Winter 2023
Dear Friends,
In 2015, the Arboretum Park Conservancy paid the Horsley Witten Group to develop a detailed concept plan and a cost estimate for extending the Blackwell Path to a new entrance at the end of Arboretum Road. The Arnold Arboretum and the Boston Transportation Department embraced this plan and secured additional funding for design and permitting. The path and entrance are now under construction and will be completed by the end of this year.
In other good news, the Boston Public Works Department hired a contractor to reconstruct Arboretum Road to provide a welcoming, tree-lined pedestrian access to the new Bussey Brook Meadow entrance. A new drainage system will alleviate the flooding in this area by receiving stormwater runoff.
We continue to enjoy collaborating with the Arboretum and our municipal and community partners on welcoming new visitors. The Arboretum has raised all the funds necessary to complete the next phase of pathway design, a universally accessible canopy walk, that will connect Meadow visitors on the Blackwell Path to Peters Hill. When complete, this shared-use pedestrian and cycling path will extend the Southwest Corridor path from the Forest Hills MBTA station to a new entrance at the Roslindale Village Commuter Rail Station, providing a carbon-free commuting option and connecting Bostonians with the natural world close to home.
Many public and private partners have contributed to the successful progress of these projects: the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, the Boston Conservation Commission, the Boston Transportation Department, WalkUP Roslindale, Rossie Bikes, the Liveable Street Alliance/Emerald Network, residents, state legislators, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and Roslindale Village Main Street. Project funders include Boston’s Community Preservation Committee, the Boston Public Works Department, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, the Conine Family Foundation, the Solomon Foundation, and the Arnold Arboretum Committee.
Private partners like you have helped us with these accomplishments. We hope we can depend on your support for our ongoing activities again this year.
All the best,
