Project Description
McAllister Park is an existing park within the City of Thornton, Colorado. The park currently has an existing play equipment, a half basketball court, softball field, and an extensive open native area. RICK was brought in to redesign the park, adding a soccer field for the local soccer league to use. The scope of the project involved having RICK take it across conceptual plan, community engagement, final CDs, construction bidding, and construction observation. As part of the design process, multiple concepts for the were evaluated to find the best use for the site. An existing cellular equipment site located toward the center of the site made fitting the large soccer field a challenge.
RICK’s Landscape Architecture team partnered with the City of Thornton to evaluate the site conditions and options for the park’s uses. Throughout the process, the design and park amenities evolved to where the soccer field was eliminated and a splash pad, stage area, play equipment, play field, and pedestrian circulation have been included instead, with the existing softball field to remain. Once the design is decided, RICK will create construction documents based on the approved site layout. Our team will also will help with the construction bidding process and then construction observation (CA/CO).
Through maintaining flexibility and evaluating many alternatives for the layout and amenities of the site, it was determined that the original intent of the soccer field was not the best use of the site. The adjacent community expressed desires to keep the existing softball field, and with the existing cell tower equipment location, the site does not lend itself to the type of soccer field the City intended for this location. RICK helped the client to evaluate the best use for the site with the existing conditions and incorporated the community needs and desires for this part of town simultaneously. The park is now expanded to be more usable and it includes added amenities, including gardens, a splash pad, plaza, and multi-use turf area.