Boom Pop Parks is a community-driven park design and placemaking project that transformed two vacant lots in East Palo Alto's Woodland Park Communities into vibrant public spaces. Working alongside MidPen Housing and local residents, LMNOP led an extensive community engagement process to understand how the neighborhood wanted to gather, play, exercise, and connect. The result was a pair of flexible pop-up parks that demonstrated the long-term potential for permanent community infrastructure while delivering immediate benefits for families.

Designed as cost-effective prototypes for future park investment, the parks combine play areas, walking and biking loops, fitness spaces, shaded seating, and flexible gathering areas that encourage healthy activity and social connection. Partnerships with local organizations brought ongoing programming—including fitness classes, gardening workshops, and community events—helping the parks become active neighborhood destinations. By pairing landscape architecture, community engagement, and resourceful design, the project created welcoming public spaces that foster belonging, support community health, and build lasting pride of place.