Bradford Street Park, completed in 1999, provides this tight-knit South End community with a place for gatherings, solitude, and play. Sandwiched between two row houses, Bradford Street Park accommodates multiple uses and features in a compact area.

A decorative arched gateway welcomes residents and visitors to the Park. Just inside the gateway is the park's "living room," a simple brick square bounded by granite-topped sitting walls. In this gathering space, movable seating and tables complement permanent sitting walls to accommodate barbecues and neighborhood events. At the center of the space a concealed stand supports the neighborhood's traditional Christmas tree.

Behind the "living room" is an informal "backyard" designed for spontaneous use by individuals and small groups. A place for play or quiet retreat, it contains benches, a sandbox, and two fountains. A wall fountain provides a constant trickle of water, which flows from a cast lion's head into a basin and then cascades to the brick floor of the park, where it is gathered into a shallow rill. The other fountain is not visible until a wall-mounted pushbutton is pressed and a jet of water erupts from the floor, providing opportunities for running, splashing, and surprise for children.

Bradford Street Park was developed through a series of community workshops and the completed park has been welcomed warmly by the community. In 1999, it received an award for Urban Design from the Massachusetts Horticulture Society.