Charlie Breitrose
These boats are part of the new Braille Trail installed along the Charles River in Waterown.
The area along the Charles River, east of Watertown Square has a snazzy new look featuring places to sit, look over the river and to appreciated the natural surroundings.
Travis Mazerall, the project designer from Sasaki Associates, recently led a tour of the park near the intersection of Charles River Road and Irving Street has been turned into place that can be enjoyed by everyone, including the blind and visually impaired.
The path includes wires hung across posts every 20 feet, or so.
“Some have indicator beads about the size of a fist, that tell the user what is around, such as if there is a bench across from it,” Mazerall said.
The project is being built by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), but is funded by a mix of local non-profits, foundations and some money from the town. Perkins School for the Blind was one of the contributors, and also helped design the trail, said Michael Schade, executive director of the Watertown Community Foundation.
The DCR will maintain the path and Perkins will take care of the new park area.
A new platform over the river, like the ones on the path west of Watertown Square, has been built. It includes a bench for people sit and gaze across the Charles.
Charlie Breitrose
A new river overlook has been built in the project built by the DCR and co-funded by private groups and foundations and the town.
Some of the more striking additions are some wooden boats installed along the path. Wooden picnic tables that undulate like the river were also added. Also, a bench that looks like a giant xylophone is also musical and lyrical was put in.
“You can play music and is has a poem on it in Braille,” Mazerall said.
Charlie Breitrose
Travis Mazerall of Sasaki Associates demonstrates the musical bench near Charles River.
An improvement that is perhaps not the most eye catching, but one which will be appreciated by walkers and runners is the installation of a new path along the river.
The granite lining the paths and come from old sea walls, and the area near a spot where blocks create a path to a small outlook on the river came from the Longfellow Bridge, Mazerall said.
Mazerall said he expects the rest of the path from the new park to the Watertown Yacht Club will be improved by the DCR in the future.
Charlie Breitrose
Runners have already discovered the improved path along the Charles River, east of Watertown Square.
Thank you for the Great Article! I think it is important to also acknowledge Mitch Ryerson, a local artist who played an integral role in helping to shape the sensory garden and elements (boats, marimba bench, etc). Chester Engineers out of Salem, MA are also members of the design team.
Another 2nd summer looking at broken/tipped fences, an absent construction site, mud and ugly burlap mud sacks along our precious recreation area. Perhaps an article about neglect, cost/time overruns, paths that lead to closed in locked fences and the lack of consultation with the people, like me, whose homes once overlooked the precious natural beauty of an unspoiled river side.
Why were cement sidewalks poured near the playground, ripped out 2 days later and redone? It was a VERY sloppy job the first time but did we (the taxpayers) pay for the contractor to redo it correctly?