Open Space Acquisitions by Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain

Location: 3131 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain

Acquisition Type: Community Preservation Act Funded

Size: 0.12 acres 

The Egleston Square Peace Garden was founded in 1998 by high school students who transformed the vacant lot into a memorial for young people who had lost their lives to violence. For 20 years, neighbors, business owners, and community members maintained the space and utilized the peace garden for community gatherings including concerts, cookouts, and cleanups. The parcel was previously owned by Clear Channel Outdoor, who had a permitted billboard since 1980 and leased the space below to the Ecumenical Social Action Committee (ESAC Boston) for free until 2018. 

When the Clear Channel lease expired in 2018, Friends of Egleston Square Peace Garden, Egleston Square Main Streets, business owners, and community members advocated for a lease renewal until the property was fenced and placed for sale in December 2021. From 2021-2022, advocates continued to organize and worked alongside the City’s Environment, Energy, and Open Space Cabinet to pursue public ownership of the parcel. 

In 2023, Mayor Michelle Wu announced in her State of the City Address that the City of Boston would acquire the land to steward and care for the park as an official City park. In 2024, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department officially purchased the lot for $300,000 supported by Community Preservation Act funds.