City Of Boston Celebrates Groundbreaking At West Of Washington Family Park In Dorchester
Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department joined the West of Washington Coalition (WoW), local elected officials and Dorchester community members on Saturday, September 19 for a groundbreaking at West of Washington Family Park, celebrating the transformation of four vacant lots into a new community park.
West of Washington Family Park will include a vibrant community gathering space with a colorful play area and splash pad, community seating, a performance space with an electrical connection, a new lawn, trees for shade and cooling, and community planting beds. The project includes approximately $1.46 million in improvements funded through the Community Preservation Act (CPA) with additional support from the City of Boston's Streets Cabinet.
“There’s no greater force than community, and Boston is blessed with a community that has the vision and determination to make transformational investments in our neighborhoods, like West of Washington Family Park,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am grateful to the WoW coalition and partners who envisioned what West of Washington Family Park could become, and to our City teams for helping move this project forward. This park will be a beautiful and safe place for neighbors to get outside, enjoy public art and spend time with each other.”
The design of West of Washington Family Park was shaped by years of community advocacy and feedback, with residents emphasizing the need for a flexible gathering and performance space that could support neighborhood events.
The establishment of the West of Washington Family Park was made possible through the advocacy of the WOW Coalition which worked with TLee Development and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to acquire CPA funding to support the project. In 2021, TPL acquired four vacant lots totaling 12,800 square feet. Those parcels were gifted to the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in December 2025. The remaining section of the property, previously owned by the Mayor's Office of Housing, was also transferred to the Parks Department as part of the project. BPRD has acquired additional CPA funding for a renovation project to create a park based on community designs.
“We’re thrilled to transform the four vacant lots into a park filled with beautiful trees to stay cool, a community seating area for residents to relax and watch their loved ones experience joy in a brand new play area,” said Diana Fernandez Bibeau, Commissioner of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and Deputy Chief of Open Space. “We are grateful for the advocacy of the WOW Coalition who did not allow their vision for their neighborhood to diminish. The collaboration between the WOW Coalition, the Trust for Public Land, TLee Development, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Act Office and the City of Boston's Streets Cabinet is a great example of being the change we hope to see in our neighborhoods.”
“We are thrilled to witness the West of Washington Family Park groundbreaking. Advocacy for this neighborhood space has been the long and hard work of many residents including Andrew Haile, Laquisa Burke and the late Deborah Weathers and we are grateful for them,” said WOW Coalition board co-chairs, Sarah Riddle & Indy Robinson. “We have advocated, waited and hoped for more than a decade. The community has kept the lots cleaned and celebrated our annual BBQ on the overgrown grass. We are looking forward to being able to host our next neighborhood party in the finished space, with benches, beautiful plantings, play equipment, and a place to plug in the DJ so we don’t have to run an extension cord from the house next door.”
West of Washington Family Park was designed by Klopfer Martin Design Group and construction will be completed by Metro Equipment Inc. The total project budget is $1.46 million, including $1.37 million for construction. Primary funding is provided through a Community Preservation Act grant, with additional funding from Streets for Right-of-Way improvements, including the plaza area within the park, new sidewalks, and curb ramps.
The park is also located next to the 9-mile Fairmount Greenway, a multiuse pedestrian and bicycle path running alongside the Fairmount Commuter Rail line and improves connection to the Talbot Avenue MBTA station.
The design and development of West of Washington Family Park was driven by community feedback and collaboration with the WOW Coalition, Public Works Department, Mayor’s Office of Housing, MBTA officials, TPL, T. Lee Development, and local partners. The community played a key role in shaping the design, advocating for features that would support gatherings, performances, recreation, and neighborhood events.
“WOW Family Park is an excellent example of what is possible when community advocacy and partnership come together through a shared vision,” said Jodi Valenta, Trust for Public Land’s Associate Vice President and Massachusetts State Director. “For the last seven years, Trust for Public Land has been proud to work alongside the WOW Coalition and Boston Parks and Recreation Department to elevate resident voices and help bring these vacant spaces into public ownership – laying the foundation for a park truly designed around community needs and values. We’re excited to see this long-standing community vision take this important step towards becoming a lasting neighborhood resource for generations to come.”
“Every resident deserves to have a park near where they live,” Councilor Brian Worrell (District 4) said. “We all know the health benefits, but the community and social benefits are important, too. This park will serve as a testament to the power of a community-driven push. Our city is strongest when the community leads.”
“Next year, we will all return to WOW Family Park to celebrate its official ribbon cutting, a milestone made possible by years of advocacy from the WOW Coalition and the thoughtful partnership of T. Lee Development and the Trust for Public Land (TPL),” said Representative Russell E. Holmes. “We will see community members and families enjoying the park, creating memories that will last for generations to come.”
Construction will begin in September 2026 with anticipated completion in fall 2027.
Find more project updates at boston.gov/wow-park. To stay up to date with news, events, and improvements in Boston parks visit boston.gov/parks, call (617) 635-4505, join our email list, and follow our social channels at @parks.boston.gov on Bluesky and @bostonparksdept on Facebook and Instagram.
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