On the outermost reaches of Cape Cod, the site of a former fish packing business-turned-parking lot in Provincetown, Massachusetts, has been transformed into a popular new public park. Cannery Wharf Park is a thoughtfully designed public space that takes advantage of its prime location on the waterfront to provide a much-needed accessible connection between Commercial Street, the town’s main drag and the beach on the harbor. The park design integrated a variety of public input to create a space that welcomes both residents and visitors alike.

Provincetown has long been a beacon of acceptance, having evolved from a bustling yet remote fishing village into an internationally celebrated LGBTQ+ destination. The park honors the past, serves the present, and invites all to experience the healing, joy, and unity that Provincetown so beautifully represents.

The project’s success was achieved through an extensive public engagement process that collected feedback from hundreds of voices spanning generations of deeply invested neighbors and community members. This collaborative effort coalesced into a unified design that respected community values. The park’s proponents then navigated a complex permitting process – tackled head-on through careful listening and strategic compromise. Provincetown’s residents, particularly its LGBTQ+ community, conservationists, and growing retiree population, had strong opinions about the site’s future. From concerns over public restroom facilities to the importance of maintaining public waterfront access, the public’s voice shaped every inch of Cannery Wharf Park. The park’s design was informed by a significant collaborative public process that included multiple public meetings, office hours in the park, and Saturday “open houses” where folks could come vote for their favorite design ideas and offer open and honest feedback to the design team.

The life of Provincetown is inextricably linked to the water, and the park provides new visual and physical connections to the harbor which were key requests from residents during the public process. The park’s design maintains the panoramic views of the harbor while also providing trees along the edges for shaded seating and screening. Additionally, the local community expressed a desire for a park with the flexibility to serve a variety of functions, from passive recreation to small public events like concerts or film screenings.

To ensure that the community’s interests were represented in the design, the town convened a working group of residents who provided feedback on the overall design and the historic interpretation elements. The design team collaborated with the working group monthly throughout the design process and reviewed concept iterations and material selections as the project evolved.

Among the new park’s most captivating features is a transparent viewing panel that overlays an image of the historic wharf against the current view of the harbor. It also includes a map of the former wharf etched into the ground beneath the viewer’s feet. As the visitor steps into the park with the view ahead of beautiful Provincetown Harbor, they are also greeted by the words of poet Mary Oliver engraved in the granite threshold: “Every day my early morning walk along the water grants me a second waking.”

A timeline that marks important events, from the original indigenous habitation all the way up to the park opening in 2025, has been inscribed along the curved retaining wall that guides you down to the water. Perhaps the most popular elements though are two swinging benches that hang under a pergola at the corner of the lawn. One visitor was even overheard saying that a time limit should be set so that more people could enjoy them. Cannery Wharf Park is a compelling example of what can be achieved when thoughtful federal investment meets visionary local planning. Provincetown taxpayers approved $1.8 million to fund the design and construction of the park, and the US Department of the Interior’s Land and Water Conservation Fund provided a reimbursable grant in the amount of $750,000. As this federal funding stream faces uncertainty, this park is a great example of how important federal and local partnerships are to Parks and Recreation.

Published in Parks & Recreation December 2025.