City awarded grant for Kierstead Park

Advocate Staff Report

  The City of Malden has received a $400,000 grant for improvements to Kierstead Park on Eastern Avenue – the maximum award amount under the state’s competitive Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant program, which is administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The City of Malden envisions a more inclusive and accessible Kierstead Park, including a new, larger playground, improvements to the baseball field, walkways and lighting around the park and increasing the tree canopy.

  “This grant is a major win for our city and is the result of strong community partnerships and engagement,” said Mayor Gary Christenson. “With these funds, we will be able to not only bring upgrades to Kierstead but also make it more accessible.”

  “Kierstead Park serves some of the city’s lowest-income residents, and they deserve a great playground and a great ballfield,” said Ward 7 Councillor Chris Simonelli. “I am glad the City is leveraging so many funding sources, including this PARC grant, to make sure we deliver the best project possible.”

  In addition to the PARC grant, Malden will allocate $900,000 in City ARPA funding to the project. The City has also applied for funding for this project from the Community Preservation Committee and the Community Development Block Grant program.

  Shadley Associates, landscape architects and site planning consultants, is currently working on the final design plans for park improvements. This project is being managed by Malden’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development.