Brookline Avenue Playground

Project Description

Brookline Avenue Playground is a four-acre park located in North Brookline at the corner of Aspinwall Avenue and Brookline Avenue. The playground was last renovated in 1994 and is in need of total replacement. The park is relatively flat and comprised of a large athletic field, ballfield, a fenced-in playground and lawn area near the Lynch Center, and is part of the green dog program.

The public design review process for landscape improvements to Brookline Avenue Playground was completed and the design was approved by the Department of Parks and Recreation in the fall of 2015. The emphasis of this project is to construct an inclusive playground. A playground that is accessible to children and caregivers no matter their age or ability. A truly inclusive and embracing play experience addresses the developmental needs of the whole child by intentionally providing opportunities for physical, cognitive, communicative, social/emotional, and sensory development.

This playground will be fully accessible via concrete walks, plazas and specialized safety surfacing. The equipment has ramps or at grade entry and provides multiple levels of and opportunities for play. There are sensory, auditory, physical, imaginative and environmental elements for group or solitary play as self-selected by the child. Each play area has been designed through the lens of inclusion.

The project also provides an opportunity to rest, topdress and overseed the athletic field, build a new infield, and refurbish the backstop. We are making modest drainage improvements, as feasible, new picnic areas and entry gateways into the park.

Project Updates

May 2018

Spring has brought the near completion of the renovations at the Park. The Contractor has been working steadily to install the final play piece and safety surfacing is now complete. Final adjustments to the playground are being made, final grading and seeding has been done and the irrigation and water play have been tested. June will likely bring the opening of the playground spaces, while lawn and field areas will remain closed until there is proper root growth and density of grass. The Town is committed to ensure that this project is completed in a way that is successful and sustainable. The opening date will be forthcoming.

October 2017

The Contractor has been working steadily through the summer. If you've passed the site, you have seen that most of the play equipment has been installed, the new park entries are almost complete and the field is lush with new green grass. The Contractor is scheduled to have all concrete completed by the beginning of November. All areas of new construction will continue to be fenced-off and the park closed until spring, in order to allow the lawns to get established and for the final play equipment and safety surfacing to be installed. The Town intends to have a grand opening for the entire playground and field for the community in the late spring/early summer 2018.

September 2017

The Contractor has been working steadily all summer and has made solid progress on both the playground and athletic field portions of the project. Their work is very professional and they continue to meet our specifications/requirements for quality craftsmanship. If you have visited the site recently you will see much of the equipment installed already, along with boulders for the water play area and some of the seating. Trees have arrived on site and will be planted over the next few days. In the upcoming weeks, we are expecting the concrete work to be completed, portions of the playground safety surfacing, chain link fence and the ornamental gates. We are very excited about the overall play equipment, seating areas and enlarged play space.

May 2017

The Brookline Avenue Playground construction is under way. The contractor Green Acres Landscape & Construction Co. Inc. is on site and working on the park renovations which will include the following work over the next several months:

Installing temporary chain link fencing and gates, erosion controls and tree protection
Removing of existing pavement and surfacing, site furniture and play equipment
New water play, drinking fountains and plumbing
Grading and drainage improvements
Modifying the existing irrigation system
Colored and stamped cement concrete walk paving
Landscape boulders and garden stone paths
Poured in place rubber play surfacing and concrete curbing
New playground equipment, site furniture, lawns and planting

The park is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2017. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact Kathleen Fasser at 617-264-6490 or email Kathleen Fasser

Brookline Avenue Playground