“Green Island,” a neighborhood that once included the area of today’s “Canal District,” has a proud industrial working-class history. In contrast, the “Canal District,” which has formed through recent revitalization efforts including Polar Park, boasts trendy restaurants and shops.Originally known as “The Island,” the neighborhood sat between the Blackstone Canal and the Mill Brook. In the 1960s, the Green Island name came into widespread use due to Green Street’s central location.
Green Island: A Shrinking Neighborhood
Over the past ten years, development of a distinct “Canal District” has caused the original Green Island neighborhood to shrink significantly.
The northern area is now “the Canal District” and includes the Revington apartments and new developments by Polar Park.
The southern area is what remains of “green island” and includes historic workers, homes, and Crompton Park:
Green Island is a neighborhood of historic triple-deckers and workers cottages. Its shopping center is Millbury Street. The homes and shops, churches, and social clubs have in the past created a strong sense of community among the residents of Green Island. Gentrification from Canal District development threatens to push out long-time residents and businesses, as well as the new people, often new immigrants, still seeking to join the vibrant communities of Green Island and make it their home.
