They’ve collected the community’s ideas. Now the design phase of the new Forest Hills Playground is under way. The space has the potential to incorporate features that appeal to a wider range of ages, and might include elements of water, music and art.
Working with DC Parks and Rec’s Play DC, Kent Whitehead, project director with the Trust for Public Land, has held a number of community meetings, including the charette session on May 5th. This was the final opportunity for community input until Kent and the design team present a schematic conceptual design at a date and location that’s still to be determined, but it will be within the next few weeks.
Community members made many suggestions (see below) for the different areas of the park about to undergo renovation: the playground, the path and landscaping, the shelter and the tennis courts.
Some themes emerged: A more challenging climbing structure for older children. A water element. Turning the tennis courts into a multipurpose play area. An art wall. Introducing sculpture to capture the talent of some of our local artists in play, shade and seating areas. More benches around the playground and tennis courts with a possible tiered seating area instead of the picnic shelter.
For adults, there were requests for a walking/running path around the perimeter of the area, exercise equipment, and a garden. Protecting the tree canopy and dealing with drainage and water runoff issues were important sustainability issues mentioned, as well.
Our playground is one of 32 playgrounds around the city that has gotten an infusion of $1 million of city funding for improvements. The designers have a lot of ideas to meld into a plan. As they are presently in design mode, here are few specific nudges to get them thinking outside the sandbox:
Art: Crochet playground of Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam, playground sculpture in Sweden
Music: Wooden xylophone hanging from a tree branch; Metal xylophone at Pierce’s Park in Baltimore
Shade: ShadeSystemsInc.com
Multi-purpose court: VersaCourt.com
Seating: Natural amphitheatre
Climbing: Mast nets
Adult Fitness: outdoor exercise equipment
Seen any interesting playgrounds in your travels of the world or the internet? Send it to [email protected].
Below are the minutes of the May 5th charette, provided by TPL:
In addition to the two tables set up in the [Capital Memorial Church] Fellowship Hall, the group decided to bring the presentation/information out into Forest Hills Park.
One table station was set up and located at the southeast corner of the gated tot-lot; near the swings. The table was equipped with a site plan, aerial map, pens/pencils and posted notes.
The ideas/comments are listed under each Park Program Element.
Ideas & Comments
a. Table 1 & 2 (Fellowship Hall)
■ Tot-Lot/Playground
● Add a artistic playhouse
● Add a rock climbing wall
● Add an overlook with table
● Add basketball hoop. There is no need for a full basketball court
● Add slide tunnel
● Add water structure
● Add higher monkey bars
● Add wooden tower
● Add running rack
● Add more swings
● Add balance beams
● Remove/replace wood chips
● Maintain integrity, feeling, naturalness of current park. Love the canopy of trees & natural materials
● Add climbing rope structure
● Add more swings
● Add water slide
● Add net climber
● Add more seating to watch kids
● Add kids water feature
■ General Park/Path Area
● All trash cans covered (Prevent trash overflow/bees)
● Compacting trash cans located away from area
● Add Bike racks
● Add Bikeshare station
● Add bathrooms
● Add signage at both entries
● Add kids tennis practice area
● Add practice wall
● Replace existing worn path with lighted promenade between Chesapeake & Brandywine
■ Landscape
● Keep all the trees
● Add garden
● Add rain garden
b. Table 3 (in the Park)
■ Tot-Lot/Playground
● Add a garage for toys
● Add multi-purpose surface area
● Keep swings and monkey bars
● Keep the truck in tot-lot
● Keep natural look
● Add zip line/flying fox
● Add climbing wall for all ages
● Add net climber
● Link the play park to the tennis court
● Add splash pad
● Add tire swings
● Do not add any equipment with metal finishes
● Keep sandbox
● Add more shade around sandbox
● Redesign swing area/basketball court.
● Keep swings but redesign so space is better utilized
● Add synthetic turf in play area
■ General Park/Path Area
● Add hitting wall in tennis court
● Add a place for the older generations.
● Fence the park and the path to the existing water fountain.
● Add a walking track around the tennis court with seating
● Renovate/replace existing pavilion with a more colorful/whimsical structure
● Relocate water fountain to north side or add one. Families with kids don’t venture down to the tennis court area.
● Add information board
● Add area/amphitheater for performances
● Add chess tables or oversize chess board for older kids
● Keep 40% of tree canopy
● Create an international theme
● Need better stormwater management
● Add more benches/bleachers
● Add dog run/dog park
● Add seating areas around existing trees
● Add terraced seating area
● Add art to park
● Utilize community partnership with church for restroom use
● Utilize artist community to inspire art/sculpture design
● Add umbrellas
● Add artwall
● Add handball backboard
■ Landscape
● Add community gardens for mature users
● Add rain garden
c. Mrs Taillie’s Kindergarten Class
■ Please don’t change…
1. sandbox
2. basketball
3. holes to climb through
4. swings
5. water fountain
6. picnic tables
7. the fire truck (clean the tube)
8. climbing shaky ladders
9. playhouse
10.seesaws
■ Have you thought about…?
1. high and low monkey bars
2. a flying fox
3. safer equipment (no wood)
4. bigger playground structure
5. flowers by the entrance
6. bigger, longer slide
7. bathroom
8. spinner
9. play fountain
10.rope course
11.pirate ship
12.rock climbing wall