By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

The Mystic River deserves to have its true brilliance shine. It is an asset second to none—all we have to do is unlock its potential. Most communities have long protected their waterfronts, but in the urban core, our industrial past meant that our waterfronts were embraced as tools of industries and dumping grounds, instead of as environmental jewels that should be treasured and cared for. We’ve begun to undo the mistakes of the past by fighting for the Mystic, as we can see at Baxter Park in Assembly Square, where six-acres of waterfront park have become an inviting oasis within a new urban village. Earlier this month, we took another step in that fight, thanks to our state delegation of Sen. Pat Jehlen and Reps. Denise Provost, Christine Barber and Tim Toomey, who helped us secure $350,000 in the fiscal 2016 state budget for the river.

Of that $350,000, a quarter-million is for implementation of the Mystic River Master Plan, specifically funding the complete design development plans and construction specifications for planned park improvements along the river banks. Like SomerVision does for Somerville, this master plan asks us what we want the Mystic River to be in the future. It envisions a river that is not only a recreational and environmental resource, but as a transportation way—and I don’t mean kayaking and canoeing, although we definitely want to see that on the river, too. One of the goals of the master plan is to develop a continuous multi-use pathway system along the banks of the Mystic, from the Harvard Avenue Bridge that connects West Medford to southeast Arlington, to the Route 99 bridge just south of Assembly Square that connects Charlestown to Everett.

From there, it’s not hard to imagine such a pathway connecting with the Northern Strand Community Trail in Everett, stretching into the 3.1 paved trail that opened in Malden at the end of 2013, and to the newly covered Revere portion of the trail that connects Everett and Malden 2.5 miles of trail in Saugus to the Lynn border. Combine that with the Community Path Extension that MassDOT will build alongside the Green Line Extension, and with the Wellington Greenway in Medford and Alewife Brook Greenway. The pathway would connect people to recreational facilities, parks and boathouses. It will also connect them to MBTA stations and downtown Boston. We will be creating a way for Somerville residents and people throughout the region to travel between cities and towns by biking, walking and running, and almost never having to encounter a car.

The remaining $100,000 secured in the fiscal 2016 budget would finance invasive species control in the river—namely, the continued work of DCR and the Mystic River Watershed Association to remove water chestnut plans for the river. This non-native plan chokes the river, impacting both recreational opportunities on the water and the river’s ecology by reduce the amount of light, water, nutrients and space available to native species. It becomes harder for those native species to survive, and the invasive species spreads quickly. Water chestnut plants blanketed 30 acres of the river and the plant’s population has increased 3,000 percent over the past decade. I am grateful that this funding is secure again, and for our partners at the Watershed Association, DCR and Tufts for their tireless efforts on this front.

The health of the Mystic River and its potential is also aligned with Chelsea Creek and the Malden River, which both empty into the Mystic shortly before it ends at Boston Harbor and also need our care and attention. We need to enhance these important environmental resources. We have active, engaged communities who want to be out and connected to their natural resources, their parks, open spaces and the river. It’s also worth noting that there are several environmental justice zones along these rivers, where residents shoulder a disproportionate level of impact caused by traffic and industry. Caring for these rivers is also taking addressing the environmental injustice that affects the health of those residents.

The Mystic River needs champions. We’re fortunate to have people willing to take on that challenge, and the state delegation to speak for us on Beacon Hill. The investments we’re receiving are important and the interventions we’re undertaking are critical. The Mystic River has to be swimmable and fishable for everyone. There’s no exception to that. If we can do this, we’ll leverage an incredible opportunity to improve our quality of life.