High atop the best neighborhood in Lowell, sits the High Service Reservoir.
Historic and beloved, it is has green grass, a nice pond, great views from atop the buried towers and plenty of trees and wildlife.
That’s right…wildlife.
There are deer and purple martins, different ducks and all kinds of stuff up around there. Heck, there’s bass in that pond. People have quiet walks, picnics, and play pick-up games. It’s accessible to anyone.
It’s a passive park.
That means it’s devoid of the prison yard feel that Gage now has with it’s chain link blocked off fields for organized permitted (but unpaid permitted) sports.
The Rez is not a burnt turf athletic field. It’s a “Park”. More like Saint Steven’s Green than Phoenix Park if you ever have been to Dublin. (In Europe, they like passive parks). The Rez is more Boston Common with the potential to be the Public Garden. It’s a gem in the city. And ever since they took the chain link down years ago, it looks even better and inviting
Why on earth does my friend and favorite councilor Corey Robinson want to destroy this with a splash pad and parking lot?
Sure, drain the pond. But fill it and leave it at like two or three feet. The water feature is rare in this city. Plant it, improve it. Add some trees. Add some benches. Hell, put a ramp in somewhere if it’s not ADA enough. (ADA was the DEI of 15 years ago, kids)
The Rez is a park people walk to . Keep it that way. Do we need to lose a huge section of it for a parking lot and destroy the water feature for a splash pad to be used from July 4th to August 30th or until whenever it breaks?
Leave the Rez alone!
The Parks in Lowell are 98% Athletic Fields. Let’s leave this one alone. Improve it as a passive park. A splash pad at McPherson would be fine for Centraville. Kids from the Hill went to the pool all the time. If you really want a splash pad, Gage is a better fit. It already looks terrible.
Corey’s vison for St. Louis Park is amazing. But on this, he misses the mark.
Don’t ruin this Green Gem.
7 responses to “Don’t Mess Up Lowell’s Last Passive Park”
1000% that is absurd !!
We need to act and protest this Asap!
Bach I name you as chair of the protest group!
Way to take a stand and not be passive about passive parks !! I saw a deer in the middle of the street at the top of Christian hill and thought it was a Christmas miracle but now it makes more sense that they were just enjoying the park. A gem of lowell is right. Good article
I grew up on Christian Hill and this park was our favorite, especially in the winter to sled 🛷. It is a shame that it’s all gated up now and no one can enjoy it anymore. Please keep it as open space for all seasons!
Spot on grab you fishing pools let’s have a fishing tournament there.
[…] (Lowell City Councilor Corey Robinson issued the following response to today’s column by Insider Mike Bacigalupo regarding planned changes to the Christian Hill Rese…) […]
Don’t touch anything at the Res!!!!
Let the rez stand! It’s a gem not to be destroyed. Make it more inviting and accessible but don’t destroy it by filling it in!