Woerd Ave. dump to become recreation area

Waltham is moving forward with plans to convert part of an old landfill on Woerd Avenue into a recreation space, with the Conservation Commission at its Thursday meeting planning what to do with the waste left at the site.

The 8.7-acre property lies along the Newton town line and is skirted by Cram’s Cove, which is part of the Charles River. 

It is located in an area that constitutes an environmental justice population due to the racial and financial demographics of the community as well as the lack of vegetation in the neighborhood. 

The full scope of the project includes updates to the Jack Koutoujian Playground at 910 Moody St. as well as the installation of a native plant pollinator garden and a golf chipping tunnel where residents can practice their swing. 

There will be stormwater basins installed as well.

Briony Angus and Jackie Caceci from design firm Tighe & Bond provided the commission with a presentation outlining the scope and methods of the renovation. Robert Waters, the city’s housing and community development director, and Richard Cooke, the city’s housing specialist, also attended the May 8 Conservation Commission meeting. 

City officials focused most of the meeting on how to manage the waste left over from the old dump.

In order to contain the waste and ensure it does not release any more pollutants into Cram’s Cove, a solid waste cap will be installed on the parcel as required by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The cap system is designed to prevent erosion and allow for gas release as the waste continues to decompose. The cap consists of layers of vegetation, sand and loam as well as a geomembrane that will allow for gasses to escape while keeping sediment in place to prevent it from contaminating the Charles.

City Conservation Agent Meghan Sullivan suggested that the commission ask for a peer review on the plan due to the sensitivity of the project. The Conservation Commission plans to discuss whether to seek a peer review at its May 22 meeting.