Somerville’s Homans Site, empty acreage that has long frustrated its neighbors, will have a temporary makeover this summer as the organization CultureHouse creates a three-month “outdoor community space” called Gilman Park on the land.
“Gilman Park will be a gathering space for local organizations, a hangout space for residents, a center for civic services and an opportunity for development for local businesses, artists and creatives,” CultureHouse’s website said.
The goal of Gilman Park is to connect the area with the rest of the city as well as test out future uses of the Homans Site, according to the CultureHouse website.
In a tweet about this project, CultureHouse said it will host events in the space such as dances and have food trucks and “maybe a beer garden.”
The Homans Site sits directly next to the Gilman Square MBTA Green Line stop and is currently an empty plot of land.
Residents in the area said they had been waiting for around 10 years to see development there, but in November the city said its Economic Development Division would be “taking a pause” on the work. They continue to wait as the city conducts a disposition study that director of economic development Rachel Nadkarni said would take eight months to a year to complete.
“This new land disposition is just yet another moving of the goalposts,” said Christine Carlino at the time, speaking as board president of the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council. “We’ve been talking about this for over a year now, and it still hasn’t even started, which I just think is unacceptable.”
In the meantime, starting in June, Gilman Park will be temporarily available for residents.
Carlino said she is “cautiously excited” – the project has only a tight budget – and “hopeful for something great.”
Neighborhood hopes
The neighborhood council has been advocating for the project to use natural materials that don’t have to be thrown out after the summer is over, she said.
“Mayor [Katjana] Ballantyne has been really supportive in advocating for natural solutions, so that’s really promising. And I think that’s really where city planning and CultureHouse would prefer to go it’s just really difficult to do this on a limited budget and limited time,” Carlino said.
Gilman Park is a good thing for a neighborhood that she said has felt ignored and forgotten over the years.
“All in all we’re really excited about the potential of this and hoping that we can help push this all in the right direction,” Carlino said.
Ward 4 city councilor Jesse Clingan, who sits on the Housing and Community Development Committee, said this project is a positive and provides a sense of community. It gives residents a place to come together regularly and build community, he said.
Details later
In response to Cambridge Day’s request for comment, CultureHouse said they are still in the process of finalizing details with the city and more information will be available later.
“We are working closely with residents, local business owners, institutions, artists and creatives in and around Gilman Square. Keep a lookout for updates on ways that you can be involved!” CultureHouse’s website said.
Those with questions, ideas, or thoughts on the project can contact CultureHouse community manager Rishika Dhawan at rishika@culturehouse.cc.
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