Hat’s Off to the Friends of Roosevelt Park!

As we enter into a new year, I want to give a HUGE thank you to the Friends of Roosevelt Park (FoRP!) Their continued advocacy against all odds, is truly admirable. It would be hard to find a more passionate, educated, mission driven group in Malden. I have done what I could to try and elevate their voices through the proper channels throughout the year and I will continue to do so.

They are on the right side of history and the City of Malden needs to get on board. Being an advocate is not easy, it takes a tremendous amount of courage to stand up to City Leaders for what is right and just. The FoRP has spent years educating residents about the environmental and climate dangers (heat & flooding) associated with the city’s plan to remove grass and replace it with 3 acres of plastic at Roosevelt Park. It is environmental Injustice as it is proposed in what is already a heat island in an underrepresented area which is used by the families at Salemwood School.

Some of you may be wondering why they continue against the odds? It’s because that is precisely what advocates do – you are optimistic until it’s over. I am reminded of the quote “Hope Springs Eternal” from Alexander Pope’s poem. HOPE is what keeps the FoRP going.

HOPE for our environment, HOPE for the kids at Salemwood School, HOPE for their neighborhood park and HOPE that the city and the mayor will listen.

Hats off to the Friends of Roosevelt Park and may 2023 be the year your HOPE of a green park is realized!

Just listen to The Lorax (who is the main character in the environmentally-friendly children’s book who speaks for the trees and has a “save our planet” mindset.)  “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s NOT.”

Karen Colón Hayes

City Councillor-At-Large