Urban Trail Opens in Shirley Ave Area

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Mayor Brian Arrigo puts his foot next to the blue stencil of sandals that mark the new Urban Trail at the beginning of Shirley Avenue.

Mayor Brian Arrigo puts his foot next to the blue stencil of sandals that mark the new Urban Trail at the beginning of Shirley Avenue.

Tennis shoes, running shoes, heels, dress shoes, even barefoot you can enjoy the fourth Urban Trail in Revere now that officials have opened the latest one in the Shirley Avenue area last Friday.

Thanks to the work of many residents and the support of sponsors including Revere on the Move mini-grant, made possible by Partners HealthCare and Mass General Hospital, Mass in Motion. Mass Development Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), 7-11, Bagel Bin, Beauty and the Beach Hair Salon, Casablanca House of Pastry, Rachanna Jewelry, Seaside Pharmacy, and Thmor Da, the trail is a mile and a quarter marked in areas by painted blue flip-flops on the sidewalks around the Shirley Avenue neighborhood.

Working along with RevereCares, which has developed the other trails in town (Beachmont, Whalen School)

The Urban Trail Planning Committee includes: Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky, resident Maribel Mendez, resident Nancy Higgins, resident Pamela Anderson, resident Susan Foti, Julie DeMauro (Revere in the Move Active Living Coordinator) Vanny Hout of The Neighborhood Developers, and Elijah Plymesser, The Neighborhood Developers, Elle Baker and Dimple Rana of Revere on the Move.

The idea of the trails is to have a walk close to where people live.

“This is the fourth trail in the community and goes way back to when Mayor Tom Ambrosino was in office, adding that it was about six years ago when the first trail opened.

“Come explore our hidden gem on this 1.4 mile route,” said Melissa Walsh, of the Neighborhood Developers.

The walk starts at the MBTA station for the Blue Line at the bottom of Shirley Avenue and goes up to Costa Park then on to Highland Street to Franklin Street to Skyline View. The trail goes on to Fitzhenry Square to Sandler Square on Centennial Avenue then down to a little loop on the beach and back to the Shirley Avenue mural. There is a small part of the walk that does go down to the beach via Ocean Avenue to the bandstand and in front of MGH Revere.

Novoselsky led the walk around his neighborhood despite the sweltering heat. It was pointed out that the Shirley Avenue area features food items from at least six different items.

“I’ve lived 69-plus years in this neighborhood,” Novoselsky said, recalling the many immigrant groups who have been drawn to the Shirley Avenue neighborhood. First the Lithuanians, then Polish, Russian, Ukrainian came and more recently immigrants from Morocco, Cambodia, Central and South America have settled in this area. He added that in the 1940s Shirley Avenue was made up of 25 percent Jews with a synagogue and kosher delis. The street became famous for its shoe stores. Revere Beach was a hangout for teens and the bandstand was known as Pint’s Corner.

“This trail incorporates the diversity of the past present and future,” Novoselsky said.

“Great neighbors make great neighborhoods,” said Hoot.

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