LYNN — After two years in the making, the Frederick Douglass Park on the corner of Union and Exchange streets will officially open to the public during a dedication ceremony on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
The park was built by Minco Corporation, the developers of the North Harbor site, as an agreement was made when the state gave up the easement running through the site; ownership was turned over to the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) on Thursday.
State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) then pushed for a bill to officially name the park in honor of Frederick Douglass. The park also has a monument of young Douglass during his time in Lynn.
“We’ve had other Frederick Douglass monuments, but this one will recognize his time here and it is located a short walk from where he was historically thrown off a train for being African American,” Crighton said.
This space combines a variety of things, Crighton said, offering a new space for recreation in the heart of the Arts and Culture District, a performance stage for local artists and musicians and a strong historical component, with the park being adjacent to the Lynn Museum and paying tribute to Douglass.
“This will certainly be a gem downtown,” Crighton said. “It helps to activate that space.”
Executive Director of Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC/Lynn) James Cowdell said the park was paid for with private money from the developers, and the monument was paid for by the EDIC and the Department of Community Development.
“It’s a complete home run for the city,” Cowdell said. “It came out beautiful.”
Local and state officials will gather at the park for the dedication on Wednesday, where the monument, created by Nahant sculptor Reno ‘Ray’ Pisano, will be unveiled. Pisano, who is in his 90s and has created about five other monuments in the city, described the recent installation of his Douglass statue as a “hallelujah day.”
The dedication is open to the public. Though masks are not required outdoors, Mayor Thomas M. McGee and Crighton ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing, as there is a potential for a large gathering.
