Off Washington Street in Norwood, surrounding the Norwood Middle School is a combination of recreational and conservation lands known as the Hawes Pool and Endean Park. This park has several facilities, including a town pool, a playground, tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields, and many interconnecting paths through the woods.

At least part of the land once belonged to the Bird family, who were owners of a paper-making company just over the border in Walpole. Over the years, much of the land has been developed, including a middle school and adjoining athletic fields. Near the present pool are two circular ponds naturally fed by Hawes Brook nearby. These two ponds were the original swimming places.

Hawes Brook along with adjoining wetlands and marshy areas comprises much of the undeveloped land that also includes upland forest and open areas. The brook is a significant stream that flows under the nearby MBTA commuter rail tracks and winds through the park then passes under Washington Street on its way to merging with the Neponset River.