Soft Open Alert – Roslindale Gateway Path Phase 1!

Roslindale Gateway Path at Arboretum Road Entrance.
The newly opened entrance at Arboretum Rd.
Arboretum Map showing the new entrance and a view toward the Blackwell Path connection.
Updated Arboretum Map & Blackwell Path connection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We here at WalkUP Roslindale have been advocating and organizing around the Roslindale Gateway Path since our inception almost a decade ago and, thanks to the sustained leadership and partnership of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, the Arboretum Park Conservancy, LivableStreets Alliance, the Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, Rozzie Bikes, Hubluv, the Solomon Foundation, and of course the City of Boston (especially the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu as well as the Parks and Recreation Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Transportation Department), we now have the first tangible result of those efforts – the Phase 1 extension from the terminus of the Blackwell Path at South Street alongside and then under the MBTA Needham Line tracks to a brand new and fully fledged Arboretum entrance on Arboretum Road. This is a great step forward in providing better access to this Emerald Necklace jewel to/from this part of Roslindale. It’s long overdue and very welcome, and we will continue to advocate for the rest of the path going forward, so that improved access can be achieved at Archdale Road and at the Roslindale Village Commuter Rail Station. We also urge everyone to mark your calendars for Saturday, 19 July 2025, when the formal grand opening celebration will be held. We’ll share details on that as they become available. Many thanks to all of the players who made this possible!

Our most recent summary piece on the full path can be found here: Roslindale Gateway Path.

 

Planning Department advances Squares & Streets Zoning Map and Text for Roslindale Square through BPDA Board

There’s been light reporting on this so far in the broader media, but we can confirm that the Planning Department successfully moved the proposed Squares & Streets Zoning Map and Text Amendments through the approval recommendation stage with the BPDA Board at their meeting this past Thursday, April 10. The next and final step for the small area plan and zoning process will be the Boston Zoning Commission’s public hearing and vote on adopting the proposals as part of the city’s official zoning map and code. That is expected to occur in May, on a to-be-determined date. Many thanks to Planning Department staff (there are many, but special thanks to Abdul-Razak Zachariah, Kathleen Onufer, and Eileen Michaud) and everyone who has been involved. Stay tuned for more information on the BZC date as it becomes available!

Squares + Streets Zoning Map – Roslindale Square – Closeout Meeting – 8 April 2025 @ 6 pm on ZOOM

Close on the heels of the end of the comment period yesterday, the Planning Department is hosting their scheduled closeout meeting on the zoning map and the revisions made thereto since its release in February. We encourage supporters to attend and thank the staff who have worked so hard over the last year to move the process from visioning to the small area plan and now the adoption of a new zoning map for the plan area. Information on the meeting and how to sign can be found HERE. Thanks!

Roslindale Square - Squares + Streets | Bostonplans.org

 

Last Call for Comments on the S+S Zoning Map!

The deadline for comments on the Roslindale Squares+Streets Zoning Map has been extended to this Saturday, April 5th. We’ve just submitted our comment letter on the map, make sure to submit yours!

You may have submitted comments back in January or February for the Small Area Plan which was accepted by the BPDA, but the zoning updates are a separate process that follows the recommendations from the Small Area Plan. Make sure to comment on the Zoning Map as well.

Make a Public Comment on the Roslindale Squares + Streets Zoning Map by the Deadline on This Saturday, April 5th!