A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-39 and 20-40, regarding contacting the new owners of Jerry's Pond and discussing next steps in the potential restoration and improvements to Jerry's Pond and its surrounding areas

C I T Y O F C A M B R I D G E Community Development Department IRAM FAROOQ Assistant City Manager for Community Development SANDRA CLARKE Deputy Director Chief of Administration KHALIL MOGASSABI Deputy Director Chief Planner 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov To: Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development; Owen O’Riordan, Commissioner of Public Works Date: September 9, 2020 Re: Awaiting Report 20-39 and 20-40 regarding contacting the new owners of Jerry’s Pond and discussing next steps in the potential restoration and improvements to Jerry’s Pond and its surrounding areas. In response to the above-mentioned policy orders, the Community Development Department (CDD) and Department of Public Works (DPW) report the following: The North Cambridge site containing Jerry’s Pond and its surrounding environs was recently acquired by IQHQ from GCP Applied Technologies. CDD has reached out to representatives of IQHQ to schedule a meeting between the new owners of the site and key City departments. The purpose of this meeting will be to familiarize IQHQ with the recommendations of the Alewife District Plan and the Alewife Preparedness Plan; and to ensure they are aware of the community’s expressed desire to beautify Jerry’s Pond and improve connections to nearby open spaces and pedestrian and bicycle facilities, while understanding the environmental hazards and the need to safely manage the site. The Alewife District Plan outlines recommendations for open space improvements in the area as well as a zoning framework that could provide incentives to realize these improvements through development. The Alewife Preparedness Plan provides strategies to create a prepared and resilient Alewife area that is responsive to climate change threats including heat, flooding from precipitation and flooding from sea level rise/storm surge and provides resilience strategies that will need to implemented with any redevelopment of the site. Much of the 26-acre site is enclosed by fencing, including Jerry’s Pond (also known as Jerry’s Pit). Jerry’s Pond is an artificial pond that was created about 1870 from a disused clay pit. The clay pit was subsequently filled with water and an icehouse was built around 1907. Though the property was privately owned, Jerry’s Pit was well known as a neighborhood swimming hole until the Francis J. McCrehan Pool opened in 1961. The property has housed other uses throughout its history, including manufacturing. Today, a large portion of the site today is not developed.

Page 2 of 3 The City anticipates working with IQHQ toward the realization of the vision for the district at this site. Given the potentially broad scope of open space improvements and the environmental risks associated with remediation and infrastructure work, discussion of future improvements would be expected to include property owners, residents, and other community stakeholders that live, work, or otherwise engage with the area. Over the past two years the City has undertaken numerous improvements to several areas within its jurisdiction near the Jerry’s Pond site and adjacent to the existing public recreational open space areas: • Completed significant athletic field improvements at Russell Field. • Designed and worked with the MBTA to address flooding on the pathway to the MBTA headhouse. • Reconstructed the bus shelter at the Comeau Parking lot. • Cleaned the detention pond and repaired drainage riprap between parking lot and Jerry’s Pond. • Planted 2 trees in the Comeau Bus Turnaround area. An additional 6 bare root trees will be planted in this area in the fall. • Planted perennials in the Comeau Bus Turnaround area. Additional spring bulbs and flowering plants will be planted this fall. • A grove of 20 trees will be planted this fall along pathways and in areas alongside Jerry’s Pond and playing fields. In addition, an urban forest reforestation pilot project has been established in Linear Park near the Harvey Street crossing. • Installed four Big Belly compactors around Comeau Field. • Re-striped crosswalks on Rindge Avenue near the McCrehan Pool to increase visibility. • Taken additional steps to deter rodent activity, including installation of signage to discourage feeding of wildlife and work with the Inspectional Services Department to identify rodent harborage locations and increase rodent control within the area. In addition, as initially indicated in the council order response dated August 27th, 2019, the City has engaged and coordinated with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to encourage improvements to the broader area. The following is an update: • DCR agreed to remove a portion of the post fence between the edge of Jerry’s Pond and Alewife Brook Parkway along Rindge Avenue. This will provide easier access and facilitate maintenance to this area. The City has indicated to DCR its willingness to maintain this area.

Page 3 of 3 • DCR did not support the City’s request to de-pave and plant sections of the concrete median at the intersection of Rindge Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway, due to concerns with sight lines. • The City requested that the MBTA remove the dead Sycamore trees near station headhouse and consider replanting and establishing maintenance procedures for new trees. The MBTA indicated that they would work to remove and replace these trees. We are presently awaiting an update from them and will forward such to City Council once we receive it.