Reimagining Open Spaces in West Roxbury
By Jacob Robinson, Executive Director
West Roxbury Main Streets (WRMS) is excited to let the community know about its latest project to demonstrate the potential of open spaces to add vibrancy in West Roxbury's commercial corridor along Centre Street. Earlier this month, WRMS installed temporary outdoor seating and new planters along the Tim White Way pedestrian pathway, named after the beloved West Roxbury resident who passed in 2017. Soon the space will also include another temporary art exhibit similar to the student posters that were displayed along the fence over the winter.
Jacob Robinson, Executive Director of WRMS, said "The enhancement of open public spaces can become catalysts that help bring new retail investments and additional enhancements and beautification of the physical spaces in West Roxbury’s Main Street district." The new seating and landscaping will enable WRMS to test and demonstrate concepts that the organization wants to implement in the final design, such as seating, landscaping, and community art that draws people into the space. "The serenity of the locust trees makes it a relaxing and quiet spot for reading or meeting someone for a coffee or lunch," added Robinson. The pilot project was made possible by a grant from the Boston Main Streets Foundation to implement innovative initiatives that drive impact in our Main Street districts across the City.
"We’re eager to engage with the community for feedback on the pilot project, and we’ll be hanging a few flyers with QR codes so that people can submit input from their phones when they pass through the space or sit at the tables." said Dean Koutris, WRMS Board Member who's a part of the committee re-envisioning Tim White Way. Koutris also added that having well designed public spaces can help bring additional foot traffic to local small businesses in the neighborhood.
WRMS recently hired Goode Landscape Studio to develop updated designs based on our initial engagement with community members and abutters. The updated designs will be used to prepare the project for fundraising opportunities. Courtney Goode, Founding Principal of Goode Landscape Studio, said "We are working on concepts that will make Tim White Way more welcoming and open. We want the space to offer flexibility and allow for diverse uses including community gatherings, interacting with public art, or enjoying a quiet moment amid new planting and seating elements.”
Tim White Way is public property owned by the City of Boston, so WRMS will be working closely with City departments as the design project moves forward. WRMS received initial design concepts to redesign Tim White Way in February 2020 as part of the Payette MLK Day of Service.
Earlier this year, WRMS hired Thriving Places Collaborative to engage the community with the design concepts and capture additional ideas for transforming the space. "We're excited to bring our expertise in placemaking, community engagement, and project administration to support WRMS and the Tim White Way transformation," said Lauren Goldberg, Co-Founder of Thriving Places Collaborative along with her business partner Jill Eshelman. Eshelman, whose background is in social research, added "The pilot project and community engagement is an important piece of this work for ensuring we have a full picture of the community's wants and needs for its open spaces."
The space was last updated over 15 years ago as part of the post office redevelopment in a project that also involved WRMS’s design committee. To learn more about the project, timeline, and opportunities to provide input, visit wrms.org/tim-white-way.
