Phase 1 of the Salem Willows signature park project will begin in the first week of June, after Memorial Day weekend. You may see construction fencing going up this week, but the area will remain open for Memorial Day weekend.
Phase 1 consists of revitalizing “The Hill” area, including the parking lot and tennis courts. This area has generally been used for informal vehicle parking, leading to a loss of green space, inefficient parking utilization, and fatal damage to mature trees. This project will retrofit and formalize the existing parking, install green infrastructure to mediate runoff, restore the hill to parkland, introduce native plantings, add accessible pathways, provide seating, and renovate the existing tennis courts.
Construction is slated to be largely completed by November 2021. Some plantings and landscaping will need to be planted in spring 2022, but the bulk of the work will be completed by the fall.
For the duration of this phase, alternative parking areas will be provided to offset the temporary closure of the hill parking area.
Project details and regular updates will be posted at the forthcoming website at www.salem.com/willows (not published yet) and on the City’s BuildingSalem social media channels.
