In person. Outdoors.

Join us in a community “park-raising”!

Growing from the BSLA Design Challenge, we are organizing a temporary transformation of a Chelsea vacant lot into a neighborhood-focused space that aims to inspire, engage, and COOL.

Throughout August there will be a series of hands-on, on-site days in which our landscape architecture community and the Chelsea community work together to transform this space. This is one small piece of longer, larger, comprehensive work to address urban heat. Help us demonstrate the potential of and share the love for landscape architecture!

The task for Thursday, August 4 will be to clean and prep the site. We will be removing trash and debris, revitalizing the chain link fence, weeding, testing locations of different on-site elements, and hosting a community engagement pop-up inviting volunteers to give input for the short-term installation as well as the long-term park. We are specifically interested in creative ways to make shade on the paved half of the site that engage neighbors and allow for personalization. GreenRoots' teen ECO crew will join us for the first part of this session. Come at 3, or at 5, or whatever time is best for you, to 212 Congress Ave, Chelsea, MA 02150.

HEAT NOTE:

Thursday’s forecast is HOT (high 90’s). This is why this project matters. The session is ON. We will work in the shade, doing light activities, with plenty of ice and water available.

ALL ARE WELCOME — and needed! — throughout this process. Some sessions will be youth-focused. Parents, please feel free to bring kids so long as you’re there too. Specific details for each session will be announced here and on BSLA’s Instagram (@BSLAoffice). Please dress for the weather, bring a water bottle, and be prepared to get your hands in the dirt.

Interested? Awesome!!! With questions or to get involved in some way, please email gretchen@bslanow.org. Thanks!