PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS - Chelsea, MA

Box District Park

A new residential neighborhood is being created in the heart of Chelsea's former manufacturing area. One of the key components of the City's plan is this brand-new park on a significant corner. CBA's design combines a plaza area that draws visitors in, a water feature, stepped granite walls, a picnic area under a trellis, decorative brick and concrete paving, attractive fences, exciting play equipment, plantings, and open lawns to create a green respite with details and colors that reflect the industrial past.

John Ruiz Park

Inspired by Chelsea’s hometown boxing hero, John “ The Quietman” Ruiz, this lively park adds valuable open space to the City’s dense urban center. A pattern of intersecting circles divides the park into distinct but cohesive use areas, bordered by colorful plantings and dotted with shade trees. Entering the park, your eye is drawn to the colorful sculptural climber at the park’s center.  Additional features placed in the outlying circles include a splash pad, outdoor exercise equipment, and  plaza with tables and chairs.   The park’s final area is a green lawn, encircled by a looping brick pathway that leads past benches to an imaginative tribute to John Ruiz, with a life-size steel portrait standing in a representational “ring” and a bilingual informational panel detailing his career and accomplishments.