Case Study: Kerouac Park
In a city with little park space, the park provided an incredible opportunity for investment that would make it a destination for residents and visitors.
Spots nearby were bustling many days of the year, especially during major festivals and events. However, Kerouac Park was often empty. In a city with little park space, the park provided an incredible opportunity for investment that would make it a destination for residents and visitors to relax, play, mingle, laugh, gather, and celebrate Lowell.
The improvements bring key new amenities like a customized stage, incubator space, concrete games such as table tennis, chess and checkers, bag toss, new café tables and chairs, and more that make Kerouac Park a downtown destination. Through partnerships with area businesses and local organizations, the park has also been activated through community-driven programming, encouraging visitors to frequent the space and continue to visit during scheduled activities and beyond, discovering a new, vibrant public space to enjoy in the heart of downtown.
“Sometimes we need change, turning something old into something new, giving it a new spark of life and some much needed energy. With the changes, Kerouac Park has that spark and is now a special place in Lowell for adults, kids, and families to enjoy.” - Antonio DeJesus DaSilva Jr., Owner, MillCity Clothing Co.
Project Details
- Project: Kerouac Park
- Project Type: Public Art, Events, Gardens and Greenspaces
- Project Location: Lowell, Massachusetts
- Crowdfunding Raise: $29,692
- Crowdgranting Match: $25,000
- Patrons: 133
- Total Project Estimate: $54,692
About Commonwealth Places
Commonwealth Places, a collaborative initiative from MassDevelopment and Patronicity, was a crowdgranting challenge program to activate new or distressed public places and community spaces. The program was open to municipalities and nonprofits to improve low- and moderate-income communities in Massachusetts.
