city_hall

Official websites use .boston.gov

A .boston.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the City of Boston.

lock

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Last updated:

Parks and Recreation Commission

The Boston Park Commission was established in 1875 by legislative act to oversee the creation of the City's park system, beginning with the Emerald Necklace.

  • Serving on a commission

    Serving on a board or commission is one of the most impactful ways Bostonians can become active in their community. Read our guide if you are interested in applying.

About the commission

The Boston Parks Commission is responsible for oversight of land acquisition, enforcement of design regulations, naming of parks, and making of rules.

The authority of the Parks Commissions is set forth in:

The commission's responsibilities include:

Further, the commission reviews construction or alteration of all buildings and structures within 100 feet of a public park or parkway.  More information about applying for this review may be found here. 

Commission Info

Current members

Member Appointed Expires Status
David Queeley 1/25/2021 1/25/2025 Active
William Epperson 1/25/2021 1/25/2025 Active
Ryan Woods 7/22/2019 Active
Elisa Birdseye 2/4/2020 1/2/2024 Active
Mariama White-Hammond 7/2/2021 Active
Eugene Bolinger 9/22/2023 9/22/2025 Active
Back to top