The Young Professional 1 - Arizona Parks and Recreation Association

she and her company were the right fit. Finding the right company to match our vision, made us feel ourproject could be a success.Chris developed a park plan that further cemented the concept from our ideas to practice. Considering theideas mentioned above, the plans included both natural and manufactured elements which would serve forall season play, a walkway, natural elevated stage, a sensory garden, swing set, an old oak climbing space, aplay burm with built in slides and a tunnel, a labyrinth, and a Star Wars type Jedi training course includingparallel bars, balance beam structure, and climbing wall. The plans also included open green space, shade,seating, and transitions from one space to another. In an effort to collaborate with the community throughart, two specific art projects were included in the design. The labyrinth, designed by local artist Monta Mayincluded community work days and shows the contribution of over one hundred neighbors, volunteers, andcommunity members who completed the 178 individual mosaic paver stones which represent the stunningMississippi river valley that Winona is nestled within. The second project, a balance beam structure withinthe ‘Jedi’ training course, was completed by local woodworking artist Jamie Schell, of Ulmus Americana.The community collaboration which created this public space, attracts people into the park. Expandingthe user group beyond the previous neighboring adolescents. Community and investment in the space wasbuild through the efforts of many citizens. Support from a local wood recycler, Bruce Reed, brought theproject wood chips, hours of bobcat time, inspiration, and gratitude. Winona State University providedfootball team members who along with individual volunteers laid 900 square yards of sod in a short 100minutes. The Cotter Cross Country team moved two truckloads (thirty yards) of mulch in mere minutes,neighbors watered trees, sod, and plants, the also dug the trench for the labyrinth, planted, and now thoseneighbors watch over the park and continue to make the space their own.The community who built this park will always be connected to it, and they will see the trees grow withthe children and families who use it. Although the work on this park project is completed, one of themain ideas to generate social capital will never really be done. This park will continue to grow with thecommunity; it is already being used as a research lab for University Recreation students studying placemaking and public spaces, which will affect lives beyond those we can see here today. This park, this placewill house programs, events, school recess, days and evenings of play, sledding and snowman building,swinging and sliding, all while enhancing community through people parks and programs along the way.Take a chance on increasing social capital by building a park, a place for the community to grow, forrelationships to thrive. Refuse to settle for cookie cutter design, the easiest, or what everyone else is doing.As we have all seen and read, it isn’t the destination it’s the journey, and to have a journey with a ‘place’ forenhancing community is worth signing on for the adventure.This article is contributed by:Lydia Boysen; Recreation Coordinator, City of WinonaJulie Fassbender, Recreation Program Director, City of WinonaChris Florin, Owner, Christine’s Landscape Design, LLC.Watch a video about the Winona East Recreation Centerat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh5pZ9kloGUPage 27 | The Young Professional