‘Re-urbanization’ and City Parklands

July 14, 2012 by PaulM Posted in Culture, Current Events, History, Lowell 1 Comment

Frank Bruni’s column for tomorrow’s NYTimes covers the encouraging trend of city greening, from New York City to places around the country. Read his thoughts here, and get the NYT at home or online if you want more of this kind of writing. This is “Flowering City” stuff in the planning vocabulary of Lowell. New gardens in Back Central, a vigorous Friday Farmers’ Market this summer, upgrades for the South Common, plans for riverfront improvements in Centralville, high maintenance of Micky Ward Circle off the Connector, renovation of the amphitheatre at the North Common—across the city there are good signs.

One Response to ‘Re-urbanization’ and City Parklands

  1. George DeLuca says:

    Food for thought – I went to the Block Party at South Common yesterday which was held at the amphitheater on the Thorndike St. side. I remember meetings to discuss the City’s South Common planning effort with the designer, unveiled a concern about ambient noise effects on sound quality due to the sometimes heavy traffic on Thorndike St..

    Two things:
    1. There was a sound system with singing, CDs playing and announcements and you could not hear the traffic at all. Even when the music stopped the hill and new plantings seemed to buffer the sound adequately.

    2. Neighborhood and other local groups take notice … the South Common Amphitheater ready to use NOW.

    Unfortunately, I was busy shooting video and didn’t have time to ask about power source, permitting, etc. but will try to run this info down. Hopefully, someone will pick up the ball and run with it; like the Acre’s Dave Ouellette, who did an outstanding job leading the North Common Amphitheater beautification project.

    Back Central, JAM area, Lower Highlands and Downtown all border the park, so the use potential is great. Looking forward to more great events at the richly historic South Common.