CITY COUNCIL: Councillors approve $1.5 million HUD loan application to help fund new Boathouse on Malden River

Unanimous vote okays application for 15-year federal loan to pay for $4.1 million to build boathouse, salt shed in Phase Two of Malden River Works project

By Steve Freker

The Malden River Works Project has been underway for the past five years, and the project will potentially receive another financial boost, following a vote of the Malden City Council. At its last meeting, Councillors voted unanimously to authorize the City of Malden to apply for a federal Section 108 loan in the amount of $1.5 million. Voting in favor of authorizing the city to apply for the loan were Councillors Peg Crowe (Ward 1), Paul Condon (Ward 2), Ryan O’Malley (Ward 4), Ari Taylor (Ward 5), Stephen Winslow (Ward 6), Chris Simonelli (Ward 7), Jadeane Sica (Ward 8), Karen Colón Hayes (at Large), Michelle Luong (at Large), Carey McDonald (at Large) and Council President Amanda Linehan (Ward 4). None were opposed.

If the loan request to the federal Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is ultimately approved, then it would be applied to Phase Two of the Malden River Works Project. In Phase Two, at a total cost of $4.1 million, included would be the construction of a new boathouse on the Malden River as well as a new salt shed for use by the Malden Department of Public Works (DPW), which is situated on the main site. The boathouse would be used to provide Malden River access to the Malden High School Crew Team, among others. The salt shed would replace what is now just an open sand/salt pile in the back of the DPW yard.

According to a letter delivered to the City Council from Mayor Gary Christenson, the $1.5 million HUD loan amount would be vital to the completion of the overall project, whose initial cost was $12.38 million, though that number has risen since the project’s inception in the fall of 2019. Since the very first public meeting, in October 2019, the project has received over $12 million in nine grants, awards and prizes, along with designated city and state funding from various sources. As of September 2025, approximately $3 million has been spent on the project.

Funding for Phase Two of the project — which includes the new boathouse and salt shed — is not yet in place, the City Council was informed by the Mayor’s letter. In addition to the requested $1.5 million HUD loan, the city is “pursuing other funding sources,” the Mayor stated.

“The construction [of the boathouse and salt shed] will cost an estimated $4.1M. We are planning for an estimated $1.1M of the existing grant funding to go towards this phase,” Mayor Christenson stated in his letter to the Council requesting approval for the new Section 108 HUD loan. “We are also pursuing other funding sources, including Bayrd Foundation funding and a grant through the State’s Office of Coastal Zone Management, though neither of these funding are confirmed as of now.”

The Mayor praised the value of the Malden River Works Project overall, and the proposed new boathouse specifically, in his letter. “As you know, the Malden River Works project will be impactful on multiple levels. It not only creates access to one of Malden’s greatest natural resources, but it also addresses critical flooding issues and needed improvements to the DPW yard,” Mayor Christenson stated.

He added, “Boathouse construction is particularly necessary to support Malden High School’s popular rowing team, and salt shed construction is necessary to prevent winter rock salt runoff into the Malden River. The entire project has broad community support, thanks to its active and motivated steering committee.”

With regard to the Malden High rowing team — referred to as the Crew Team officially — there were three emails read by City Clerk Carol Ann Desiderio during the City Council’s public comment period, all supporting the new boathouse. Two of them were from former team members, including Malden High 2025 graduate Mack Keating, and another from a parent of a Crew Team member.

Keating described the last two seasons for Malden High Crew as difficult, since there was no boathouse or direct access to the Malden River for the team, which previously had temporary enclosures for their rowing boats and other equipment. Public comment supporters of the new boathouse said that Malden had to be based out of the neighboring community of Medford, but “still managed to finish eighth in the state” in a competition.

Last year, participation on the Malden High School Crew Team had fallen to just eight team members. In the previous Crew rowing season, 2024, there were 14 team members. In past years, with consistent access to the river, the numbers were much higher, with up to 24 and 30 team members, from 2021-2023. With the construction of a new boathouse, it is expected that the participation numbers of the Malden High team would increase again.

Malden Councillor-at-Large Carey McDonald, the chairperson of the Council’s Finance Committee, reported the committee had unanimously supported the resolution request for the loan application. “This is a key funding piece for this project. We really want to see this project move forward,” Councillor McDonald said. “The steering committee work on this project has been consistent and productive.”

Councillor McDonald stressed, “None of the money [to pay back] this loan would come out of the General Fund.” The Finance Committee chairperson explained that the payments for the loan would be incorporated in the city’s annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allotment.

Simply, Councillor McDonald asserted, “This is not new spending by our city government.”

Ward 7 Councillor Chris Simonelli asked specific questions regarding the Section 108 loan process, the payment of the loan and what outstanding loans were “on the books.” Malden Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) Director Alex Pratt went to the speaker’s podium and addressed Councillor Simonelli’s queries in detail, confirming Councillor McDonald’s earlier explanation on some points.

One reference to an outstanding Section 108 loan was an existing $1.3 million HUD allotment that was originally for improvements to Roosevelt Park, but when that project was abandoned due to delays and cost increases, those funds became designated solely for the removal of lead in about 15-20 percent of the park.

Councillor Colón Hayes had high praise for both the hoped-for additions of the boathouse and salt shed and the River Works project overall. “This project will be transformational,” she said, noting she had served on the Waterfront Access Committee and other related groups in the past. “It is especially exciting with the emphasis on including and reaching out to diverse labor sources and companies with a diverse workforce to complete this project.”

“We want to use our limited dollars for our best financial advantage,” OSPCD Director Pratt said in response to Councillor Colón Hayes’ remarks. Pratt also delivered a “shout out” for the work of OSPCD Project Manager Becca McPheeters for her stewardship. “She [McPheeters] does a terrific job,” Pratt said.

Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon said the Section 108 loan program had been a successful one in Malden. “We have had many outstanding [projects] accomplished in this community with the help of [the HUD loan program],” he said.

“One of [the state grant agencies] that oversees this project said they have never seen a city word so hard on a project,” Councillor Colón Hayes said.

SIDEBAR

Malden River Works project description

This project aims to create better climate change preparedness and a vibrant, public riverfront park that boosts social resilience in Malden, Massachusetts.

The overall design of the project addresses climate mitigation and adaptation while also producing the co-benefits of boosting social resiliency. The park design seeks to actively invite visitors of all backgrounds, ages, languages and socioeconomic statuses.

The diverse cultures of Malden will be represented on the site through art on the DPW walls and signage, cultural events, and outdoor classes. Bioretention and riparian areas will be complemented by signage in various languages to allow visitors to learn about the natural environment or history of Malden.

Additionally, the flexibility of spaces and the ADA-compliant design will welcome people of all age groups and abilities.