Community Landscape Lab

A Design with Equity in Mind

Harlem Park Elementary-Middle School Playground

KABOOM! designed and built playground equipment to reduce costs and offer low income areas with an equitable and pleasant park space
Image Source:https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/non-profit-tackles-inequities-by-building-playgrounds-in-low-income-neighborhoods

Location: 1401 W Lafayette Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217

Date Designed / Built: 2016

Client: Baltimore Public Schools and the Recreation and Parks Department

Designer: KABOOM!

Project Context

Harlem Park in Baltimore, MD has for over 150 years been home to West Baltimore's African American community. The playground for the elementary and middle school was the closest and most accessible park for people of this community, but it had been experiencing noticeable decline in the past years and was becoming unsafe for children. Parents wanted a playground for the children in the community that offered a safe play space to help with both physical health and mental health. This need has been made more apparent as of late as children return to social normalcy and overcome residual health and mental issues arisen during the pandemic. With the help of 225 volunteers, KABOOM! funding, and children's drawings and designs from a design event, the newly renovated Harlem Park Elementary-Middle School Playground was created.

Project Description

Harlem Park Elementary-Middle School Playground goers wanted a better, safer space for children to engage in physical activity that was not far from home. Parents that would get off work and want to be able to relax while watching their children play were unable to do so given the state of the existing play space. With the help of KABOOM! and funding grants such as the American Rescue Plan, Mayor Brandon Scott envisions this project starting a park renovation and rehabilitation movement for the city of Baltimore's disinvested and lower income communities.

Neighborhood in the 1960s
Image Source:https://baltimoreheritage.org/programs/harlem-park/

Playground area at beginning of construction
Image Source:https://www.wmar2news.com/news/region/baltimore-city/harlem-park-elementary-gets-new-playground

Further construction by KABOOM! and community members
Image Source:https://www.wmar2news.com/news/region/baltimore-city/harlem-park-elementary-gets-new-playground

Children in the neighborhood get to experience their new playground with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott
Image Source:https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/non-profit-tackles-inequities-by-building-playgrounds-in-low-income-neighborhoods

Project Significance and Impact

The project was able to successfully foster community engagement by including the children's drawings as design considerations, providing play and physical activity opportunities, and improving social conditions. A mother interviewed for the 'Baltimore news article offered her excitement and relief at feeling more at ease bringing her kids to the park after getting off a long, tiring day of work.

Lessons Learned

Equitable landscapes and play spaces can pave the way to further advances in community equity.
Involving community members in the design process can help form a sense of ownership, commitment, and pride for the project and what it becomes for the community.
There is a strong need for projects like this one. The city of Baltimore is already taking the changes enacted for this park in 2016 to heart. In 2022 the city assessed that 112 school and park playgrounds citywide were found to be in poor condition and in dire need of repair.

For more information:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/non-profit-tackles-inequities-by-building-playgrounds-in-low-income-neighborhoods

https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-harlem-park-playground-20171127-story.html

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