One of the selling points of promoting the Malden River in Everett was the promise of increased physical fitness opportunities in what is a quiet, wooded area of the city, yet close to home.
That promise has been premiered this month with the unveiling of the new Malden River Loop – a bicycling and walking path that traverses Everett, Malden and Medford in a healthy circle.
The new 3.2-mile loop around the Malden River is now marked so that cyclists, runners, and pedestrians can easily follow it.
It takes one down the off-road Northern Strand Community Trail and through the new RiverGreen Park in Everett that features wildflowers, a soccer field, basketball courts, and access to the Malden River – where one may see baby ducks. It then follows Air Force Road and Norman Street to the Route 16 bridge, which connects to a lush new park on the Medford and Malden side of the river. The loop is well marked with stencil markings on the ground and a few signs.
The loop was dedicated to former Malden Clerk Magistrate Joseph Croken and Malden High School track star Louise Stokes, who, in 1932, was one of the first African American women to qualify for an Olympic team.
She ran track and field.
The Loop is one of the first-fruits of the Malden River Vision Plan and the slow piecing together of the Malden River Greenway, which will eventually create a loop that is almost entirely off-road.