HAVERHILL — Beyond the first base line of Riverside Park’s ballfield, there’s a new winding pathway for walkers to travel.
It’s not just a patch of pavement; it’s a recently opened lane between blooming blueberries and ecological art pieces.
Haverhill residents are welcome to take a walk through Riverside’s Art in the Park and Edible Avenue—a joint initiative surrounding that park grounds’ newest stretch of land.
The project is a result of collaboration between the city and several local organizations, such as Team Haverhill, Creative Haverhill, SJ Art Consulting, the Haverhill Garden Club, Haverhill’s Brightside, and Haverhill High School’s Art Department.
Together, they’re transforming the public space into an outdoor gallery lined with edible greenery and artistic masterpieces.
The idea took root on the paths of Bradford Rail trail, where many art sculptures are displayed, thanks to Team Haverhill. In 2019, the city received more than $1 million in state funding to extend the trailway—a regional effort to connect rail trails in communities across the Merrimack Valley.
Team Haverhill’s Ann Jacobson said this prompted many in her organization to push for more public art along the extended walkway, but opportunities on the land were limited by a National Grid easement.
That’s when the city’s Community Development Director Andrew Herlihy recommended a new home for their artful hopes.
With help from a MassTrails grant, Haverhill built a new walkway bordering the Merrimack in Riverside Park, clearing dead trees, removing invasive plants and poison ivy, and leveling the area.
Herlihy welcomed the initiative, allowing the birth of “Art in the Park,” which brings sculptures to the public eye, and “Edible Avenue,” introducing a landscape of trees, shrubs and edible plants.
“The city’s support for this initiative has been nothing short of transformative,” said Creative Haverhill’s Director Erin Padilla.
“Their collaboration has helped turn a long-standing vision into a vibrant reality, and we are deeply grateful for their continued partnership.”
The new “spur” — as Jacobson labels the path — through the park is set to be bordered by 15 newly-planted trees, garden beds and a gallery of artwork.
Riverside’s first sculpture, “A Divvied Dadaism Emoted” by regional sculptor Waldo Evan Jesperson, was installed last fall. Its lengthy, red, tree-like structure waves with each breeze and is situated between two of the park’s baseball fields.
According to Team Haverhill, the sculpture is intended to “explore balance and movement,” and “help us to experience the weather systems along the Merrimack River as it moves and changes with the wind.”
Jesperson’s work was acquired thanks to a state earmark through state Rep. Andy Vargas, D- Haverhill.
Look left along the pathway and spot the handiwork of many local high schoolers in the “eco-labyrinth.”
Haverhill High School students, in partnership with nearby artist Maia Mattson, crafted the ecological piece through the final months of this past school year.
Mattson uses botanical materials to explore relationships in local ecology with her artwork; the perfect blend for Art in the Park and Edible Avenue, Padilla said.
“We want lots of voices at the table when it comes to public art,” she said. “One piece will come from art consulting, another crafted by a local sculptor, and another made by the students at Haverhill High School.”
“It’s all about giving an opportunity to local artists and introducing our community to them,” Padilla said.
Since January, roughly 450 students and teachers from the high school had a hand in the eco-labyrinth’s completion, according to Dean of Fine & Performing Arts Ellen Mullane-Davis.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for their creation is planned for the fall.
Between the artworks, there’s raised garden beds, built by Whittier Tech students, and sprouting edible plants. The plants include blueberries, strawberries, hazelnuts, and so on.
The boots-on-the-ground work has been tackled by about 10 volunteers, said Jacobson and fellow club member Kathleen Fitts. As the garden grows, so will the gallery as Padilla said the goal is to introduce a new sculpture to the outdoor gallery each year.
“We are so grateful to Mayor Melinda Barrett and the City of Haverhill for helping us get this complicated multi-faceted project off the ground and guiding us in seeing it through to completion,” said Jacobson.
“We are already excited to think about future ways we can build on what we have achieved together to make the project even better.”