Boston Parks and Recreation Department Roxbury, MA

Mary Hannon Playground Improvements

BSC led the planning, design, and landscape architecture for Phase 2 improvements at Mary Hannon Playground, in partnership with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD). The project focused on creating a park that meets community needs while maintaining the existing uses of the site.

Through extensive public engagement, BSC worked with residents and BPRD staff to shape a park program that includes a multi-use field, accessible picnic shelters, a splash pad, outdoor fitness equipment, a perimeter track, and upgraded infrastructure. The new design has increased park use and created a vibrant space for people of all ages and abilities.

The project also incorporates climate-resilient strategies, including directing splash pad runoff through newly planted trees and shrubs for passive irrigation and infiltration. Twenty-four new canopy trees frame the multi-use field, providing shade, improving air quality, and helping reduce the urban heat island effect. These improvements make the park both functional and environmentally resilient for the long term.