Grand Opening of Ambrose Kennedy Park

On Saturday, June 22, 2018, volunteers, city leaders, and neighborhood residents gathered for the grand opening of Ambrose Kennedy Park in the Johnston Square community. The state-of-the-art park features ADA accessible walking trails, beautiful rain gardens to reduce storm water runoff, a swimming pool with bathrooms and changing areas, and an exciting splash pad for hot summer days. Parks like Ambrose Kennedy help make our communities livable, healthy, and connected—all important features of a safe city for all.

Volunteers have poured over 40,000 hours into this park. Even during the 20 years that Ambrose Kennedy Park was not in the city’s Recs & Parks budget, volunteers from The 6th Branch and ReBUILD Johnston Square spent weekends and evenings clearing overgrowth, repainting basketball courts, and ensuring that the park was a safe and inviting space for the neighborhood.

This grand opening would not have been possible without Regina Hammond, BUILD leader, who organized people and organized money to leverage key partnerships and a monumental $427,000 grant from the National Parks & Recreation Association, for use toward the restoration of Ambrose Kennedy Park. Future projects in Johnston Square include redevelopment of vacant homes around the park and nearby.

A huge thank you to those who have worked tirelessly to bring this dream to life!

Media Coverage

Baltimore Brew on the fight for the park

Baltimore Brew on initial steps toward a park

Baltimore Sun on National Parks & Recreation Association grant

Baltimore Brew on park groundbreaking

WMAR-2 on park grand opening

 

X