ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Brian Crowley, left, and Nick Tirado install new benches at Lynn Common.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
LYNN — The small Common is in the midst of getting a big facelift.
A $730,000 renovation of the Lynn Common in front of the Lynn Public Library and the Boys and Girls Club showcases wrought iron benches, a raised walkway to combat flooding, new curbs, landscaping, trash receptacles and a renovated historical fence, according to Jamie Marsh, community development director.
“It’s vitally important to keep our public spaces clean and rehabilitated,” he said.
The project is the latest effort by the city to upgrade its parks. Among the open spaces already rehabilitated include Fraser Field, Flax Pond Park, Neptune Blvd. Park and Keaney Park. The improvements complement the $1 million restoration of the Lynn Common Bandstand.
Still to come in the small Common are quarter-mile markers that will be embedded into the walkway to encourage exercise at the historic park and the installation of antique pole lights.
That portion of the project is expected to be completed in mid-July and promises to improve accessibility, safety and appearance of the open space, Marsh said.
The work is being completed with a $400,000 grant from the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) through the Massachusetts Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities Program (PARC). EEA also contributed $150,000 for the antique-style lighting. An additional $180,000 came from federal Community Development grant money.
After the latest renovation is complete, the city will turn its attention to the large Common. To do that, officials will seek a $400,000 PARC grant. If approved, another $180,000 would be matched by the city.
Similar renovation work will be done at the portion of the Common near Market Basket with a completion date of next summer. Immediate attention would be focused on updating the benches.
In 2018, the city will seek more money for the large Common, which is three to four times the size of the small Common, Marsh said. The additional funds would partly go towards renovating the fountain, which is broken, he added.
“That’s a real signature piece when it’s working,” Marsh said.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.