CITY OF REVERE CUTS RIBBON ON THREE NEW PARKS, CELEBRATING SHIRLEY AVENUE'S ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION
May 15, 2026
REVERE, MA – Highlighting a model of community-driven urban renewal, Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. and the City of Revere joined MassDevelopment, The Neighborhood Developers, local business owners, and civic leaders on Friday, May 8 to celebrate the grand opening of the Fitzhenry Dog Park. The ribbon cutting served as the centerpiece for a neighborhood walkthrough to celebrate new, resident-designed public spaces and other improvements along the Shirley Avenue corridor – including the newly renovated Flaherty Square and the Shirley Avenue pocket park.
These public space improvements were funded through a successful participatory budgeting process that empowered residents to directly shape the future of their neighborhood. This resident-led initiative is part of a broader partnership with MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative (TDI). Between September 2022 and May 2026, the TDI partnership in Revere has leveraged a $1.1 million MassDevelopment investment to unlock over $4.65 million in additional investments for the Shirley Avenue neighborhood. The new parks provide modern amenities for families and pets and symbolize a sustained partnership that includes the newly formed Shirley Avenue Neighborhood Association (SANA), core partners like The Neighborhood Developers (TND), and local businesses.
“Today’s openings are a culmination of what cities can do through true collaboration, advocacy, and investment,” said Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. “By working alongside community partners and residents, we are focusing our urban renewal efforts on creating the modern amenities our
neighborhoods strive for—accessible open spaces where our residents, legacy businesses, and even our four-legged friends can thrive. This is yet another signal that Revere is the place to be in Greater Boston.”
“Participatory budgeting helped residents do more than just prioritize projects — it created a shared roadmap for the neighborhood,” said Laura Christopher, Revere TDI Fellow at MassDevelopment. “That community vision made it easier to attract additional public and private investment, and today we’re seeing those ideas come to life through new public spaces, stronger neighborhood partnerships, and local businesses deepening their roots on Shirley Ave.”
"The opening of the Fitzhenry Dog Park is a long-time coming and it was only possible as a result of the dogged determination of the many partners who made it happen. Shirley Ave neighbors have been advocating for Fitzhenry to be officially recognized as a dog park for more than a decade. They were not barking up the wrong tree. The City recognized the need and the Revere Community Committee, The Neighborhood Developers (TND), and others also had a dog in this fight. Together, these community partners built a beautiful dog park which all the neighborhood's dogs can now enjoy,” said Rafael Mares, Executive Director of The Neighborhood Developers (TND). He continued, "Fitzhenry Park is only the latest in a string of green space improvements on which TND has collaborated with the City in the Shirley Ave neighborhood. We previously have successfully partnered on Costa Park and Sandler Square. The creation and maintenance of open space has been a consistent goal of Shirley Ave community members and a way to
support existing local businesses and has helped prevent their displacement."
Following the initial ribbon cutting at Fitzhenry Dog Park, a neighborhood tour highlighted the newly opened Flaherty Square and the Forest Pocket Park at 69 Shirley Ave, featuring stops at local businesses like Valsos Table and F+J Juice Bar. Both businesses have purchased property on the corridor, hosted city events, and act as deeply invested members of SANA, showcasing the neighborhood's model for local economic revitalization.
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