South West Corridor Park:

Almost twenty-five years ago, a coalition of communities began organizing to block construction of the Southwest Expressway through various Boston neighborhoods. Today, the Southwest Corridor -a 4.7-mile linear swatch of parkland, rapid rail transit, flanked by housing and commercial development- stands as a testament to the power of sustained community involvement, enlightened public-private support and well-executed design.
The redevelopment of the Southwest Corridor followed the successful effort by thousands of community activists and their advocates in politics and bureaucracy from Boston and neighboring towns to block construction of a 12-lane interstate highway. The proposed highway was eventually replaced by the Orange Line rapid transit service and the park which incorporates the community gardens.
photograph of South West corridor park

The project was extraordinarily complex, with many players, often conflicting agendas, ambitious goals and pressure to achieve a successful outcome. Many different agencies collaborated over many years on the project. Community residents helped to guide the design of rail stations, garden and recreational facilities, while volunteers helped to beautify the spaces. The Southwest Corridor was created by community action. The Corridor Project has received numerous honors, including awards for its design, engineering and landscaping. The project received the prestigious Presidential Design Award for Excellence, awarded once every four years to 10 federally funded projects.
The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) owns and operates the park, which includes a sidewalk and is only 50 feet wide in some places. It is one of the few parks operated by either MDC or the city with its own staff, equipment and dedicated funding. Elsewhere, most parks are managed in groups and generally do not received dedicated funding.
The park still relies on a steady stream of volunteers who pick up trash, water and weed the area and prune the trees. MDC coordinates the volunteers and supplies them with equipment and materials.

To:
Fenway Victory Gardens
Christian A. Strater Gardens