Buttonwood Park is the “crown jewel” of New Bedford’s parks. It’s the largest and most visited public park in the city. It’s also a historical treasure, designed by the famed architectural firm of Frederick Law Olmsted — the father of American landscape architecture.
Walk the paths. Romp around the playground and in the new basketball courts. Play with your dog on the Great Lawn. Relax and reflect as you rest on one of the benches, or simply enjoy the trees, flowers, and wildlife. And don’t forget to visit the animals at Buttonwood Park Zoo!
Buttonwood on the Move
We’re working to improve recreational facilities & encourage exercise in the park.
Basketball Courts
As our first Buttonwood on the Move project, we chose to restore the park’s basketball courts. These heavily used basketball courts had not been updated in 30 years. We raised more than $90,000 and built three new clean, safe basketball courts, which opened in 2014...[read more]
Nature Trail
Our next big Buttonwood on the Move project is to create a nature trail through 18 acres of woods that lie north of the pond. This area has been overgrown and neglected for years. We are presently having an engineering study performed by RDLA, Inc. of Boston for the Buttonwood Brook Trail, the first phase of the project...[read more]
Tennis Courts
Down the road, we have our eyes set on restoring the tennis courts. Tennis players used to flock to Buttonwood Park, but these courts haven’t been maintained properly. They need our help so a new generation can safely play tennis in the park.
Upcoming Events
Annual Meeting
Thursday, May 30, 6-7:30 PM
Buttonwood Library
Monthly Board Meeting
Thursday, Sept. 26, 6 :00 PM, Buttonwood Park Senior Center Annex
Visit our Facebook page for all our upcoming events.