Dorchaester Park • Dorchester, Massachusetts

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The 33.4 acre park, originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers, had become negected by the neighborhood, drug-infested, glass-blanketed, and dangerous. The strategy of its restoration was derived from the strategies used by its originally designers: 1) using the rich vocabulary of topographic and vegetation communities to determine the spaces and experiential character of the design; 2) enhancing those characteristics through topographic manipulation; and 3) enhancing those characteristics through careful editing of planting and introducing additional plantings. Security was addressed in part by rehabilitating functions that the community wanted, particularly active recreation. In addition, the community garden was expanded and its services upgraded. Security was also addressed by introducing a road through the park that allows greater but limited vehicular access to park-goers to active recreation areas. The road allows police offers to drive through the park.

Copyright Kathy Poole 2000 all rights reserved, subject to all fair use regulations, not to be reproduced or used without expressed written permission.