The Bear Dens Safety improvements is an active project.  Construction is anticipated to start in Spring 2025.  www.boston.gov/bear-dens

The Franklin Park Action Plan (FPAP) identified several culturally-significant, site-defining features in need of rehabilitation and reuse, including the ruins of the former Overlook Shelter. This area has the potential to function as a hallmark gathering and performance space for park programs, including the Elma Lewis Playhouse. Guided by the Franklin Park Action Plan’s recommendations, the design team shall explore design options that activate the space, preserve and restore (as appropriate) the significant masonry elements, and support public use with a focus on performances. 

The Franklin Park Action Plan, through analysis and community input, identified the need for improvements to Circuit Drive to address fast moving through-traffic, unsafe or unavailable pedestrian crossings, and an interrupted park experience.  Improvements to Circuit Drive will be an incremental process beginning with this phase of work.  Circuit Drive shall be evaluated holistically for this project.  It is an integral element of Olmsted’s design for the Country Park within Franklin Park. It has been modified to accommodate current day vehicular needs, but has not been commensurately maintained and improved to serve as a key park feature.  Circuit Drive is a park access road, a bikeway, a green infrastructure corridor, a part of the heavily-used Franklin Park walking loop, and has become a key cross-city connector for both personal vehicles and MBTA bus service. This project will focus on design for implementation of traffic calming measures while providing safe pedestrian crossings to reconnect the sides of Franklin Park across Circuit Drive.  As part of this work, traffic studies (vehicular and pedestrian) will be performed to determine the best methods for traffic calming and the best locations for adding and improving crossings.  These traffic studies will also be used to define work for Circuit Drive in future phases. Drainage work for this project will include full scoping of drains and lines surrounding Circuit Drive as well as designing drainage solutions to address current flooding issues in alignment with the recommendations of the Franklin Park Action Plan.

In response to community input during the Franklin Park Action Plan process, Boston Parks and Recreation Department is conducting this study to scope and locate dog facilities within Franklin Park.  Dog park facilities could include formal dog parks, off leash dog areas, site furnishings related to dog care such as dog bowls, dog bag dispensers, etc.