Friends of Chimborazo Playground and members of the community met informally with the Department of Parks & Recreation and BAM Architects on July 31 to review Chimborazo Playground design revisions. The design features a main vista looking through the park from 29th Street to 31st. Ten community garden plots would line the northern alley; a sidewalk would line the southern perimeter of the park. The tall fences currently surrounding the park would be replaced with berms, lower walls and other landscape features to make the area less “penal looking.”
The group also began discussions about how the project could be broken into phases and developing a major fundraising plan.
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13 responses so far ↓
I like the circular theme running through the design. The circular areas create little “rooms” within the park, places where people can meet or rest (at the meeting, BAM noted that there will benches in these areas).
We should remember to keep the playground handicapped accessible — in the design, it looks like there are steps from southern sidewalk leading to playground. Maybe these could be replaced with ramps.
Apologies for the confusion - the ‘brown rectangles’ in the schematic plan along the southern edge of the playground are intended to be small bridges over the ‘dry creek bed’ and would be accessible from both sides.
[…] Friends of Chimborazo Playground has posted an updated design proposal for the playground: The design features a main vista looking through the park from 29th Street to 31st. Ten […]
I love it! Coming from a retired skater- the skate park is going to be huge. Another great project from BAM.
It looks beautiful — I love the variety of textures and zones, etc. I’ve wanted there to be a pool back there forever — is there no way for that to happen or is there just no general interest?
Thank you for doing this!
I’m so glad Ali mentioned the pool - I forgot all about it until she mentioned it! The neighborhood kids deserve a pool to replace the one lost a few years back. I can’t remember if Isabel or Gaston did something to cause irreperable amage to the pool.
Someone must know about the plans for a new pool or problems (other than funding) which prevented putting a pool in the plans for the park.
I remember there was some press coverage about the loss of the pool and what it would mean for the neighborhood kids that summer. Surely a replacement pool would it would have been included in the Park design if it was possible!?!
We’ve got 3 pools still open in the East End:
Fairmount Pool
2000 U Street
Woodville Pool
2305 Fairfield Avenue
Powhatan Pool
5051 Northhampton Street
As I remember, the Chimbo pool had been closed before Gaston and I thought it was due to structural issues.
Some type of “water feature” has been proposed in the new design. The idea is that it would be incorporated into the kids’ play area so that kids (of all ages :) can cool off. Of course, this all depends on how much money we can raise (the city funds for this project covers approximately only 25% of what’s needed for the whole renovation–the designs are pretty ambitious. The rest will have to be raised through grants and fundraising.).
I’m happy to see the park get a face lift. Three things I would like to be considered for inclusion. First, I agree with others, I’d love to see the return of the pool. Secondly, I can’t see by the plans if there is a fence planned for around the park. Before Gaston and the reconstruction of the fence there now, there was a gate on the south side by the tennis courts. When the new fence was constructed the gate was not replaced. For safety sake I’d like to see that gate returned. As more and more dog walkers use that walk to go to the new dog park there is no accommodation to step our of the way to avoid an agressive dog. Also it’s a long and isolated path. Should you need to get away from someone, now the only route is over the wall.
And lastly, I would love to see a tennis practice backboard added to the plans. That would allow use of the courts by one player rather than wait for a partner. Thanks and nice job!
Yes, I love Marilyn’s idea of the tennis backboard - that would be so nice. I’ve wondered about the pool myself - it’s good to know that other pools exist and that a water-play area is in the proposed plan. I don’t want to see the tennis courts moved from their current location and would be interested to see/hear alternate plans and others’ opinions. I am sure it will all work out - the concept is wonderful.
With regards to fencing:
In general, the approach has been to minimize the amount of fencing as one of the current shortcomings of the playground is the layer upon layer chain link. As noted, there are too few gates and penetrations in the fence which creates numerous unsafe dead-end areas.
We envision a minimum of fencing around the amenities - and where needed, the minimum height that can be achieved given the need to control toddlers, tennis balls, etc. The scary overgrown path along the southern edge would be brought into the playground proper by relocating the fencing to other side of the sidewalk - similar to that atop the new retaining wall. This affords numerous access points into the playground area from this walkway and doesn’t leave one stranded between 10 feet of fence and ravine.
With regards to the tennis courts:
The plans have been revised slightly to make one of the proposed ballcatchers behind the court a suitable tennis practice wall.
With regards to the pool:
The working program for the redesign does not include a new swimming pool. One part of the children’s area is envisioned as a ‘waterplay’ zone similar to the one at Lewis Ginter.
We look forward to hearing from everybody at the upcoming meetings.
It look really beautiful, but wouldn’t a soccer pitch instead one of the tennis courts be wonderful. then our free soccer clinics in Libby Hill park could move to a real field
Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard on this! The neighborhood is in your debt. My two cents are that a level grass playing area - for soccer, softball, etc — should come before a second tennis court. I love tennis, but one court is enough. This will save money.
On another note, I hope that the plans do not call for removal of the tulip poplars. These are great trees that provide an area that is consistently cool during the summer. They do need pruning to clear out dead branches, etc. Pruning v. removal will save money.
I recollect that that city had to lower the berms around the park behind the Main Library. The bad sight lines encouraged vagrancy, etc.
Thanks again to everyone involved and for soliciting people’s suggestions and reactions.