Center Circle Project

The center circle as it appears now

In the 1996 renovation of Ringgold Park, two tot lots were installed as well as a half basketball court. Funding for a fountain in the center circle was not available and it was left as a grassy green space. Instead of providing a focal point of aesthetic appeal, the center circle has deteriorated into a barren, dusty eyesore, dominating views of the park from all sides. Improving this area of the park has been the Friends’ first priority since our incorporation in 2004.

Community Input

In the fall of 2005, after a number of brainstorming sessions and conversations with park users and abutters, the Friends presented new ideas for the Center Circle at a community picnic in the park. We displayed poster boards complete with the pros and cons of each design listed. The community reviewed four different proposals: the space filled with irrigated turf or Astroturf, a specimen tree surrounded by bench seating and a combination of hardscape and planting beds, a Victorian fountain surrounded by planting beds, and an interactive spray/mist fountain set entirely in hardscape. The community present at the time submitted their votes ranking each option in order of preference. The Victorian fountain surrounded by planting beds was the distinct choice.

Copley Wolff Design Group’s before and after images for Ringgold Park’s center circle

A generous Design Development Grant from The Edward Ingersoll Brown Fund allowed us to hire the Copley Wolff Design Group (CWDG), a premiere Boston landscape architecture firm. CWDG’s expertise in facilitating community-based design was vital in developing our vision for an improved park.

In 2009, the Friends and CWDG held three community design meetings. These gatherings were well attended by many abutters, neighbors, and park users. Many citizens spoke eloquently about their visions of what the ideal fountain in Ringgold Park would look like and how it would be experienced. The City of Boston Parks Department has worked closely with us to ensure that the design met requirements for maintenance and water usage. The resulting design is a beautiful and coherent expression of those visions.

Copley Wolff Design Group’s sketch of the Ringgold fountain design

The broad community support the design enjoys is hardly surprising given the sense of ownership the design process gave to the participants. When built, the fountain will delight people passing on the street and will beckon them to come closer and enjoy its sights and sounds while they rest on a nearby bench. Children can joyfully interact with the fountain without getting soaked. In the evenings, the bubbling froth of the upper fountain will be lit and visible from neighboring windows and roof decks surrounding the park. The graceful form of the fountain is in the Victorian vernacular of the neighborhood without being staid or severe. When the water is turned off in the winter, it will still be an appropriate and attractive centerpiece of the park; indeed, its bowl-shaped top will be the perfect place for seasonal decorations.

Project Funding

Last year, the Edward Ingersoll Brown Fund awarded the FORP a $75,000 grant toward the fountain construction. Their commitment generously includes maintenance of the fountain into the future. This fiscal year the City of Boston allocated $40,000 to develop construction-level design documents for the fountain. Together with the Department of Parks and Recreation and working again with Copley Wolff Design Group, we held a series of community meetings in the spring of 2010 to discuss the fountain design in detail. We learned recently that the Mayor has included $225,000 for capital improvements at Ringgold Park in his proposed budget for 2010–11. The end result of years of grassroots, community-based design is finally within our grasp. The Friends are mounting a fundraising campaign in the fall of 2010 to secure the necessary additional funds to bring the neighborhood the Center Circle they truly deserve. The beautification of Ringgold Park is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact on the neighborhood and the city Boston as a whole. Please help us achieve our community vision with a donation now.

The layout chosen by the community for the center circle redesign.