ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan Projects

St. Louis Park Renovation Project 

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’). St Louis Park is located in the 'Centralville' section of Lowell, and is within a QCT. It will provide a revised universally accessible playground, and outdoor classroom space, and new green infrastructure (rain gardens, bioswales, and urban reforestation).

The Saint Louis Sponge Park project will transform a large, underutilized park in Lowell’s Centralville neighborhood, a state-designated environmental justice community and is the only recreational space within a ten-minute walk of the neighborhood. Improvements include a small picnic plaza, and site furnishings that include benches, seat walls, and new trash receptacles, a new splash pad, basketball court resurfacing with a high-albedo sealcoat, a new nature-based playground with universally accessible features and a poured-in-place rubber surface and play equipment to accommodate a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities. The playground is designed to mimic heat map patterns so it can be used as an educational space as well. 

North Common Park Renovation Project 

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’).  

North Common is the second largest park in the Acre neighborhood, with 7.69 acres of public park land. The park features a playground, softball field, two basketball courts, two handball courts, a volleyball court, a community garden, and an amphitheater. The park also hosts a state owned and operated pool. Serving as the grounds to Murkland Elementary School and being located near dense residential housing, the park is heavily used by kids, teens, and adults. 

Reilly School Playground Park Renovation Project 

The Reilly School Community Playground is in the Belvidere neighborhood and is heavily used by Reilly Elementary School students and neighborhood residents. The existing structure is 30 years old and presents several safety concerns including fall heights, tripping hazards, and damage to the equipment through years of heavy use. Improvements to the Reilly School Community Playground will include a new, ADA-accessible playground featuring sensory domes and inclusive play structures; rubber playground surfacing; a painted “obstacle course” on the central pavement space; music “stations”; and a shaded picnic area.  

Clemente Park  

Clemete Park Renovation Project - Construction Firm Design, Development, and Construction Services plan  

Clemente Park is the most used park per square foot in the City of Lowell and is an important cultural site for Lowell’s Southeast Asian population. The improvements will transform the park by upgrading volleyball courts and a basketball court, relocating the playground area and equipment the equipment to be universally accessible and inclusive, and creating a large event space with vehicular access for programs and events such as markets and festivals. The planned renovations will improve access to the park with new accessible entrances and improved circulation and will help the city meet its climate resilience goals by planting new trees and managing stormwater runoff through biofiltration areas. 

Neighborhood Park Project Contingency Funding 

Neighborhood Improvement Plan 

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’s). The Neighborhood Improvement Plan includes nine (9) “open space impact projects” throughout the City of Lowell, with each project costing approximately $1 million. This plan allows for ARPA investments to be equitably distributed throughout the City while concentrating significant funding within our parks, where they can have the most transformative impact for the entire Lowell community. 

Lowell, like many municipalities, has seen a dramatic increase in the use of public park facilities over the last 3 years as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend shows no signs of subsiding, even as society returns to a sense of normal. Increased Park use offers great physical and mental health benefits for the community, but it has also expedited the degradation of park facilities. While not all of the selected park projects are located within qualifying census tracts (areas meeting certain low-income thresholds), they all qualify for ARPA funding because the need for improvements is a direct result of the pandemic and the upgrades will serve the entire City. 

O’Donnell Park Renovation Project  

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’). O'Donnell Park is located in the "South Lowell" neighborhood of Lowell, and will include a splash pad, playground, tennis courts, pickleball courts, handball courts, basketball courts, and a baseball field. 

Father Maguire Park Renovation Project 

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’). 

Father Maguire Park is a public park located in the Pawtucketville neighborhood and is in a Massachusetts-designated environmental justice area. Bounded on all sides by residential neighborhoods and located near the McAvinnue Elementary School, this park serves many people in and beyond the Pawtucketville neighborhood. The improvements at Father Maguire Park will include renovated basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts; a new, ADA-accessible playground, and upgraded park furnishings. It provides a playground for children of all ages, along with athletic fields. It also contains a softball field which is used by local schools and youth sports leagues during the spring, summer, and fall months. 

Jackson Street Pocket Park Renovation Project 

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’).  

The design phase of the Jackson Street Pocket Park was completed in late summer by Groundview LLC, who provided design, construction, and future maintenance documentation for the improvement project in this park.  

Hadley Park Renovation Project 

The ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Plan will include directed funding for eligible parks projects and improvements across Lowell’s neighborhoods, with a focus on Qualified Census Tracts (‘QCT’). 

Hadley Park is in the middle of the design phase of its overall renovation. Hadley Park is the only park within the "Highlands" section of Lowell, and one of the busier parks in the city. It provides a playground for children of all ages, a skate park, and a large multi-use field, which is used for recreational and 'pick-up' sports like soccer, cricket, frisbee, and football. It also contains a baseball field which is used by local schools and youth sports leagues during the spring, summer, and fall months. 

South Common Park Improvement Project Phase 3 

In an effort to provide more green space for the residents of Lowell, by renovating the South Common Park area, making it more inviting for local residents to use. Phase 3 includes: Stormwater management, shade structures, a rain garden, site furnishings, and educational signage. 

Construction Manager – Neighborhood Parks Project 

Pursuant to Massachusetts state law, Chapter 149, Section 44 ½, the City has completed a contract for Outside Project Management (OPM) Services, specific to the Neighborhood Improvement Program. The OPM will perform professional construction management services for any new open space construction projects, infrastructure and ground-up projects, additions, remodels and/or alterations to existing open space facilities, including but not limited to playground equipment, fields, courts, plazas, concession stands, site work, and restrooms for nine projects; Jackson Street Pocket Park, St. Louis Park, Clemente Park, Reilly School Community Playground, O'Donnell Park, North Common, Father Maguire Park, and Hadley Park. 

Swamp Locks Bridge Project – ADA Compliant Access Ramp 

Installation of an ADA compliant ramp as a component to provide access to Swamp Locks Park within Hamilton Canal District. 

The ramp will provide visitors access to National Park Services amenities. That area of the Hamilton Canal District was designated as open space during the planning process by the community and became one of the few publicly accessible green spaces in the district and Downtown Lowell as a whole.

Park Improvements Program Communication Plan 

Project update signage, in multiple languages, posted at each of the 11 neighborhood parks being improved through the ARPA Neighborhood Improvement Program. Signs were created in multiple languages to reach the broadest spectrum of residents with the goals, costs, and timelines for each specific park improvement project. Signage was installed at the following parks within the City of Lowell.