State Senator Ed Kennedy was happy and excited to take part in the inaugural lighting ceremony of the Joseph R. Ouellette Memorial Bridge, which was hosted by the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative on Friday, October 21st. The Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative is a coalition created by Lowell Heritage Partnership cooperatively with the City of Lowell, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, and the Lowell National Historical Park.
The Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative was publicly unveiled for the first time in January 2016 at the Luna Theatre in Mill No.5. In September of 2016, the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative illuminated the Swamp Locks in the Hamilton Canal Innovation District for one night. In February of 2017, the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative unveiled its multi-year action plan with a mission to improve and revitalize several locations along the waterways in downtown Lowell. By doing so, they hope to enhance the everyday experience of people in Lowell by making the city’s historic waterways more accessible, active, and vibrant. In 2018, there was a lighting ceremony for the Cox Bridge and in 2022 the Ouellette Bridge has now been illuminated.
The five areas highlighted in the multi-year action plan include: (1) The Cox & Ouellette Bridges on the Merrimack River, (2) The Swamp Locks at the Hamilton Canal Innovation District, (3) The Lowell Locks along the Pawtucket Canal in Downtown Lowell, (4) The Ecumenical Plaza located between Saint Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral and (5) the Merrimack Canal located along historic Lucy Larcom Park.
Congratulations to the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative team and to all who have played a role in this ongoing project. For more information on the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative, and a link to download the action plan, please visit: http://www.lowellwaterways.com/