James Edgar Playground

Where a Boxing Legend Grew Up Playing

Boxing legend Rocky Marciano spent his childhood playing baseball and football right here. James Edgar Playground sits near Dover Street in Brockton's Campello neighborhood, and that piece of local history alone makes it worth knowing about.

A Community-Built Makeover

Even before its renovation, the park was well used for organized baseball and pickup basketball. A multi-year community effort - including a series of public meetings in 2012 - led to a major renovation completed in 2014. It was funded by a $400,000 state grant through the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities program, $157,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant money, and a $10,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation earmarked for a skate park.

Courts, a Skate Park and a Splash Pad

The redesign added and upgraded a whole range of facilities: two volleyball courts, a tennis court, a basketball court, a splash pad and a skate park. It also brought practical improvements, including a bathroom, storage, and better drainage for the baseball field.

For younger kids, the playground has climbing structures with tubes and crawl-through elements - plenty to burn off some energy.