Facilities

Overview

Amory Playground is located contiguous to Hall's Pond Sanctuary and Amory Woods, within the Cottage Farm Local Historic District. The park's topography consists of a vegetated bowl with a flat center. It is bordered on two sides by Amory Woods and Hall's Pond Sanctuary. The parking area also serves Hall’s Pond Sanctuary. Park recreational facilities include 6 clay tennis courts, one baseball and one softball diamond, passive seating among mature oaks, and picnic tables beside Hall's Pond Sanctuary.

Park History

Most of this area was originally a large wetland known as Cedar Swamp. Over the years, the swamp became smaller as it was filled and drained. During the 1800s, the land was the property of David Sears, who divided and distributed it among his children. William and Charles Amory resided there until circa 1890, when they began to lease out the property. The hill was leveled, the trees cut down, and a portion of the property was taken for Amory Street. It also included a section of Hall's Pond.

In 1903, the town bought 8.2 acres from the Amory Land Trust to be used as a public playground with the option to erect a school on the property. In 2009, significant renovations to the park were completed, including field improvements, new irrigation, restored turf and drainage, new plantings, new pathways and seating, a new entryway off of Amory Street, and enhanced handicapped accessibility including universal access to the comfort station.

Deed / Title / Restrictions

The town purchased the property from trustees of the Amory Land Trust in 1903 for $62,363.34. The current deed states that the size 356,370 square feet is "more or less." The land is for use as a public playground, "which use however shall not prevent the erection thereon of school houses". Slope rights to Freeman and Essex Street are reserved to the grantor. The park is also within the Cottage Farm Local Historic District in addition to being listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.

Additional Information

• Category: Community Parks
• Size: 8.28 acres
• Protection: Article 97, NR, SR, LHD
• Manager: Brookline DPW, Parks and Open Space Division
• Location: Amory Street
• Precinct: 1
• Inventory Date: October 12, 2004, revised February 1, 2010 and August 15, 2018
• Vicinity: Located near Beacon Street and bordered by Hall's Pond Sanctuary, Amory Woods, single-family houses, and condominium building