As 2025 comes to a close, a new chapter for Billings Field will open in 2026. The field is located between LaGrange and Bellevue Streets, one block from Centre Street in West Roxbury.

From Quinn Way, the Bellevue Street stairs, the Lagrange Street Entrance, or the YMCA parking lot, you can catch a glimpse of the splash pad, a new scoreboard, and the much-anticipated in-line hockey rink.

The Billings Field renovations began last year in late June. Construction vehicles tore down sports lights, bleachers, drinking fountains, baseball backstops, benches, parts of the retaining wall, and the concrete stairs. In addition, crews stripped topsoil and completed excavation and grading. Trees along Bellevue Street were cleared to make way for the accessibility ramp. Crews removed trees identified by the Boston Parks Tree Warden as dead, dying, or invasive. In September, construction began on the new pedestrian stairs and accessibility ramp off Bellevue Street.

Since October, many improvements have been completed, including a new ADA-accessible ramp off of Bellevue Street, a new staircase, a new street hockey rink, reconstruction of the retention wall along the wooded area, new asphalt along the retention wall, new pickleball courts, new scoreboards, and playground resurfacing with repairs.

Over the summer, the construction crew encountered minor challenges, including high groundwater in the playing fields. This problem has persisted over the past few months.

“High groundwater has continued to be an issue, particularly following heavy rain. This has primarily affected the movement of construction equipment across the site, but has not significantly impacted overall progress,” explained a Boston Parks and Recreation (BPR) spokesperson.

Last November, minor upgrades were completed at the playground, which is also known as the Lt. Edward Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy Tot Lot – former Parkway residents who died in the line of duty as firefighters in 2014.

“Improvements involved removing boulders and raised mounds from the site, eliminating a fence that divided the space to create a larger and more open play area, resurfacing the playground with bright new colors, and installing a new spinning play element,” the BPR spokesperson explained. The crew will install a new picnic table and perimeter fencing in the upcoming months.

“The project remains on schedule and there have been no major setbacks. Winter conditions were anticipated and built into the construction schedule, and our contractor has been well-prepared to manage seasonal challenges,” BPR stated. They do not plan on pausing the work at Billings Field over the winter unless there is heavy snow.

BPR originally anticipated finishing the Billings Field improvements by “late summer of 2026.” It is now expected to be completed by November of this year, with Billings Field fully reopening in spring 2027.

“We are on track for completion by November 2026, with the fields remaining closed until spring of 2027 for turf establishment,” said BPR.

The full improvement project includes a new stairway and accessible ramp from Bellevue Street, expanded walking paths and new tree plantings across the park, a small entry plaza, enhancements to the basketball and tennis/pickleball courts, a splash pad, playground improvements, upgraded athletic fields, scoreboards, and a new outdoor hockey rink. A perimeter path will connect all areas of the park, and a new memorial tree for Matthew Foley will be planted.

The street hockey rink, also known as an in-line rink, received strong community support during public meetings held over the past few years. Hockey is very popular in West Roxbury, with strong participation in the local youth league, Parkway Youth Hockey. The annual WR street hockey tournament, the Shamrock Shootout, attracts over 650 players every year.

Councilor Weber and State Rep. Bill MacGregor both vocalized their support for the project. Parkway Youth Hockey representatives Chris Boccuzzi, Brian Clougherty, Conal Barbuto, Chris Bishop and Richard Berger were also strong advocates for the Billings Field street hockey rink, citing the popularity of hockey in West Roxbury.

Project Manager Kevin Bogle can be reached at kevin.bogle@boston.gov. Learn more about the Billing Field Improvement project or sign up for updates at https://tinyurl.com/5n9658vm