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Cooke’s Hollow Feasibility Study Project
The Conservation Commission, the Board of Cemetery Commissioners, and the Historical Commission have partnered to initiate a unique project involving the restoration of the Cooke’s Hollow Conservation Area. The primary goals are the restoration of the conservation and public use area and meeting cemetery needs for interment space of cremated remains. In addition, an objective has been to work closely with the Mill Brook working group to ensure compatibility with future Linear park options. This project is administered by the public works and planning departments and a review team comprised of representatives from the above commissions, plus the Board of Selectmen.
Part of the restoration plans include: replacing non-native, invasive species with native species, re-building the stream banks and improving stream flow, replacing old, worn out park furniture, re-designing and re-building the path system, and adding a more formal or obvious entrance way. Emphasis on the historical aspects of the area, such as adding plaques and markers are also being considered. The cremains niches are subtly integrated into the landscape design, allowing a visitor to experience the natural and historic significance of the site as the main impression. One would be able to walk through the area without noticing the cremains niches, thus maintaining the natural, conservation atmosphere of the area.
This unique project was an outgrowth of work completed by the Cemetery Expansion Committee that searched for additional burial options in order to meet future placement options in Arlington. A review team was formed in mid-2008 to review consultant proposals. The consultant selected was Waterfield Design Group from Winchester. Since June of 2009 Waterfield met the team, conducted research—including a visit with the review team to Mount Auburn Cemetery to view different ways to include cremated remains niches—and drafted the feasibility study and design options. Preliminary design options were presented to the review team and immediate abutting neighbors in February, 2010.
In May 2010, the team and Waterfield presented to the public the background and development of the project and draft design options, and solicited comments and input that guided the development of the final feasibility study and design options.
A warrant article will be considered at Annual Town Meeting 2011 to allow this use through the Environmental Design Review Special Permit process.
You can view a preliminary design plan, including the daylighting or exposure of Mill Brook on land immediately upstream from Cooke's Hollow here (7.5MBs PDF file). When the screen opens, you may increase the zoom percentage and scroll to see the plan close-up.
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