Mystic River - Part 3 of 3

Draw 7 Park and the Malden River

Draw 7 Park was built by the MDC and the MBTA at the urging of the city of Somerville in 1992. Draw 7 was the name of a draw bridge previously on this site, in existence since the 1840s. The soccer field was originally used by the city’s youth soccer program, but it proved to be unsuited to their needs. (The site is windy and noisy, balls get lost in the river, and there are no telephones or restrooms near by.) The city has discussed potential park improvement with the MDC.

If you look across the water upstream from the dam, you can see the mouth of the Malden River. The cities of Malden, Medford and Everett have joined forces to plan a center for the telecommunications industry on former industrial land straddling the Malden River. Environmental groups are working together to push for continuous natural parkland along the Malden River connected to MDC properties on the Mystic River. Just across the Mystic River at the Malden River mouth, a shopping mall is planned for the site formerly occupied by the Monsanto chemical company. Remediation at this site is nearing completion.