In a recent development, Mayor Michelle Wu has appointed Luis Perez Demorizi as the first-ever Executive Director of Franklin Park. With over ten years of experience in various facets of park administration, including landscape architecture and community leadership, Perez Demorizi is set to manage the historic park, located at Boston's geographic center, beginning September 15.
Central to his role is the implementation of the Franklin Park Action Plan, which was crafted through four years of community feedback and seeks to enhance the ecological health and overall experience within Boston's largest park. Mayor Wu expressed her enthusiasm about the appointment, saying on the City of Boston, "I am thrilled to welcome Luis Perez Demorizi to this important role stewarding the ecology and experience at Franklin Park, our treasured, largest park in Boston," and praised his extensive background in the field. Following Mayor Wu's remarks, she commended Demorizi's solid background, which brings together expertise in operations, planning, architecture, and, importantly, his capacity for community leadership.
The Franklin Park Coalition and local residents have closely cooperated with the city to establish a strategic vision for the park's future. The new director will synchronize all management efforts with the city priorities, fulfilling the ambitions laid out in the Franklin Park Action Plan which aims to preserve landscape cohesion, facilitate desired activities, and maintain accessibility. Rickie Thompson, president of the Franklin Park Coalition, told the City of Boston, "We are thrilled to welcome Luis Perez Demorizi to Franklin Park. The coalition advocated for this role to be included in the Action Plan and are grateful to Mayor Wu for fulfilling this recommendation."
Before taking on the role as park's head, Perez Demorizi was the Director of Parks and Open Space for Newton, where he was instrumental in expanding access to recreation and enhancing environmental conservation and infrastructure; crucially, he also honed in on improved stormwater management which is increasingly paramount in urban park maintenance, given our changing climate and the need for sustainable urban planning. His efforts in Newton have reinforced his position as an advocate for parks, a dedication that will now serve Boston's Franklin Park, which is not only a hub for leisure and sports but also a historic landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1890s.
In addition to ongoing investments, such as upgrading the Shattuck Tennis Courts and renovations to White Stadium, Boston's support for the park under Mayor Wu's leadership marks the highest level of engagement and funding in more than fifty years. Perez Demorizi's past roles include positions with CDM Smith and Klopfer Martin Design Group in Boston, and his alma mater, Boston Architectural College, recognized him with an award for his achievements in landscape architecture in 2023. As Franklin Park moves into its next chapter of development and preservation, the city stands ready to witness how its largest green space transforms under this inaugural leadership.
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