The New Harris Park has received the go-ahead from city officials. - Photo by Harry Kane

By Harry Kane

In the wake of an economic recession Somerville continues to revamp several of its parks.  The New Harris Park has received the go-ahead from city officials.

The urban oasis will be located at 15-25 Cross Street, in the upper north quadrant of East Somerville.

Director of Parks & Open Space, Arn Franzen said, “It’s a symbol of how Somerville is moving forward. It’s going to become a keystone piece of the open space network that’s going to be in East Somerville.”

At the Cross Street Senior Center on November 2, community members and city officials gathered together in a meeting of the minds to propose ideas for the design.

Mayor Curtatone declared, “Harris Park is going to be an incredible park and an asset to East Somerville… and will improve the quality of life in that neighborhood.”

While the city applied for a PARC grant of $500,000 dollars to renovate a half-acre parking lot off of Broadway Avenue, the appropriating funds have yet to be allocated for construction of this project and are pending a decision from the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

“This project is going to happen either way,” said Somerville’s Senior Planner of Landscape Design, Louisa Oliveira.

The outdated Harris Park, which is down the block from the new location, was originally dedicated to a five-year-old boy named Chucky Harris, who died nearby in an accident. The city plans to re-dedicate the new Harris Park in honor of Chucky.

Chucky’s brother, Bill Harris, attended the meeting. “I’m happy. This is wonderful. I want to be a part of it.”

Fast-forward almost 30 years; Somerville is building an orange line T stop by Assembly Square and Broadway will receive a facelift in the coming year, rejuvenating the district.

“When you add this to all the great infrastructure improvements that will come along the way in the next couple of years, along East Broadway, it’s going sit nicely together,” Mayor Curtatone said.

Principal designer of Ground View Architecture, Eden Dutcher has been with the firm since 2005. “Our role is to listen to the community and synthesize their ideas into a cohesive, imaginative and implementable park design.”

Since air quality is an issue in the neighborhood, Dutcher proposed a green infrastructure element to the design. Green infrastructures are systems that perform an environmental function, like a rain garden that filters storm water or an urban forest that improves air quality.

“This park is unique because it is essentially a blank slate so it provides opportunities to meet the community’s needs in a very innovative way,” Oliveira said.

Various conceptual designs were discussed at the community meeting and while no blueprint has been selected, many residents felt that the park should be intended for the kids of Somerville.

“I’m very excited about the new park which we will build. It’s been a major goal of our administration to continue to renovate, and build the most exciting dynamic parks and open spaces in the metropolitan region,” Mayor Curtatone said.

Groundbreaking for this project is tentatively set for the summer of 2012.