The Department of Planning and Community Development secured a $306,940 federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant for the Arlington Reservoir Restoration Project. The grant builds on the Town’s ongoing commitment to implement the Arlington Reservoir Master Plan recommended improvements, which thus far have been financed through Capital funds and the Community Preservation Act. The LWCF grant will be spent on additional improvements to the park, perimeter trail, and water body through erosion control measures, removal of invasive plants, and installation of native plantings; construction of overlook seating and an improved boat launch; reconstruction of entrance pathways; and installation of interpretive signage with historic, environmental, and recreational information.

The LWCF Grant Program was first established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage, and to provide recreational opportunities to all Americans. Any municipality with an approved Open Space and Recreation Plan, as well as the Departments of Conservation and Recreation and Fish and Game, are eligible to apply for this program. The number of grants and amount of funding awarded this has significantly increased, due to the passage of the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which guarantees $900 million in perpetuity. The Arlington Reservoir Restoration Project was one of ten projects to receive funding through the program.

The Arlington Reservoir (the Res) is one of the most heavily utilized natural spaces in Arlington.  The Res is a unique property with a wide range of amenities, including a walking trail, habitat garden, playground, and bathing beach, centralized around a natural body of water. The property spans land in both Arlington and Lexington, but is wholly owned by the Town of Arlington. In 2018, Arlington developed the Reservoir Master Plan through a thorough public participation process. Now in Phase 2, the success of the Master Plan’s implementation has been a result of a Town wide commitment to improve the safety, accessibility, and environmental aspects of the open space.

Read more about the Arlington Reservoir Master Plan and Phase II improvements at arlingtonma.gov/projects. For more information, contact Jennifer Raitt, Director of the Department of Planning and Community Development, at jraitt@town.arlington.ma.us, or Joseph Connelly, Director of Recreation, at jconnelly@town.arlington.ma.us.