On September 30, 2025, Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa joined community members to celebrate the completed renovation of John Paul Jones Park in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
The restoration project included repaved paths and updated curbs throughout the park, new benches, and a new entrance at 101st Street. The park, consisting of paths and greenspace, also had lawn areas reseeded to enhance the greenery. The project cost $1.4 million and was completed within ten weeks.
The park is named after John Paul Jones, known as the “Father of the Navy” for his leadership during the American Revolution. The park includes several military monuments and a 20” bore Parrott cannon with cannonballs, which give the park its nickname of “Cannonball Park.” The park is located near Fort Hamilton and serves as the last stop on the annual Kings County Memorial Day Parade.
Parks Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa stated, “Thanks to this renovation, John Paul Jones Park has gotten a full facelift, with brand new benches, fully redone paths and plaza paving, and even a new entrance. These improvements make ‘Cannonball Park,’ as it’s known in the neighborhood, an even more inviting space for classic events like the Kings County Memorial Day Parade. Best of all, we were able to complete this project far ahead of schedule. Projects like this are great examples of how investing in our local parks can make our neighborhoods more beautiful and more welcoming, and we’re grateful to Councilmember Brannan for his generous support as we refurbished this beloved local space.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the Editor of CityLand and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)