Harambee Park receives $400,000 grant for new field, increased accessibility

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ryan Woods today announced that the Boston Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded a $400,000 Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The grant will provide additional funding for improvements of Harambee Park located at 930 Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan and Dorchester.

"Harambee Park is a well-loved community space for our Dorchester and Mattapan communities," said Mayor Walsh. "This grant will allow the City to invest even more in the park, increasing the accessibility and walkability of this neighborhood space."

The grant, which the Parks and Recreation Department applied to receive, will be used to enhance many elements of the 46-acre Harambee Park. This includes construction of new football facilities, an extension of the pedestrian pathway, increased lighting, and improvements to the park entrance. 

"Our Design and Construction staff is dedicated to pursuing federal, state, and local grants to help us maximize the City's capital investment in our parks," said Commissioner Woods. "These additional funds will help fund the third phase of our ongoing renovations at Harambee Park, and create a better park for all residents."

The future renovations to Harambee Park is an addition to other recent accomplishments of the Department. In October, Mayor Walsh joined Commissioner Woods to break ground on $5 million improvements to Garvey Playground in Dorchester. Earlier this year, the $1.7 million renovations of Parkman Playground in Jamaica Plain were completed.  Additionally, in June 2019, Martin's Park, opened in South Boston along the Smith Family Waterfront. Designs for all of these parks emphasized the City of Boston's goals to achieve climate resiliency and accessibility. 

Through Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) program, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs granted a total of $7,651,548 in  funding awarded for park and recreation improvements in 23 communities around Massachusetts. The grants are used to help municipalities develop new parks, renovate existing parks, and acquire 59 acres of land for park and outdoor recreation purposes.

The Parks and Recreation Department creates and maintains clean, green, safe, and accessible public parks and open space throughout Boston. The department is responsible for 217 parks, playgrounds and athletic fields, two golf courses, 65 squares, 17 fountains, 75 game courts, 16 historic and three active cemeteries, urban wilds, four High School Athletic Fields, and approximately 125,000 trees, all covering 2,346 acres, 1,000 of which comprise the historic Emerald Necklace. Parks and Recreation is also responsible for more than 35,000 street trees.