Dedham cut the ribbon on its new Sawmill Park Pollinator Pathway on Wednesday, Aug. 19, turning a litter-strewn lot overrun with invasive plants into a green space along Mother Brook. The ceremony went ahead at 5 p.m. as planned, days after the town confirmed that four biodiversity-themed art tiles had been stolen from the pathway's sidewalk.

Police are now monitoring the site to protect the remaining artwork, according to Patch, which first reported the theft. The town said it is working to replace the stolen tiles but has not made a timeline public.

The pathway on Sawmill Lane is the product of roughly six months of work by the Dedham Department of Public Works, funded through a Massachusetts Community Biodiversity Grant from the state Department of Fish & Game. DPW crews cleared invasive species and trash to create habitat for native plants and wildlife along the brook, transforming what had been an eyesore into a walkable educational space.

Eagle Scout Malachi Reed of Dedham Troop 3 designed and installed a community seed library as part of the project. The Mother Brook Community Arts Center organized a biodiversity-themed public art installation on the bridge. It was the arts center's tiles that were targeted by thieves in the days before the opening.

In a public announcement posted ahead of the ribbon-cutting, the town invited residents to explore the new space and hear from the partners whose collaboration brought the project to life.

No suspects have been publicly identified in the tile theft.

The Sawmill Park Pollinator Pathway on Sawmill Lane is open daily to visitors.