North Point Park (Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Point Park |
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Part of the eastern section of North Point Park. A canal from the Charles River separates it from other parts of the park.
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| Location | Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts |
North Point Park is a cool 8.5-acre park right next to the Charles River. You can find it in both Cambridge, Massachusetts and the West End area of Boston. This park was built because of a huge construction project called the Big Dig. It helped make up for park land that was used for that project.
About North Point Park
This park is owned by the state and first opened in December 2007. The line between Cambridge and Boston used to be mostly in the middle of the Charles River. But when the park was built, the shoreline changed, so now part of the park is actually in Boston!
The park is in a special area of the Charles River called the "lost half mile." This area is between two dams: the old Charles River Dam from 1910 (near the Museum of Science) and a newer dam finished in 1978.
Park Design and Features
Even though the park's opening was delayed for a few years, its design is really impressive. It has small islands, cool bridges, and canals perfect for kayaking. Local news has even called its design "grand" and "ambitious."
The park was designed by two groups: Carr Lynch & Sandell from Cambridge and Oehme, van Sweden & Associates from Washington, D.C. Right next to the park, there's a big building project happening called NorthPoint.
Just a bit further up the river from North Point Park, you'll find two other new parks: Paul Revere Park and Nashua Street Park. Close by is also the Paul Dudley White Bike Path, which is part of the Charles River Reservation. A popular spot in North Point Park is the Lynch Family Skatepark, which is located right under the Interstate 93 highway ramps.
Connecting Paths and Bridges
If you like to walk or bike, you can easily travel east from North Point Park. A bridge called the North Bank Bridge opened on July 13, 2012. This bridge goes over the train tracks and the mouth of the Miller's River. It connects North Point Park to Paul Revere Park in Charlestown.
This bridge was paid for by a special fund called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). It lets people walk or bike all along the north side of the Charles River basin. There are also plans for more pedestrian bridges. One bridge is planned to cross the Charles River from North Point Park to Nashua Street Park in Boston. Another bridge, the South Bank Bridge, will go over the train tracks on the south side of the river. This will connect Nashua Street Park to the riverfront, just upstream from the Zakim Bridge, linking the Charles River Reservation to Boston Harbor.
