Knock Down the Ivory Walls!
How has Northeastern University transformed Carter Playground into a park that looks like it belongs to the institution rather than to the public? If I, a Northeastern student, do not feel like someone who can use the park, how could a non-Northeastern member feel welcomed?
Through extensive, detailed research and class discussion, I learned about Placemaking and the history of Carter Playground, a public park that is owned by Boston but now managed by Northeastern. Carter Playground was previously a community field that acted as a mecca for Black sports and a node for the Black community in Roxbury. With Northeastern’s growing development around the park and its recent renovation of the park, Carter Playground today is a beautifully maintained bubble. Only permitted activities, i.e. Northeastern sports practices, club sports, and local youth sports activities are allowed. The park is surrounded by walls and fences. Even as a Northeastern student, Carter Playground felt exclusive and inaccessible. This project dissects its history compared to two nearby parks and proposes a way for Carter Playground to be reclaimed by the public.
Critical Placemaking with Nick Brown, Fall 2021
In 1982, Northeastern’s African American Institute held Community Day at Carter Playground. Below are archived photos from that event. Students had a barbecue, played baseball, and listened to music as a way to relax and enjoy themselves. This influenced my final proposal to remove the physical barriers around the park so that all people can come into the park and feel welcomed.
