Perry Park

Perry Park a nice escape from busy Washington St., but DON’T get too comfortable and let your dogs off the leash, or they might run right into traffic.
This is actually a giant space, yet there’s not much to do here besides lounge around on the grass or maybe play fetch with a canine companion. (Before the renovation, there was a basketball court, tennis court, map of the United States, sand pit, etc.) The playground equipment is a little «alternative.»
Still, this park very well maintained and conveniently located. Definitely a great picnic spot!

A low frills small park perfect as a meeting spot, place to kill some time in the sun, or take your pooch for a little stroll. There’s a grassy knoll to lounge on, a fenced-​in playground and a water fountain (with a lower fountain for the pooch). You can often see yarn bombs in this park. Not much parking on the adjoining streets, but there are lots of side streets you might get lucky in. Stop at the nearby Biscuit café for a coffee and come relax over here.

Perry Park is one of those places that unites young people and old people, single people and families, new Somervillians and old Somervillians! My backyard looks out into Perry Park, which is a wonderful treat for me because dogs often come near the fence that separates us!!! And a good chunk of these dogs are just so darn cute. Perry Park is very small– it’s mostly just a green lawn space. But a wonderful green space it is! Dogs frolic, babies crawl in circles, young adults play lawn games, beautiful couples picnic, exercise enthusiasts do sit-​ups, thoughtful students read novels, children race each other, and people gather for fantastic conversation.
But it’s pretty small and the playground leaves some to be desired. Also, it doesn’t always look as nice as I just made it sound. It’s just a little park. And sometimes dogowners don’t pick up their dog’s poop, which makes lawn games slightly less fun (yes, I fall in the young adult category from above :)).
But all in all, Perry Park’s been good to me.
Hey last thing, for any of you history appreciaters out there– there used to be an elementary school where Perry Park is!

Glad Woofie and I found Perry Park!
Well, «found» seems kind of a misnomer since we’ve been living in the neighborhood for 6 years.
In any case, we’re regulars now since the green grassy area provides a nice spot for dogs to meet up and play (this park is explicitly NOT off-​leash, but if you go on weekends or after work, you’ll find regulars exercising their dogs ignoring the rule.) They have two poop-​bag dispensers, which is much appreciated since Woofie poops like nobody’s business at this park– I think there’s a certain smell of je né sais quoi from all the canine traffic.
And, yup, there’s a spot for kids to play. And a blue spinney thing adults can enjoy, too.

Perry is a beautifully designed park that features a nice strolling path, playground with odd spinning spheres, a large open field and a strange, potentially stomach-​churning spinning disc. Because of its layout, the field’s distance from the road, and plentiful supply of poop bags, it’s also a de facto dog park. Most evenings around 6 or so the place is filled with dogs and neighbors chatting. This is one of those places that makes the neighborhood very special.