Catching Up With Malden Mayor Christenson
MAYOR GARY CHRISTENSON
As an ex-officio member of the Malden River Works Team, Malden Mayor Gary Christenson has been involved in the Malden River Works project from the very early stages. Check out the below interview with Mayor Christenson to learn more about his experience with this project and what it means for the City of Malden.
When you first learned about the Malden River Works project, what were your initial impressions?
My initial impression was mixed with hope and excitement! I always felt that the Malden River had long been an unvalued asset and resource in our community. I was excited that this project could revive the river and make it more accessible while providing much needed recreational space to the community.
Why was it important for you to be involved in this project?
We are one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth and the uniqueness of this project is the specific commitment of the core team to make sure the community-led planning and design process was inclusive and eliminated barriers so that marginalized members of our community could be heard. I felt it was important for me to be part of this public engagement process.
Why do you think it is important to have a local climate change resiliency project in Malden?
There is no doubt that the climate is changing and strongly impacting our society. In planning for the future, even locally, it is important that we do what we can to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to these impacts. The creation of a new flood resilient public space on our riverfront is a step in that direction.
What value do you think the Malden River Works project will bring to the city and to community members?
The benefits of the project to the community are many. Mainly, it physically transforms the City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) yard into a climate resilient riverfront park. The overall plan not only addresses climate mitigation but it redesigns the DPW site and includes a park intended to be welcoming to visitors of diverse backgrounds, ages, languages and ability. In addition, it moves us closer to realizing the larger Malden River Greenway vision of an accessible pathway along the river.