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Natural open space for public use at the West Concord Main St. Development
Mission
Mission
The West Concord Pocket Park will create community open space while joining new and old neighborhoods together.
Just Imagine...
Latest News:
The CPC will meet to review the funding application for the Pocket Park on 10/27. Among other things, they will look to the private donation support when they make their decision. If you've been thinking about making a pledge, now is the time! Make your pledge here. No payment is requested now; pledges would be called upon if voters approve Community Preservation funding at the 2027 Annual Town Meeting.
The Town of Concord – Division of Natural Resources (DNR), on behalf of the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), submitted the CPC funds application for the Pocket Park on 9/18/26. The land purchase will require a total of about $685k-$770k and a portion of that will come from CPC funds. The remainder of the funds will come from Private donations. The Private donation amount required to move the project forward is $150k. Scroll down to read more and to make your pledge.
Background and Benefits
Background and Benefits
Click here to see our Slide Presentation
► The new Highland & Main development has removed significant wooded space.
► There is an opportunity for the town to create a pocket park - a partially wooded greenspace - on that land.
► The new Green Space will be accessible to new and existing residents.
► It will be a connecting space between the new development and the existing neighborhood.
► And it will be a practical means for residents in the new development to access the town center and the train station on foot.
A 5-foot wide public access easement from Road B to Lot A1 across Lot 13 will create a connection from the new development to the Pocket Park.
In 2026, we will apply for CPC funds to partially fund the purchase of the lot. The land purchase will require a total of about $685k-$770k and a portion of that will come from CPC funds. The remainder of the funds will come from Private donations. The Private donation required to move the project forward is $150k.
If you'd like to pledge a donation, please click the button or scan the QR Code to enter your information and pledge amount.
If you'd like to pledge a donation, please click the button or scan the QR Code to enter your information and pledge amount.
Suggested donation amounts: $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000. Anything helps!
Upcoming Community Events
Upcoming Community Events
Saturday October 17: Live Music! @ Discover West Concord Day - Come enjoy live music 10-12 from acclaimed cover artist, Renaissance man, and all around good guy Brian Burkhard! We'll have a booth with information on the Pocket Park and friendly people to answer your questions and hand out yard signs. You'll be sad to miss it!
Saturday October 3: Concord Children's Center Event - Come to the West Concord Location of the Concord Children's Center. Talk with CCC parents and neighbors about the positive impact the park will have for the community.
Saturday August 15 10-12n: Open House - Come by Highland St. on Saturday 8/15 10-12n for our Open House event to talk to neighbors, hear the latest, grab a yard sign and a lemonade, and see the site where the Park will go!
Saturday June 13 1 - 5pm: Porch Fest - Come visit Highland St. during Porch Fest, view the lot and discuss the project with neighbors.
Be like the cool kids and request a sweet yard sign!
Be like the cool kids and request a sweet yard sign!
Email us to request a yard sign like this! Contact: info@westconcordpocketpark.com
Sign our Petition
Sign our Petition
Sign our Community Petition in support of the West Concord Pocket Park here!
Add your name and address to the bottom of this letter:
Join our email list
Join our email list
We'll send you key updates from time to time through the course of the project.
Letter of Support Writers
If you'd like to write a letter of support for the CPC Application, please click the link below for some examples and talking points. We are gathering letters before the CPC decides on our application in December 2026. Letters are welcome from individuals, groups, organizations and institutions.
Please address your letter to:
Community Preservation Committee
Town of Concord
22 Monument Square
Concord, MA 01742
Please include a specific statement / call to action supporting CPC funding for the Pocket Park.
Please email questions and completed letters to: cooleymobile@gmail.com and cc: info@westconcordpocketpark.com
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why is the Pocket Park a great asset for the local instituations like the Fowler Library, the West Concord location of the Concord Childrens' Center, the Concord Conservatory of Music, and the Concord Youth Theather?
A: Thanks for the planted question :) The Pocket Park will be the best walkable green space for these organizations with a short low traffic walk down Highland St. Additionally the park will connect the new neighborhood to these places via Highland st. rather than Rt. 62.
Q: Why should the Highland St and new development neighbors look forward to this park?
A: The park will join the old and new neighborhoods via a public green space rather than separating them and forcing foot traffic onto Rt. 62.
Q: Is the pocket park too expensive for the number of people it would benefit?
A: The case for the park rests on its lasting public value: permanently securing green space as development in Concord accelerates. This is a Town proposal sponsored by the Natural Resources Commission, which voted unanimously to support it. A local volunteer task force is helping advance the project, and support includes at least 120 households across West Concord, Thoreau Hills, and Concord Center who signed a petition in the Summer of 2025. The park will be open to everyone. It will serve existing and new residents, visitors to local business and institutions like CCM, CCC, CYT, the church and the library. It will improve pedestrian connections toward the village center, and offer a place to gather and enjoy nature for all of those people. It will also increase the tree canopy and preserve permeable surfaces. The proposal combines private fundraising with a request for community preservation funding. We believe the investment should be weighed against generations of public use and the opportunity to secure this land permanently—rather than the number of households immediately surrounding it.
Q: Is the Pocket Park redirecting funds away from other more worthy causes?
A: The Pocket Park is seeking CPC funds which are local tax payer dollars replenished each year and ear-marked specifically for community preservation opportunities like this. Therefore these funds are directed only toward projects proposed to the CPC and that align with the goals of the CPC. They are not general purpose funds. The task force's viewpoint is that the Pocket Park is a great investment in the community to preserve and enrich natural open space and to create a safe walkable passage between the neighborhood and the town center. Notably, it restores some of the nature lost in the construction there and makes it available to the public. Finally, it aligns on many dimensions with the stated goals of the CPC. Ultimately the CPC will determine the relative value of this project over others they review. More information on the CPC and CPC funds can be found here.
Q: If I donate, where will the money go?
A: Donations will go to the Town to support the purchase of the lot from the developer. The Town will then take ownership of the lot to make it available to the public.
Q: Where exactly will the pocket park be?
A: The Pocket Park will be located on Lot A1 at the Main St. development at the dogleg of Highland St. See the maps above for a visual.
Q: What will the pocket park look like when it’s complete?
A: There is no confirmed design yet, only concepts. The concept of the park is a partially wooded greenspace open to the public. Three (3) concepts are shown on the website above.
Q: How much will it cost?
A: The cost to purchase the lot itself will be determined by the Town's appraisal process of the Fair Market Value (FMV). The current estimate is in the range of $685k - $770k. The cost to construct the park is expected to be far less and will be addressed once the lot is purchased. The funds to purchase the lot need to be secured first because there is a deadline in the builder's permit of March 2028 for the Town to purchase the lot.
Q: What will it need for maintenance and who will pay for maintenance?
A: Park maintenance is expected to be handled by the Town's open space maintenance processes and resources. The park design is expected to be simple and low maintenance.
Q: What’s the value of the pocket park for those who don’t live in the immediate neighborhood?
A: The park contributes to the community's inventory of tree canopy, permeable surfaces, and public green space. All residents will be welcome to enjoy the park when they are in the neighborhood. It should be a restful place to gather, walk, and enjoy nature. And it will offer natural open space to the public that was not available before the development.
Q: When will the town decide whether to fund the pocket park?
A: A CPC funding application will be submitted in September 2026 and decided on by the CPC in December 2026. If approved, the fund allocation will go to Town Vote at the 2027 Town Meeting. Because funds from that process become available in July 2027, and the deadline to purchase the lot is March 2028, this is the last chance we have to secure CPC funds for the Pocket Park.
Q: How can I help?
A: You can help by engaging in all of the ways on our website and by contacting us to join the task force if you wish!
Contact us: info@westconcordpocketpark.com
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