November 4, 2025 Update
Temporary fencing of the area has been installed, however, the project will not be completed until the spring 2026 construction season. We apologize for the delays and look forward to opening the new play area next year.
July 14 Construction Update
Temporary fencing will not go up until August. Expecting a Fall 2025 opening.
June 26 Construction Update
Due to unforeseen circumstances and poor weather conditions, this project has been delayed slightly. Temporary fencing will be added to the area in July with construction to follow shortly after. We anticipate the playground to open in the Fall of 2025. Thanks for your patience as we make the improvements.
April 17 Construction Update
Weather permitting, temporary fencing is to be added in the area, with construction to follow shortly after. The playground is due to open the summer of 2025. Thanks for your patience as we make the improvements. Visit some of our other parks in town.
May 29 Menotomy Rocks Park Play & Picnic Area Update
At their May 28th meeting, Arlington Park and Recreation Commission approved the final design. Now that the final design is approved, the bidding process for the new Menotomy Rocks Park Play and Picnic Area will begin. The earliest work would commence is in the fall 2024. The Town will update this page and send a notification via Town Notices when dates are known.
View the final design.
Feb. 8 Menotomy Rocks Park Play & Picnic Area Public Input Meeting
The Park and Recreation Commission held a second virtual public input meeting with the project landscape architectural firm of Copley Wolff to solicit input and feedback for the design of a play area and picnic area improvements. The design team will review the feedback gathered from the meeting and will make recommendations for a final design approval to the Park and Recreation Commission at an upcoming scheduled meeting. Upon final design approval, the bid documents will be prepared. This project is dependent on receiving funding approval at the 2024 Spring Town Meeting. If funding is approved the project will be bid over the summer with construction starting in the fall.
View the February 8 meeting presentation.
Dec. 6 Menotomy Rocks Park Play & Picnic Area Public Input Meeting
The Park and Recreation Commission held a public input meeting with the project landscape architectural firm of Copley Wolff. At this meeting, Copley Wolff solicited feedback and gave a summary from the first on site meeting and recently closed survey, as well as took additional feedback for the design of playground and park improvements at Menotomy Rocks Park located on Jason Street. This meeting took place via Zoom.
View the December 6 presentation.
Written comments may be sent to the Arlington Recreation Office, 422 Summer Street, Arlington, MA 02474 or emailed to jconnelly@town.arlington.ma.us.
For updates to this project as well as other capital projects the Commission is working on, please subscribe to Town of Arlington Notices.
Project Background
The Park and Recreation Commission (PRC) has elected to use a portion of their 2024 ARPA funding to begin design services on a new playground and picnic area for Menotomy Rocks Park beginning this summer. Arlington Recreation has hired landscape architectural firm of Copley Wolff for the project and public meetings regarding playground design will begin the fall of 2023. Simultaneously the Park and Recreation Commission will submit a special funding request to the CPA Committee for FY24 funding. This application will be submitted in September with the hopes of a recommendation for approval to a Fall Special Town Meeting. If funding is approved the project timeline would be to complete design by the end of 2023 and bid the project for construction by March of 2024. Due to several critical safety issues, the PRC decided that the playground is to be removed immediately. This work began at the end of May. The playground has been closed since April 18th.
Please note that the newly renovated Parmenter Playground located at 17 Irving Street is open to the public throughout the day and weekend. We realize that it is a little further away for some than Menotomy Rocks Park but we wanted to make residents aware of the option.
The public process has included outreach through Town Day, an onsite Meet & Greet for initial feedback on October 14, 2023, and a design input survey that concluded on November 24, 2023. Results were distributed at the December 6, 2023 public meeting.
