Slowly but surely, progress is being made, especially along Edgewater Drive in Mattapan, a street that borders the Neponset River. Although the street runs parallel to the River and is just a few hundred feet from the water’s edge, it is blocked by a large, continuous stone wall that prevents easy access.

The residents of the neighborhood would like to have better access to the Neponset River and surrounding woodlands. To achieve this goal, a working group has formed that includes the Edgewater Neighborhood Association, the Solomon Foundation, Trust for Public Land, the Fairmount Greenway Coalition, and NepRWA.

The group is currently in discussion with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation about creating openings in the wall and adding trails along the water’s edge. They are also working on community outreach to bring awareness and build a constituency for the project.

NepRWA is encouraged by the progress the group is making and looks forward to a time in the near future when the Neponset River is accessible to more residents from Mattapan and surrounding communities.

To get involved or for any questions, please contact NepRWA Greenway and Natural Resource Specialist, Andres Ripley at ripley@neponset.org

Plan below shows proposed openings in the Edgewater Drive wall.