The Landscape Architect’s Guide to

Malcom X Park

Your Guide

Kenya Thompson, ASLA

Malcolm X Park, also know as Washington Park, is one of Roxbury’s largest and most programmed recreational parks. The original 10-acre park, known as Honeysuckle Hill, was built in 1867.

In 1971, the park underwent major renovations and doubled in size due to urban renewal. Jerry Spencer acted as the landscape architect and worked with achitects Fay, Spofford and Thorndike. The initial park is preserved along Dale Street. Along this side of the park is a baseball field which faces the backside of the Shelburne Community Center.

Today, visitors mainly enter the park along Martin Luther King Boulevard, which offers direct access to a playground, tennis and basketball courts, and a swimming pool and ice skating arena.

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Recreational Opportunities Abound

The first impression of the park is the multitude of activities going on. Washington Park has a variety of recreational features such as sports courts, a play field, a swimming pool, a playground, an ice rink and a gymnasium inside the community center located on site.

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Tennis, Anyone?

The tennis courts are most active in the summer with lots of early morning lessons for adults and children and late afternoon games among friends.

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Natural Setting

Even though this park is quite active, it still provides visitors the immeasurable opportunities for relaxation. To find serenity, just follow a path through the forested area of the park. Here you will also find open spaces where people lay in the sun, read, and have picnics.

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Wealth of Trees

Other than lawn, the park’s plant material consists only of trees. There are a lot of maples and pines, and mixed in you’ll find lindens, dogwoods, and even a cherry tree.

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Relaxing

The park is welcoming from the perimeter and within. There is a good mix of people throughout the park. You’ll find many people with a friend or two, but many come just to sightsee.

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Basketball Courts

All of the sports courts are located along Martin Luther King Boulevard. They are well used year-round by local sport leagues and residents of the neighborhood.

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Favorite Tree

You will find London plane trees planted along Martin Luther King Boulevard. There is a forked tree near the basketball courts that children enjoy playing around in.

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Playground on a Hill

The playground sits at the top of a small terraced hill, located at the southeast corner of the park. Toward the front of the playground is a small splash area. During the summer months, children press a button to activate the water feature.

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Student Art

The tiles in the retaining wall around the playground were designed by students from the George Lewis Elementary school, which is adjacent to the park.

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Baseball Field

The baseball field is most active throughout the spring and summer - if you come by on a Sunday afternoon during the season you are guaranteed to see a game or two.

Image: Kenya Thompson