NEWBURYPORT — The grass is greener at Market Landing Park these days as efforts to create a more uniform look and remove unsightly brown dirt patches in the city’s newest recreation area have proven successful, according to city officials.
But the city announced that rope-like barriers which have greeted parkgoers for months will remain awhile longer. It is expected the barriers could be removed sometime this month.
“We made the decision to keep the barriers up through the fall so we are ready to go in the spring,” Mayor Sean Reardon said Monday.
On June 17, the city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening of the first phase of the Market Landing Park construction and expansion project.
The $6 million endeavor saw Onyx Corporation of Acton convert a pair of waterfront parking lots into new green space and park wings flanking the east and west sides of the 4.6-acre site. The park also connects more seamlessly to the city’s Clipper City Rail Trail.
While grass on the east side closer to the harbormaster’s building flourished, the west side was not as lucky. A lengthy stretch of hot weather and little rain was blamed for the unevenness last month.
While Mother Nature played a large role in the delay, putting a new lawn in late May/early June was something city officials knew would be a challenge. But there was hope that the grass would be viable enough to allow visitors to walk and sit on it by now.
On Monday, an Onyx crew was busy adding gravel and other materials to a parking lot adjacent to the west side. One employee said a combination of more rain, irrigation improvements and another batch of slice seeding helped immensely.
Slice seeding uses a specialized machine that creates 1-inch or smaller slices in the ground using vertical blades. Seeds are then dropped into the slices. The method provides optimal contact between seeds and soil resulting in improved germination, according to published reports.
Taxpayers will not be on the hook for any additional expenses as Onyx is responsible for the lawns’ first season as part of its contract with the city.
Despite the incomplete grass, the park has seen constant use by residents and visitors. cores of people were seen taking advantage of the many swings lining the newest stretch of the rail trail Monday morning. Young children on scooters and bicycles, dog walkers, parents pushing baby carriages, and a small fleet of lawn mowers were also seen.