The Islington Peninsula in the village of Auburndale in Newton, MA
The Islington Peninsula in the village of Auburndale in Newton, MA, is a quiet, secluded neighborhood of ninety-seven single-family homes on and near the Charles River. Despite its seclusion the Islington Peninsula is conveniently located right off of Commonwealth Avenue and is near the intersection and entrances to the Mass Pike and Route 128. Islington Road is off of Commonwealth Avenue, and is the only egress to the peninsula. The Islington Peninsula also includes Kingswood Road, Duffield Road, Rider Terrace, and Malvern Terrace.
The Islington Peninsula is partly land that was once Norumbega Park in the village of Auburndale in Newton MA, and much of that land is now city park and conservation land. Norumbega Park was a 19th century recreation destination for Boston city-dwellers, who could reach the park on the then new rail lines through the village of Auburndale in Newton MA. The park offered boating, amusement rides, trails, picnics, shows and entertainment, and it even had a ballroom. The park’s peak was from the turn of the century until the second world war. It closed in the 1960’s.
The Marriot Hotel is located to the south west of the Islington Peninsula. Lyon’s Field baseball diamond is located to the south east of the peninsula. Islington Road turns to the right as one rises up the slight hill from Commonwealth Avenue. Islington Road forms a large oval shaped traffic circle at that point.
The inside of the oval is a grass park area which leads to a path to conservation land and the Charles River. This grass oval has been a meeting area for the family’s who live in this neighborhood. The Islington Peninsula contains a fair-sized pond, which has traditionally been used for ice skating in the winter by neighborhood children. The pond is on private property, however permission of the owner has been granted for the children to enjoy its use.
The houses on the Islington Peninsula are a mixture of colonial, Victorian, and modern styles. Many of the houses have been extensively renovated or completely rebuilt. The area is zoned SR3, single-family residence 3, with large lots. The Islington Peninsula thus has opportunities for people who wish to buy a smaller house, and completely renovate it into a modern, updated style. All of the houses in the Islington Peninsula are well-maintained, and the people take great effort in their landscaping.
Another feature of the Islington Peninsula is that the families in this area have created a neighborhood association. The ninety-seven families have gotten together and have their own private website, and they have printed out their own telephone directory. The idea for this is to create a support system for their community They organize several social events during the year. They have traveling dinner parties where each house will host one course of the meal. They have an annual Halloween party with live music, performed by the local talent. All of this makes the Islington Peninsula a very desirable place to live within the village of Auburndale in Newton MA.
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