Designed with community input
An extensive public input process helped guide the redesign, moving the park away from an athletics focused layout toward open lawns and community gathering spaces.
Client
City of Watertown
Location
Watertown, Massachusetts
Priorities
Revitalizing the site through environmental restoration and ecologically sensitive design
The Arsenal site was established by the U.S. Army in 1816, serving as a major installation dedicated to storing ordinance. While military and industrial use had ceased by the 1990s, the site was faced with significant impacts, including buried foundations, utility tunnels and leftover building elements. To address these conditions, the city of Watertown partnered with CDM Smith to transform the area into one of the city’s largest parks.
Public recreation
The design includes lawns, picnic and cooking areas, community gardens, improved courts, a new skatepark, refurbished fields and an all‑ages, all‑abilities playground inspired by the Charles River.
Landscape restoration
The project includes a landscape plan with a diverse mix of native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants. Pollinator‑focused meadows replaced ornamental mulch beds, while forest floor restoration mixes were used to stabilize eroding slopes.
Sustainable stormwater design
The site uses green stormwater infrastructure to fully capture, treat and infiltrate rainwater on-site, designed to absorb a 100-year storm.
CDM Smith’s landscape architects and engineers led the design effort to transform a historically complex site into a modern, community focused park. This approach was driven by close collaboration with the Watertown Conservation Commission and ongoing engagement with residents to deliver a space that reflects what matters most to the community.
Client
City of Watertown
Location
Watertown, Massachusetts
Priorities
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