Happy Haitian Heritage Month, Boston!

Haitian Heritage Month was first celebrated in Boston in 1998 and is meant to bring awareness to Haitian heritage, culture, and Haitian achievements across the globe. To commemorate the month, we’d like to highlight the work of Boston Parks & Recreation Director of Maintenance, Josh Altidor. Born in Haiti, Josh has worked at the Parks Department for more than seven years and spends his days making sure each park is maintained with care.  

Josh started with parks in 2013 in the Horticulture Division where he had the opportunity to design and install plantings in the Boston Public Garden, the first public botanical garden in America. In 2019, Josh was promoted to Director of Maintenance, where he oversees the care of Boston’s parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields.

Born and raised in Haiti, Josh absorbed the art of design from his father, a passionate farmer who never learned to read. Josh graduated from the American University of the Caribbean with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agroforestry and Environmental Sciences. After moving to the U.S. to further his education, Josh completed a certificate program at the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Programs and went on to earn a master’s degree in Sustainable Urban Environment from Northeastern University. Josh also holds a certificate in Leadership Management from the Extension School at Harvard University.

Josh shared some advice for amateur and home gardeners on creating sustainable, attractive urban green spaces:

• Strive for a unified look that balances the elements of good design: line, mass, form, texture, and color. 
• Never hold back when it comes to plant selection; go for the WOW factor. 
• Don’t be afraid to express yourself through your designs.

When Josh isn’t out caring for our parks, playgrounds and athletic fields, you can find him in his backyard gardening, or with his two daughters either at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, or at Amatucci Playground in Hyde Park.