From Blighted Lands to Community Parks and Trails

MASSACHUSETTS

Abandoned mill sites and pollution caused public disinterest which led to the degradation of the Spicket River, its waters and surrounding lands that were once part of a flourishing textile industry in Lawrence, Massachusetts. In the decades after the mills closed, the city experienced high rates of poverty, unemployment and foreclosure.

In 2000, Groundwork Lawrence, the first nonprofit that The National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program (NPS-RTCA) helped establish with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, facilitated a community planning effort that became the Spicket River Greenway. Today, the Spicket River Greenway consists of 3.5 miles of new and restored parks and trails that connect multiple neighborhoods, schools and community centers. Groundwork Lawrence continues to work on strategies to restore the river and create public access.

The partnership between Groundwork and the City of Lawrence resulted in neighborhood revitalization and access to outdoor recreation opportunities. The success of the Spicket River Greenway is a living testament to the power of shared vision and collaborative leadership between community partners.

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For more than 30 years, the National Park Service - Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program  has been moving the needle on conservation and outdoor recreation in communities across America. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.