Recycled Space: Cold Spring Park

Yesterday I discovered that the northern portion of Cold Spring Park in Newton is a former dump site. The former wasteland is now home to sports fields, a playground, and a fabulous farmer's market!

So today during my lunch hour, I wandered through the wooded southern portion of the park to the Tuesday-afternoon market with a new appreciation for this unique public space. I can only imagine what this space looked like as a city dump, but today it is bustling with activity. Around a paved circle of one end of the parking lot, well over a dozen vendors peddle their fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, meat, cheese, and other products. I find myself defending my spot in front of the small packs of people in front of the stands as I try to purchase my corn, berries, and cucumbers -- on a delightfully mild summer day like today, the market is packed!

Many years ago this place likely stunk of potato peels rotting in piles of wet newspapers (and things far worse,) but today the air is fresh and clean with the buzz of happy voices floating on the breeze.