Martin's Park honored for resiliency, accessibility, and innovation

On June 15 of this year Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Governor Charlie Baker, and the family of Martin Richard joined hundreds of residents to celebrate the opening of Martin’s Park at the Smith Family Waterfront. Named after the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombings, the park honors Martin’s spirit in the joy and laughter of children of all abilities playing along with people of all ages who find it a place to pause and relax. The Onboard Award recognizes Martin's Park as a shining example of socially responsible and innovative waterfront development.

During the construction process climate change – and the potential for flooding along the waterfront - became a very real issue as outlined in the findings of the Climate Ready Boston Report that raised the flood elevation for the site.  Mayor Walsh’s Resilient Boston Harbor plan laid out strategies along Boston's 47-mile shoreline to increase access and open space along the waterfront while better protecting the city during a major flooding event.   Since the park was designed using previously released flood elevations, the Parks Department had to plan for future resiliency by going back to the drawing board to account for potential changes to the harbor in the face of rising water levels.  Additional design and engineering work was needed to make sure that the finished park took into consideration this information and planned for future resiliency.  

Martin’s Park, with its inventive ADA accessible structures, is an inclusive play space offering opportunities for children of all abilities to embark on discovery and exploration.  Boston Harbor Now recognized the City of Boston and commended the Richard family for coming together in the face of unspeakable tragedy to create an extraordinary space that will serve to honor the life of Martin Richard and bring joy to the city for years to come.  Martin’s Park stands as a cornerstone of Boston’s work to make the city resilient to climate change and sea level rise.  Perhaps more importantly, it is a symbol of Martin Richard’s welcoming, inclusive nature, as well as his dream of an ideal park.

Protective measures against future flooding were created by raising parts of the park to prevent flood pathways and by installing mini piles and vegetated beds reinforced with stone to prevent erosion at higher tides. The main pathway through the center of the park was raised with a high point in the middle to help prevent it from being a flood pathway for the Fort Point neighborhood for the next decade.  Perhaps the biggest challenge was to make the existing design work with the new changes in order to provide the park design promised to the community while making the park more resilient.  The fact that Martin’s Park was recognized with the Onboard Award is a positive sign that the Parks Department succeeded in reaching its goal.