The preferred concept plan was developed based on feedback from the community including desirable park uses, location of various elements, circulation, access, and overall character.
The following pages illustrate the design character for elements within Walker Branch Park that best reflect the desires and feedback from the community.
Update and improve the playground area with new equipment within the existing tree grove to create unique play experience and shade opportunities.
Diverse activities: include play features such as swings, slides, climbing elements, and spinners. Add inclusive play elements for children of different abilities and age.
Native plants: surround the playground with native plants and wildflower fields to provide educational opportunities to park visitors.
Create a central gathering space with a large shade structure and stage area for community gatherings next to the open lawn. The large multi-use lawn can be used for sports and acts as an amphitheater for community programming and events. Outside of community events and youth soccer programming, the multi-use lawn can also accommodate other informal play.
Shade structure: provide a dual-facing shade structure that offers visibility through the park.
Art Installation: collaborate with 40 West ArtLine to integrate more art near entry at 17th Avenue and Harlan to act as gateway into the park.
Swale: expand and integrate swale into the central gathering space as a natural amenity. Embed interactive elements such as crossing to provide engagement opportunities with the swale.
The master plan concept proposes an outdoor reading grove and gathering space for picnicking and casual gathering near Civic Center. This space could be used by the library and for other civic needs. A flexible open lawn area provides space for picnicking and informal gatherings.
Flexible lawn space: maintain a flexible open lawn area providing space for picnicking and informal gatherings.
Lighting: consider adding string lights in the reading grove area to provide welcoming ambience and to address safety concerns at night.
Flexible Seating: provide variety of seating and gathering opportunities beneath the grove.
Enclosure: Provide more than one entry into the dog park if possible. Dog park should be fenced with a fence height of 4’ to 6’ tall. Include vestibule before entering into the main dog park area.
Dog Bag Dispenser: locate dispensers at entrances and throughout the park.
Seating elements: provide seating opportunities under shade structure and shade trees.
Water supply: locate water supply for people and dogs near entry, outside the dog park.
Surface: use dog friendly surfaces such as rounded pea gravel or artificial turf.
Shade Structure: add small shade structure to make the park more comfortable. Shade structure should be in the 10’ x 10’ or 12’ x 12’ range.
Timbers & Boulders: use natural elements such as timbers, logs, and boulders to provide a variety of play opportunities. Encourage activities such as climbing, stepping, jumping, and exploring. Align features along the path to activate the pathways.
Iconic Climbing Feature: include climbing element that is age inclusive and has enough height to be visible in the surrounding paths.
Memorial for Walker & Branch: relocate Walker-Branch Memorial stone to the pollinator garden, while incorporating additional interpretive elements to recognize the park’s namesake and promote safety awareness around drainageways during large storm events.
Educational signage: provide educational signage for park users to learn more about pollinator gardens.
Field sports: design lawn area to accommodate a small soccer field or similar type field to ensure flexibility on how it’s being used.
Amphitheater: incorporate a sloped lawn area as amphitheater for events.
Outdoor events: design the multi-use lawn to host large outdoor community events, such as outdoor movies or concerts. Evaluate the need for power and locations in concept design by use.
Stormwater Planters: include stormwater planters to soften the parking lot character, so it feels more welcoming and pedestrian friendly, and improves stormwater quality before water enters into detention and Sloan’s Lake Drainageway.
Surface material: use surface materials other than asphalt, such as permeable pavers, to signify the parking lot as a flexible plaza for people to gather and host civic events.
Controlled Access: add bollards to control access into the parking lot. Keep parking lot open to City of Edgewater employees during the day to discourage public parking.