A $3.45 million renovation project focused on the upper area of Ronan Park commenced on July 22 with what will be a transformation of the playground, basketball courts, and gathering areas with one of the best views in Boston.
Kezia Ofiesh, project manager for the city’s Boston’s Parks and Recreation Department, said the project has begun with the installation of fencing, erosion controls, and some demolition already underway.
Park entrances at Mt. Ida, Marie, and Percival streets have been closed to the public.
Construction fences went up on July 22 and heavy equipment has started demolition at Ronan Park as a one-year, $3.45 million renovation project commenced on the upper portion of the park. Seth Daniel photo
By Tuesday morning (July 28), the old playground had been cleared and prep work was underway on other areas. The lower level of the park, including the baseball field, dog park, walking path, and open fields are still open to the public and there are no current plans to renovate those areas.
“There will be two new play areas, one for ages 2-5 and one for ages 5-12, on the terrace,” Ofiesh said. “It will be a brand new playground and there will also be a new, much larger water play area with a lot more shade trees planted. We also have planned a tricycle and walking path loop around those features.”
The overlook area from the top of the park that features large shade trees and sweeping views of Dorchester Bay will also get an upgrade. The new scene will have swinging benches and one fixed bench, and game tables and picnic areas will be added. An “events lawn” will include a new flat surface where people can hold gatherings and classes.
A rendering of the new layout of Ronan Park’s upper terrace. The renovation is expected to be completed by next June.
“Our thought is that will be a great place for people to do the yoga classes that already happen there or a place where picnics can happen,” Ofiesh said.
In all, 17 trees will be planted and all but 3 of the existing trees will be preserved on the upper terrace.
A much-anticipated change will be new basketball courts built out over two large stormwater chambers that will improve drainage in the overall park area, and bring better safety to the courts.
While Ronan’s courts had been underutilized for several years, a lively summer program featuring a range of partners, including Beantown Slam, returned two years ago. However, the courts remained in tough shape from lack of use.
That will change with new asphalt courts laid out and resurfaced with a green and yellow color scheme. The two full courts and two half-courts will also have four team benches to sit on and a new mural by Artists for Humanity that will complement the color scheme.
The proposed color scheme for the brand new basketball courts.
Ofiesh said a key challenge in the design was to make pathways accessible, particularly with the steep grade that exists at Ronan Park. The new paths will be ADA accessible, and in areas where the grade couldn’t be adjusted, they added handrails and resting spots.
“Getting pathways accessible was a challenge, but we made it work,” she noted.
Design on the park began in late 2024, and cost $350,000. Meetings about the renovations took place throughout 2025, and construction is expected to be complete by next June. Some of the funding for the park came through a state grant, and the Friends of the Public Garden also provided a grant for some of the benches.
