogue regarding the renovation.
City officials and residents alike were impressed with the proposed design. The park will benefit from restructuring, upgrades, and additional features for children and families. Some of the highlights of the playground design include a state of the art water spray park, picnic area, refurbished tot-lot, a newly added playground for older children, additional swings, and the relocation of the swing set to a shadier area of the playground. The playing field will also be renovated with the improvement of the baseball field, the addition of terraced lawn seating along the Florence Street wall, and the incorporation of a concession stand plaza, exercise equipment area, public lawn and garden space, and a dog park.
“The redesign of Florence Street Park is well overdue,” states Mayor DeMaria, “It is such a great space, with all of the beautiful trees and the perfect blend of playground and playing field space. When we included this park in the Capital Improvement Plan, I was eager to see the proposed designs. LLD Collaborative did not disappoint. The feedback we have received from neighbors and residents has all been very positive. We are all eager to get this project underway.”
“Mayor DeMaria and his administration’s insight and vision for the future development of the City of Everett neighborhood parks, green spaces, plazas, and recreational facilities have been inspirational,” states LLD Collaborative, “Their commitment to the betterment of the City and the community they represent should serve as a model for the successful development for all communities within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
Funding for the redevelopment of the park will come from both The Massachusetts Executive Office for Energy and Environment Affairs, which granted the City $200,000 towards the renovation, and $400,000 of Community Development Block Grant Funding (CDBG). Construction is slated to being in the fall.
The Florence Street Park project is another example of Mayor DeMaria’s ongoing initiative for renovation, development, and asset preservation within the City, as indicated in the recently submitted FY15 Capital Improvement Plan. One of the Mayor’s goals is to keep all recreational areas and green spaces current, safe, and well maintained in order to retain our City’s value.