Roosevelt Park: Construction Is Underway

The Roosevelt Park Improvement Project is underway. The Friends of Roosevelt Park shared an update, along with some photos of the early beginnings.

The construction has started on Roosevelt/Salemwood Park. The entire park is fenced off for safety purposes. Contamination will be removed first. Trucks carrying the contaminated soil will exit via Dell Street. The construction will certainly have an effect on school drop off/pick up, fire drill line ups and outdoor recess for the Salemwood students. The City officials are currently working on a plan for access to the school. We will continue to update the community with information.

That's a major, positive development for the community. It's been a very long wait since 2018, when elected officials began sharing ideas for park improvements. The Friends of Roosevelt Park, as an active community group, have maintained years of advocacy for a natural grass environment — especially for the benefit of the children of Salemwood School, and the children of Malden generally.

Construction fencing along the path beside Salemwood School at Roosevelt Park — Fencing now lines the walking path beside Salemwood School — the first visible sign of construction.

Warning sign on the perimeter fence reading 'Restricted Area, Site Contains Hazardous Materials, No Trespassing' — The perimeter fence carries a hazardous-materials warning while soil remediation gets underway.

A storage container and construction staging area at Roosevelt Park, with a worker on site — Staging equipment on site.

An R.A.D. Sports Turf Division truck and skid steer on the field at Roosevelt Park — An R.A.D. Sports Turf Division truck on site.

Hay bales and silt fencing staged at the edge of the field for erosion control — Hay bales and silt fencing — standard erosion control — staged ahead of soil work.

Brief background

December 11, 2019 — the City issued a Public Health Alert announcing a portion of Roosevelt Park closed to the public.

December 12, 2019 — the Malden Redevelopment Authority delivered more than 1,000 public notice flyers to the Salemwood School and the Ward 5 City Councillor. The notice, printed in a distinctive pink, disclosed that soil testing had "revealed elevated levels of lead in the soil within 12 inches of the ground surface" in some sections of the park.

December 2019 Public Notice from the City of Malden announcing a portion of Roosevelt Park closed to the public due to elevated lead levels in the soil, at 529 Salem Street behind the Salemwood School — The City's December 2019 public notice, delivered in a distinctive pink to flag its urgency.

Site plan for the Roosevelt Park Improvement Project, showing the park's footprint against Salemwood School, Salem Street, Dell Street, and Playstead Road — The project site plan, showing the park's footprint against Salemwood School and the surrounding streets.

Follow the project

Friends of Roosevelt Park will continue posting updates at facebook.com/FoRPMalden.
Project information is also tracked on the City's ClearGov capital project page.

References

12/11/2019, MNN — Public Health Alert announcing a portion of Roosevelt Park closed to the public — https://www.facebook.com/MaldenNewsNetwork/posts/pfbid0349DQZU5R2cqr5JTsuUPDcn51RCnBZ1WrFH98cwsYURXuZWwpzSTuntd59ra3es3wl
12/12/2019, MNN — MRA delivers public notice flyers on elevated lead levels — https://www.facebook.com/MaldenNewsNetwork/posts/pfbid0RN1ohyjncp8bdYzKiqnzwgxQxch7gT7msbdT5DeBsCtkWWE2e8JEaxL88tx42FQMl
12/15/2019, MNN — "Let's dig some dirt." — https://www.facebook.com/MaldenNewsNetwork/posts/pfbid02djk22gxURzQy7fpGPKif7tFPmjntDfU3iwAddNdGnn8Z8vDGiMFkk2S3S21imc1Hl