This op-ed by Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation, appeared in Cambridge Day on July 26, 2024.
Powerful memories stay with you forever, and so will Starlight Square, because of the wonderful experiences it offered to so many in Cambridge. And it has ignited a vision to reclaim Central Square, the seat of local government and the city’s cultural and historic district, as the “downtown of Cambridge.” If we think creatively and work together, we can keep Starlight Square’s magic alive.
At its closing event June 30, I heard emotional stories of what Starlight Square meant to people. It was a place for civic connections, free cultural performances, community gatherings, celebrations, movie and Bollywood nights, local entrepreneurship, even the high school prom. For the Cambridge Community Foundation, we celebrated our nonprofits and local changemakers, hosted a communitywide block party and convened an important conversation about education equity. This innovation, born out of the pandemic, became an important civic destination. Its spaces and activities fostered social cohesion. It sparked joy, pride and celebration. It made everyone feel welcome.
It was the missing piece of the Central Square puzzle. And we must not lose it.
Successful downtowns are destinations marked by cultural and commercial activity. They offer a wide range of experiences – from shopping and dining to entertainment, social connection and memory making. They generate a sense of belonging and pride. As an urban designer and community development expert, I believe there’s a powerful and achievable second chapter for Starlight Square.
The rezoning of Central Square provides a unique opportunity for city building. We can reassert Central Square as the downtown of our city. What if we reimagined Starlight Square as an actual square of open space along Massachusetts Avenue with commercial and retail space around it, housing along Bishop Allen Drive and parking underground? This sentiment was shared by many on Starlight Square’s final day.
Could Cambridge think about land swaps or the consolidation of public and private parcels for a beautiful green square in Central? We have an opportunity to realize a comprehensive vision for a civic gathering and celebration space, with a density of housing and human-centered design that encourages social interactions and the foot traffic needed to support vibrant economic activity.
Starlight Square was magic under the stars. Let’s come together, dream, plan and build a piece of our city that will be a long-term resource and a civic hub for generations to come!
The teams behind Starlight Square and the Cambridge Community Foundation have launched a Starlight Forever Fund to establish a permanent home for cultural life in Cambridge modeled on the success of Starlight Square. Learn more here.
