City of Fitchburg Developing Designs to Reduce Flooding and Improve Coolidge Park

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The City of Fitchburg is designing improvements for Coolidge Park to reduce downstream flooding, improve water quality in Falulah Brook, and enhance the park for the community. The project will focus on sections of the park near Falulah Brook and will aim to help reduce the downstream flooding along John Fitch Highway, which frequently occurs during heavy rainstorms.

The proposed improvements will use nature-based solutions to better manage stormwater and create flood storage, and may involve increasing green space. Planned features include a floodable field, a redesigned Wallace Civic Center parking lot with stormwater improvements, and a permeable parking lot with bioretention areas to collect and treat runoff from John Fitch Highway.

The City is asking park users and residents for input to help shape these designs. Community feedback is essential to understand exactly how the park is used by residents. This will help the design team to figure out the best ways to incorporate stormwater management and flood control techniques into the landscape without negatively impacting the existing uses of the park.

“We encourage everyone who uses Coolidge Park or lives nearby to share their experiences and ideas,” said Nick Erickson, Commissioner of Public Works. “This input will directly help shape the design of this project.”

Residents are invited to complete a short survey by May 3 to share their thoughts on flooding, recreational needs, and ideas for improving the park. Take the survey here at https://tinyurl.com/CoolidgeSurvey.

Once community input is collected, the City and project team will prepare draft designs to share with the public later this year.

This project is supported by a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which aims to help communities reduce the risks of climate change impacts such as flooding and extreme heat.

For questions, contact Nicholas J. Erickson, Commissioner of Public Works, .