Conway Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Conway Park, one of Somerville’s most heavily used athletic fields, has been remediated and renovated and will open at 11 a.m. on May 27th. In 2017 it was discovered to be contaminated and a 5-year long public process began with the goal of remediating the soil and creating a safe and vibrant community space. In addition to the new park and field, there are many important features that you cannot see and that were designed in preparation for climate change:

• This project was funded and completed in partnership with the US EPA and the Land & Water Conservation Fund.
• 5,271 tons of contaminated soils were removed by EPA.
• 3,443 tons were removed by the City. 
• A total of 8,714 tons of soil were remediated!
• Installation of a subsurface stormwater infiltration system adds 3,743 cubic feet of storage. By reducing the impervious area, re-grading the field, and adding the stormwater collection and infiltration system, the new design significantly reduces peak discharge for 2-, 10-, 25-, and 100-year storm events.
• The cap of the site is a plant-based infill synthetic turf system, which has lower temps than crumb rubber and will serve baseball and soccer.
• Preservation of the existing plaza trees the addition of 64 NEW native trees to create shade for park users.
• New energy-efficient lighting, which minimizes energy use and spillage into nearby homes.

Please come celebrate a great example of an extraordinary partnership that has created a true “performance landscape!”