“Pocket Park”
Proper Noun
“A newly coined term that applies to tucked away, fun-sized patches of greenery that are perfect for days when the Central Parks of this world appear daunting in their expansiveness.”
September is a transitional month in more ways than one: we get into the grind of classes (some of us for the first time), we readjust to living on our own and trying not to spend all of our money, and we try not to get carried away by the hormone-laden atmosphere of a college campus. The world around us mirrors our state of flux, as summer slowly fades away to fall: vibrant greens, pinks, and reds give way to somber browns, yellows, and oranges.
Naturally, Boston’s temperamental weather is at its bipolar best.
In these uncertain times, days of frigid rain are succeeded by scorching sunshine that contains in it the last vestiges of summer. So take advantage of the heat and convene with nature. Naturally!
Many pocket parks can be found nestled in the neighborhoods directly off of the Brookline side of Comm Ave. And it’s important to use them in the way the Parks and Rec. department of Brookline intended, while the good weather lasts.
The Unofficial Directory of local Pocket Parks and Green Patches around Commonwealth Ave:
- Amory Playground and Hall Pond Sanctuary (A): This park is taken up by a sports field, complete with a baseball diamond, and a couple of tennis courts. Slip through the fence off on one end of it, though, and you find yourself in a sanctuary that is reminiscent of a nature trail. Complete with wooden walkways and a deck that looks out onto picturesque Hall Pond, it’s a secluded spot in an unexpected place. And the sounds of the playground are completely blocked out by the birds.
- Mason Square (B): A small, rectangular park that is home to a grove of Red Oaks in Brookline. It’s in the center of a quiet residential neighborhood and is the perfect spot for an afternoon nap.
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Freeman Park | Photo by Vijayta Narang Knyvet Park (C): A good reading spot that is dotted with willows and flowering trees. It has plenty of benches and is beautifully laid out.
- Freeman Square (D) and Dwight Square (E): Two triangular patches of greenery that are located within blocks of each other on Babcock Street. They’re good places to eat a quick lunch and watch the cars go by since they mark the middle of an intersection.
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Minot rose garden | Photo by Vijayta Narang Winthrop Square (F): A children’s playground attached to a soccer field. This park is perfect for almost any purpose as it also has plenty of space to spread out and relax. The Minot rose garden at one end of the park is a pretty spot during the summer months when the flowers bloom, and is complete with a trellis.
- Lawton Playground (G): If you’re still into playgrounds, Lawton Park has a pretty intense cargo net. It’s a nice, leafy spot to relax, as well.
When the BU Beach gets a little too “sardines in a can,” these pocket parks are great alternatives in which one can study, sunbathe, or just loll around in the grass. The best part: the concrete jungle of Comm. Ave, though close by, is completely out of sight.
