Mayor Gary Christenson and Malden Redevelopment Authority (MRA) Executive Director Deborah Burke joined community groups, advocates and project partners for a ribbon cutting event celebrating the reopening of FitzGerald Park, a pocket park located in front of the CBD garage on Exchange Street in downtown Malden. The Mayor led dozens of children from My Little Best Friends daycare in a countdown to the park officially opening, and the children streamed in as soon as the ribbon was cut to play on the park’s new equipment.
Joining the Mayor and Director Burke were City Councillors Ryan O’Malley and Steve Winslow, MRA Board members Amanda Linehan and Robert Rotondi, members of Malden Arts Candace Julyan and Naomi Brave, and students from the Asian Community Development Corporation’s youth voice program who advocated for the project. The project was funded through the City’s Community Development Block Group program, a generous donation from John Preotle of Preotle, Lane & Associates, and a Malden Arts grant through the Community Preservation Committee.
“These improvements are part of our ongoing efforts to revitalize Malden Square, and we were proud to partner with the City, Malden Arts, and Preotle, Lane & Associates on this project,” said MRA Executive Director Deborah Burke. “These improvements have created more space for children to play and added more recreational space to our downtown.”
Improvements included adding new play equipment, a drawing table for children, a talk tube, and benches. Existing benches were also repainted, complementing the existing “The Wonderful World of Ed Emberley” mural. In the coming weeks, Preotle, Lane & Associates will install a new hoop fence, planters and trash receptacles.