Mattapan Riverfront Improvements: Edgewater Drive Trail & Kennedy Playground
November 2025 —
The Edgewater Drive Trail and Kennedy Playground in Mattapan are seeing exciting updates that improve access, safety, and amenities for the community.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has reworked the stone wall at Edgewater Drive in Mattapan to provide more openings and river views, and an undulating wooden fence has been added where the path runs close to the water.
Kennedy Playground has also been redesigned with nature-inspired elements and a space for exercise.
These upgrades reflect the growing community demand for equitable enjoyment of the Boston riverfront.
This vibrant trail extension west of Mattapan Square is expected to open in mid-2026, and neighbors are advocating to continue the trail west into Hyde Park and eventually to Fairmount Station on the Fairmount Line, creating an even more connected Neponset River Greenway.
For any questions about the project, please email NepRWA Greenways Director, Andres Ripley, at ripley@neponset.org
Project History
For decades, a ½-mile stone wall along Edgewater Drive in Mattapan separated neighbors from the Neponset River, leaving only a single, inconvenient entrance.
The Edgewater Neighborhood Association long advocated for better access, and with support from NepRWA and growing community and political backing, DCR made the Edgewater Greenway one of its capital projects in 2021.
Since then, DCR has incorporated community input into plans for multiple wall openings, river overlooks, canoe launches, benches, and potential bridge connections—transforming this woodland stretch into a safer, more accessible space.
Kennedy Playground
The redesign of Kennedy Playground uses nature-themed elements and a space dedicated to exercise — creating a fun, active environment for kids and families.
Locate the Kennedy Playground in Mattapan!
