West Baltimore Community 2 N Fulton Splash Park

Franklin Square Community, in partnership with project partners, seeks to create a world-class park nestled at the intersection of Franklin Square, Fayette Street Outreach, Boyd Booth, affordable housing, and a community center. Community families have been advocating for a safe play space, and, in particular, a convenient and equitable place to enjoy the cooling power of water during the hot summer months, a place to relax with nature, recharge with play and socializing, cool off by the fountain, attend community events and benefit from programs.

Originally five buildings that were demolished, the space was enjoyed as a playground for over two decades before it was neglected and removed. Residents and families who frequented the park came together and set the goal to bring it back!

2 N Fulton’s location makes for a peaceful getaway from busy streets. It is conveniently located within a residential pocket that includes Bon Secours’ Family Apartments and Early Head Start Programs. Providing a healthy environment through usable green spaces that addresses community needs is a top priority of Franklin Square. We believe everyone deserves an inspiring park that fosters play, is a home to community gatherings, supports restoration, and is cherished.

Our goal is simple: working with strong community, design and healthcare partners, the vision for the park will emerge from a genuine user-centered design process. The process will amplify the voices of residents and result in an environment cast in their vision. In order to do this, we are seeking charitable support to ensure the park is built as planned! 

In the Spring of 2019 we kicked off the community-based design phase of the 2 N Fulton Splash Park project.  We formed a project Steering Committee, recruited and sustained the 2 N Fulton Park's Community Design Ambassadors, held five outreach and community-design events including two Park Jams in the currently vacant space, and developed final concept designs.  We worked with the public-interest design firm Hinge Collective. 

Our next steps are to continue fundraising for the project and work with the Steering Committe and Communtiy Design Ambassadros to create a final design based on all feedback and budget constraints. In this IOBY page's profile we have shared two concept design that will be merged to create one final design early this fall.  We are hopeful this IOBY campaign will help us secure the funds we need to ensure the central feature of the design, the water play and relaxation zone, gets implemented for the the community to enjoy as soon as possible!  

Create a community-designed park! 

Free access to water recreation in the summer.

Address rising tempratures and heat waves.

Safe places to play, relax, and restore in nature.

Safe palces to play for toddlers.

Recreational and community support for single family households with young children.

Restore vacant spaces to productive community uses and remove blight.