Candidates cite Malden River Works and parks as anchors for redevelopment

Several candidates at the youth forum described the Malden River and related projects as a potential driver of redevelopment and economic activity, but stressed it will take sustained public‑private partnership and time.

"I’m really hopeful with the Malden River Works," one candidate said, arguing that river redevelopment could prompt property owners to "rethink, redevelop, reimagine" and spur hotels, meals tax and other business activity. Candidates who row or participate in river cleanups noted that recreational assets — boathouses, trails and programming — are already attracting volunteers and private investment. One participant said she had been invited to a steering committee to help plan a boathouse along the river.

Speakers described parks improvements already completed or in planning, including Trappin Park and Kerstedt Park, and said coordinated investments could create a string of public spaces from Roosevelt to Lincoln Common. Some candidates framed parks and river improvements as part of a larger strategy to attract mixed‑use development and jobs while preserving open space.

None of the candidates proposed specific funding packages at the forum; several mentioned grant applications and partnerships with the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development as standard steps. The discussion treated the river project as a long‑term asset rather than an immediate revenue source.