Boston's Newest Park Opens in an Unexpected Place in the City
Boston has a new urban park called the Underground at Ink Block, which just opened on the 9th of September. It is an exciting community park that features murals by renowned artists. The developer of the park, National Development, partnered with Reebok to help complete the project.
What is the Ink Block Park?
Originally, the park was simply an underpass between the South End and South Boston neighborhoods that measured eight acres. Today, it features a boardwalk for bicyclists and pedestrians. There are a total of 175 parking spaces that local businesses can use. There is also a mural wall where artists can express themselves.
As an example, Sneha Shrestha, an artist who is based in Boston, contributed her piece to the mural wall. Her style is a mindful mantra expressed in her native language where she uses Sanskrit scriptures. Her work also shows influences of graffiti. Another artist who is based in New York City, Cey Adams, said that his murals are not just art for him but also go to something useful, which is the community park in the city.
According to the managing partner Ted Type of the National Development, the park was supposed to be a plain park – just like the traditional parks we see everywhere. However, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation began a project right across the street where the underground park was planned to be situated. The plan changed as soon as National Development accessed the project after they worked on the Ink Block complex near the location.
Why an Underground Art Park?
The park turned out to be something more special and unique. The developers wanted to bring art, design, and programming together. The goal was to take a group of artists and make them do some interesting things. Today, the Ink Block park is a place where people would go to so that they would see and experience the exhibits with their own eyes.
The murals were incorporated with the idea of providing art and design to people and were curated by an artistic duo called the Street Theory. The purpose was to appeal to businesses as well as with the younger generations who want to start their lives in Boston.
The new park makes it an attractive place to stay in the city. For the developers of the project, they consider the park as sort of a hotspot for tourists, locals, and even big companies such as General Electric and Reebok. Since there is a new attraction in the city, many people are interested in visiting the park.
Although the opening event was already completed, the developers are looking forward to more activities next year with some great programs to appeal to even more people. The park connects the neighboring populations of South End and South Boston, which makes the area a safer place for walkers, especially those who use the Broadway Bridge.
The area is now well-lit, and there is round the clock security. There are also several people around, along with music and arts. The gap between the two communities definitely becomes a lot shorter. As a result, more individuals find themselves feeling more confident and at peace as they walk to South Boston whenever they use the Broadway T station.
The Unique Location
No one would have thought that the underground space in the Interstate overpass can be used as a spot for a park. When the park opened in September, there was a Pilates class in the morning. However, it was not something to be worried about. MassDOT cashed out over eight million dollars to build the park, which has become an excellent example of how to use an unused space.
The opening was such a huge hit, and it welcomed everyone because it is free to the public. The block party lasted till 6 PM, and there were activities for people of all ages.
The park, Underground at Ink Block, is a part of the Infra-Space program by MassDOT and the Underground Mural Project was turned into reality with the help of the sponsors and some partners, such as Reebok, Sierra Nevada, and Capital One Café.