AWD 3302: Project Files

Project 2

Student id: w28

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City Center Park Redesign

  • JPP Egineering and Urban Planning
  • September 1st 2016
  • Attention to: To: Members of the Board of Trustees and residents of the city of Kirkland, Washington

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Background
  • Purpose
  • Action Plan
  • Feasibility
  • Conclusion

abstract

The city of Kirkland has published a local request for proposals regarding community improvements at 111 Waverly Way. Currently the empty lot sits partially revamped and partially baren and overgrown with brambles. Our proposal is to completely update the existing park with modern features and sustainable structures. This space holds immense potential to bring added value to the community and meet the needs of a growing and diversifying neighborhood. This project proposal is broken down into four distinct phases so as to allow for flexibility in developement as funds and resources become available to the city.

Background

Located at 111 Waverly Way in Kirkland, City Center Park currently serves as the city's second largest communal gathering space within city limits. The large plot of land has become overgrown with weeds and blackberry bushes. As the site of the former junior high school which burned down in 1987, this land was left in disrepair for over a year before members of the local neighborhoods banned together to bring purpose back to the land. Over the years since the fire, different features have been added progressively. Starting with the creation of the winding path up to a senic lookout point over Lake Washington and then building[i.n.] a small play ground out of local recycled materials. The potential of this space is obvious to those who live around it.

Purpose

In the summer of 2017, the city of Kirkland hopes to begin construction on the vacant lot turned community park in hopes of realizing its value to the community and the organizations within it. When completed this project will bring greatly added value to the city and to its residence in many forms[i.n.]. The proposed project includes a multi-purpose turf sports feild[i.n.] with a small grandstand seating area to serve as a practice and game space for local teams. It will include an ecofriendly play area[i.n.] by updating and reinforcing the existing structure made out of local recycled materials. The existing lookout point at the top of the park's hill will be enhanced with a sculptural totem pole designed and carved by local artists and craftsman. All of which will be surrounded by patches of community gardens for town residents to manage and attend to.

Goals:

- Preserve, protect, and improve parkland and recreational opportunities.

- Anticipate the needs of the changing community and structure programs and facilities accordingly.

- Enhance the city’s arts, cultural and historic assets.

- Enrich the lives of residents.

- And build a healthier community.

Approach

Our number one goal is to provide a safe and productive space that fully utilizes all of the benefits that this land has to offer. Our proposed design for City Center Park would maximize its usefulness to the community while maintaining minimal costs to the city and its residence. The phases of this project are broken up into four main catergories which can be constructed all at once or in progression depending on finances and disruption to the surrounding neighborhoods.[i.n.] The first, and most critical phase involves clearing the brambles that covers[i.n.] this already well graded plot of land and removing any remaining building debris and possible hazardous waste that may remain on the site. The second phase includes structurally fortifying and updating the existing recycled play structure and surrounding picnic spaces. This phase can be followed by either the addition of a new multipurpose terf[i.n.] feild and small grandstand area or improvement of the senic lookout ridge above with the addition of several plots for community gardens for local residence to use.

Feasibility

Over the past five years the city of Kirkland has set aside a small budget each year to be put towards city redevelopment and improvement projects. Although this fund will not cover the entire cost of the project, it along with a number of donations from members of the community and local companies will cover the relatively low costs of this project. Much of the groundwork for this park has already been laid over the past 20 to 30 years through the small neighborhood improvement projects that have taken place. The main cost for this improvement will be the leveling and placement of the sports field. Otherwise art fixtures and building materials will be made of primarily donated or local recycled materials.

Socially, this community space would add exponential value to the surrounding properties and to the lives of those living within and around the city of Kirkland.[i.n.] Removing any remaining structural debris from the old school and reintroducing local plant life back to the land would help to not only improve the local ecosystem and environment, it would help to stabilize the soft soils and loose gravel that makes up the existing ridge at the edge of the park.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we believe that this park would add invaluably to the community. Our design proposal provides an efficient and practical response to a number of the problems called upon by local residents to be added or fixed. This space would provide a space for youth sports leagues to practice, for local organizations to meet, for children to play and for neighbors to gather.

References

United States. National Park Service. "Learn and Explore (US National Park Service)." U.S. Department of the Interior, n.d. Web. 02 Aug. 2016.

"Online Parks Guide." City of Kirkland, Feb. 2014. Web. 02 Aug. 2016.

Peer review

For project 2, Sam did a proposal for City Center Park Redesign in Kirkland, Washington. The proposal goes over the history and current state of the park, as well as what kind of redesigns should take place and how this improvement of the park would benefit the community of Kirkland. Overall from what I read I thought that there was strong foundation to the proposal and I felt like a lot of the points being made came across well. Starting off with the background, I found that it was very rich in detail and that a lot what was found in the subject history and current state fit extremely well. Where I think the Background can improve is within transitioning from fact to fact where you could write stuff between the elements to help the audience digest the information better. I also feel that you can cut down the subject history. For Purpose was somewhat confused by the, "hopes to begin construction on the vacant lot turned community park in hopes of realizing its value to the community", I think you clarify or reorganize that part it should be fine. For the goals element I think that you can just head the section with "Goals:" instead of "The goals of redesigning...", I think that it would look more professional. And with your last goal you should start it with an action word so there is a consistency with the other goals. I thought that your scope was strong and to the point and also liked how you choose to present you goals and how they were brief yet effective. For feasibility I thought that ideas were strong and the flow was good. I felt that everything in that section made sense and fit well within that element. I thought that your use of language throughout this proposal made sense by using a more professional tone with your audience and also using some more techincal language, but not too much that you may confuse the audience. Overall I think that you have a very strong foundation for this project and just need finish up the other sections.

Instructor Note

This is an interesting project and seems perfect for the genre. There are a few moments where I had questions or pointed out minor changes above; be sure to pay attention to those. My other critique would be that there are times when the proposal seems vague or non-specific, when more specificity might improve the effectiveness of the document (e.g., in the economic section). The proposal may have benefitted from some additional research into similar sized cities investing in public parks--financial costs, benefits to the community, etc. Overall, though, this is nice work.