Rose Kennedy Greenway--Phase One

The first parcel of the Rose Kennedy Greenway has finally opened. The Greenway, named in honor of the Kennedy family matriarch, is the parkland that is replacing the scar left from the Central Artery that separated the waterfront from the rest of Boston for decades. With the highway now underground due to the Big Dig, the Greenway is going to play an important role in reconnecting the city to the harbor that has been its lifeblood.

It's been a while in the making, but the section of the Greenway near Chinatown is the first part to officially open. There's not much land to work with in this section so it's a little hard to tell what it bodes for the other stretches of the park. The highlight is a small waterfall that leads to a winding stream flowing over cobblestones. There are ornamental grasses and bamboo groves add a nice touch in recognition of the hertiage of this section of the city. A modern gate echoes the traditional gate to the Chinatown neighborhood. Most of the area is stone, particularly around the gate. Not much grass. The other sections will have more land available presumably to add "green" to the greenway, so it's tough to really evaluate this section without seeing how it fits into the Greenway as a whole.