Doyle Park Project
After decades of neglect, the former Doyle Playground in Hyde Park is finally getting a facelift!
Doyle Playground, now referred to as Doyle Park, runs along the Neponset River in Hyde Park.
Having fallen into disrepair over the past few decades, the space that was once a community playground had become overgrown and unwelcoming, with many nearby residents unaware of its history.
New Park Design in the Works: Project Timeline
2017 | Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation (SWBCDC), the Solomon Foundation, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), POWHER (People of Hyde Park Wanting Equal Representation), East River Street Neighborhood Association, and NepRWA began working together on a plan to transform Doyle Playground into a new park, now known as Doyle Park. |
2018 | MassDCR committed to funding the park’s design and development after strong community advocacy. They hired Offshoots, Inc. to finalize plans that include trees, benches, a stage, a riverfront path, native plants, and stormwater filtration features. |
2021 | A “Doyle Park Celebration Day” was organized for local community members to celebrate the park with music, food, yard games, and more. |
Feb. 2022 | Key neighborhood stakeholders were presented with the new draft plan. |
April 2022 | Offshoots presented the most updated plans to the public for feedback. |
Jan. 2023 | NepRWA and key stakeholders met with DCR to further discuss the natural playspace elements of the park design. |
May 2023 | NepRWA and community partners hosted Doyle Park Day to celebrate the upcoming revitalization and share near-final park designs with the public. |
Sept. 2024 | DCR completed the permitting for the project and expected construction to begin in late 2024 or early 2025. |
Throughout the redesign process, several cleanups and mural painting projects were conducted to make Doyle Park more inviting to the public.
Doyle Park’s Natural Elevated Structure
In accordance with community vision, renowned Boston sculptor Mitch Ryerson has designed a nature-based elevated climbing structure for Doyle Park in Hyde Park.
The sculpture will be the focal point of the park once DCR completes construction of the park re-design at the end of 2026. Ryerson will use non-toxic, rot-resistant cambia timbers that will be stained and treated.
The design of the prominent structure (approximately 17 feet high and 40 feet long) is still being finalized and will likely feature three platforms connected by two bridges, and will include entry points with transfer platforms for accessibility.
In addition to the sculpture, the new Doyle Park design includes open lawn, the addition of native trees and plants, benches, picnic tables, a chess table, a stage, a river overlook, and a trail from Doyle downstream to the Shops at Riverwood.
The Hyde Park Neponset River Access Committee members (HPNRAC) are advocating for that trail to extend upstream, creating a River Walk from Doyle to West Street, unlocking five acres of public land.
This extension would be a major milestone in achieving the Neponset Greenway vision, where improved access along the River in the form of trails, parks, and River overlooks, is established with input from DCR and local communities.
The HPNRAC is a coalition working to make the Neponset River and surrounding green space safer and more accessible to Hyde Park residents.
Membership includes:
- East River Neighborhood Association
- Hyde Park Central River Neighborhood Association
- Neponset River Watershed Association
- Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation
- City Life/Vida Urbana
With support from the Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Foundation
The Committee builds community resilience, works together on crafting nature-based solutions, and gathers to reimagine a public waterfront where all can rest, play, gather, and heal in community.
West Street Connection
In the spring of 2024, NepRWA had a long stretch of chain link fencing and posts removed from where West Street “dead-ends” by the edge of the Neponset River.
The fencing was put up decades ago to prevent car dumping and debris in the river. Combined with overgrowth, it ran along the entire length of the public “Railroad Avenue” and the east end of the West Street Urban Wild.
Removing the barrier is a key step in improving river access for Hyde Park residents, showing that the space is not a dumping ground, and supporting efforts to extend the Hyde Park Riverwalk.
Future plans envision extending the trail from the West Street Urban Wild to Walter Street, offering easy access from Fairmount Station on the MBTA’s Indigo Line.
