WETLANDEDGEREDMAPLESWAMP

Woodedslopeblocksviewsofwater

HOT

Assets

• The large open space and approximately 35 parking spots has the capacity to host popular events like the Kids Road Races and Tower Fest.

• People can park here and get right onto the walking trail that skirts the south edge of Waldo Lake or head north to the causeway.

Challenges

• The irregular shape of the lot may not offer the most efficient parking layout.

• The lawn island in the middle of the lot is sunny and exposed making it a hot place to gather.

• Three picnic tables offer limited seating.

• While there may have historically been views from this lot to the water, a wooded slope currently blocks sightlines.

WATER

Parking With a Playground Parking With a Picnic Area

KEY FEATURES

All persons trail loops around the south end of Waldo Lake and connects to the playground and parking lot at an accessible grade

Picnic areas near parking lot face play area

Benches with sightlines to play area

Natural play area featuring mini-tower

Forest education rest stop offers benches and signs with information about forest wildlife

Shrubs and swales separate play and picnic zone from parking lot

Bioswale treats runoff from road and parking lot

Low-mow zone creates meadow and pollinator habitat

PARKING: 21 Parking spots (10’x18’)

PROS

• Natural play area using materials from the park offers family-centered experience

• Shady picnic tables provided with sightlines to play area

• Bioswale treats stormwater from road and parking lot

• Woods walk offers educational opportunities

CONS

• Less parking than existing lot provides

• No large gathering spaces for events

KEY FEATURES

Waterfront picnic area opens up the existing trail to waterfront views and a place to rest

All persons trail connects the Waldo Lake Loop to the parking lot and a new trail to the south

Lawn with a large platform at the bottom of the slope provides flexible gathering space for events

Picnic grove offers shady picnic experience

Trail head at the end of the parking lot provides entry to the Waldo Lake Loop.

Separate bike lane on the right side of the road; separate pedestrian lane on the left side.

Speed tables slow traffic before the parking lot entrance

PARKING: 31 parking spots (9’x18’ with 3 accessible stalls)

PROS

• Larger lawn for gathering enhances event space

• Lawn and shaded picnic tables are separate from the parking area, offering improved environment to spend time in

• All persons trail system makes entry to the Waldo Lake Loop universally accessible

CONS

• Tree removal along the water for picnic area may impact shoreline health

REVISED DESIGN: TOWER HILL PARKING LOT

Families now have a place to play and picnic together at the top of Tower Hill. A natural playground utilizes materials commonly found throughout the park, and provides a child-sized replica of the park’s iconic tower for kids to enjoy year round. Shady gathering spaces welcome groups large and small, while bioretention areas and permable pavement help manage stormwater on site.

A reoriented, double-loaded lot with a 20’ wide driving aisle and permeable pavement in parking spots can now accommodate 25 vehicles. Delineated spaces create a clear and efficient parking pattern with two designated accessible spaces.

Pedestrians stay separate from car traffic by meandering along a sinuous boardwalk over a wide bioswale. The swale collects and treats runoff from the parkway and parking lot.

A speed table marks the start of the Tower Hill destination. Drivers are slowed before continuing on or turning into the parking lot, and bikes can more safely cross the road.

The parkway driving lane has been narrowed to 11’ for cars with a 5’ wide bike lane on the right. Pedestrians gain a 5’ wide path to the west of the existing roadway, and are separated from cars by a 4’ wide swale.

Visitors can sit on a bench or a reinforced turf lawn for a front row seat to the Kids Road Race finish line. Families now have access to one standard and one accessible portapotty located conveniently by the parking lot. There is now a partitioned storage shed for the Parks Association and Road Races located next to a new bike rack.

A new nature trail winds along the woods, offering a gradual and accessible path. A rest stop with interpretive signs educates wanderers about woodland ecosystems and bird identification.

Strengths

• Family oriented design provides play features which have been requested by many in the community

• Multiple green infrastructure elements help treat and infiltrate stormwater on site

• Impermeable surfaces are reduced overall

• Paths and gathering spaces are universally accessible

Potential Drawbacks

• Parking capacity is slightly reduced, though lots to the north and south may be able to accommodate cars as needed

• The meandering boardwalk feature prioritizes pedestrian safety and could incorporate information about stormwater management, but at a higher cost than a rectilinear design

G Children can now clamber over boulders, jump on logs, and climb a miniature tower any day of the year in a new natural play area. The materials match and celebrate the park’s original design and materials.

Park goers can enjoy a snack or host a birthday party in a shady picnic grove with wheelchair accessible tables.

The existing trail gets regraded, becoming a 5’ wide All-Persons Trail made with firm and stable materials, connecting with the new nature trail (F) and the pedestrian path through the parking lot swale (B).