Jollene Dubner Park

Visit

36 Merrill Street, Lowell, MA

Access

The park is easily accessed from Rogers or Merrill Street. The pathways are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. No motorized vehicles are allowed; only passive recreational activities are permitted.

Parking: Parking is located along Merrill Street.

Directions

At the corner of Rogers Street and Merrill Street, Lowell (36 Merrill Street). Merrill Street is a one-way street heading toward Rogers Street.

A Peaceful Overlook on the Concord River

Jollene Dubner Park offers one of the most scenic river views in the city. This quarter-acre park, built in 2000, provided the first public access to the Concord River in Lowell. Standing at the ornate fence overlooking the river, you can can see the Rogers Street historic stone arch bridge, or look upriver to Centennial Island.

This is a flat section of the river and a great place to watch whitewater rafters in the spring as they float by between rapids. You can also access the Concord River Greenway directly from the park.

Details about the park’s history and features are provided below.

Jollene Dubner Conservation Award

Newell Flather receives Dubner Award in 2015 - Harkins Photography

Newell Flather receives Dubner Award in 2015

The Jollene Dubner Conservation Award honors the spirit and commitment to conserving urban natural resources as championed by Jollene Dubner.  The most recent honoree, Diane Tradd, was recognized at our 30th Anniversary Celebration in 2020.

Previous award recipients include: Governor Michael Dukakis, Marion Stoddard, Patrick Mogan, Thomas Bellegarde, and Newell Flather.

Donate to the Jollene Dubner Park Maintenance Fund, which is held at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation. You can find more information about this endowment fund by pressing the donate button below.

Donate

Gallery

Rogers Street stone arch bridge, as seen from across the river from Dubner Park.Rogers Street bridge
Jollene Dubner's 2nd grade class visits park with teacher Roberta GordonJollene Dubner’s 2nd grade class visits park
Dubner Park flag, oil painting by Mark RomanowskyDubner Park flag
Dubner Park view under pergola, oil painting by Mark RomanowskyDubner Park view under pergola
Detail of park's fenceDubner fence detail
Enjoy this moment for peaceful meditation or laughter with a friend.Drew Davis memorial bench
Early spring view from Dubner Park, upriverEarly spring view from Dubner Park, upriver

Park History

Jollene Dubner Park was named in memory of Jollene Dubner, a founding board member of the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust. The site was chosen especially because of Jollene’s interest in creating public access to the Concord River.

The park was built on the site of a 17-apartment tenement building and a smaller home that were both demolished to create the park.

The park was designed by landscape architect Clarissa Rowe (Brown, Richardson & Rowe) with input from Back Central neighborhood residents and other community members over several public input sessions.

The park was completed in November 2000. At the time it offered the only direct public access to the Concord River in one of the most densely developed sections of the city.

The Concord River Greenway Park was extended through the Park in 2015, providing continuous access along the riverbank up to the Centennial Island Apartments.

Special Park Features

Features within the park include a granite wall, the foundation of the former apartment building. An ornamental cast iron fence (at left) was reproduced from remnants of an historic fence found on the site. The fence features a leaf pattern sheltered within an inverted heart.

On a hot day you can enjoy the shade of a large pergola (arbor) covered with wisteria (donated by The Coppinger Company). Granite benches (below), paid for by private contributions, provide seating along a curved pathway and overlooking views of the Concord River.

The park has several native perennial beds and there are a variety of lilacs planted in the park, reminiscent of Rochester, NY, original home of the Dubner family, which hosts an annual Lilac Festival.

Get Involved

Volunteers play a critical role in helping us care for and monitor our properties. If you would like more information about any of the properties or would like to volunteer as a land steward (application form), please let us know at (978) 934-0030. Stewardship projects, in addition to regular site monitoring, on this property could include:

  • Concord River Greenway trail stewardship

  • Fence painting

  • Gardening/monitoring invasives

  • Wildlife observations

  • Stewardship with abutters

  • Litter collection, as needed

As a land steward you help provide the additional eyes and ears we need on properties that staff can’t visit as frequently as we would like to. If you can take a regular walk at Jollene Dubner Park, you can be a land steward! Check out the birds and other wildlife on the river, maybe pick up a little trash, and let us know if you see anything really interesting or out of sort (e.g., a garden area that needs work, yard waste dumping, or a broken sign). We have an easy online monitoring form that you can send to us at any time.