Ives Park Update – Feb 23

Your neighbors in the civic association working group for the new park space at 20th and Ives streets have been hard at work! The following is the latest update from the Februrary 23rd meeting. A complete history is available on the Ives Park Working Group Page.

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Please share your thoughts on this design using the feedback survey before Monday, March 9.

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February 23rd Ives Park working group planning update

Design

Acknowledging that there are some differences in opinion, a basic design was agreed upon by the majority of the working group. One of the aspects of this design which appealed to many in the group was the ability to have a wide open area in the center while creating separate usage “rooms”, i.e. the semi-circular areas created with plantings. These individual areas would provide opportunity for different activities to take place simultaneously, such as throwing a frisbee in the open space, or simply sitting and reading near the pollinator garden. The added plantings not only beautify the space, but also act as a buffer from the street, making it a bit more difficult for kids to run into the street. The large trees surround the park, providing shade for the sidewalks, and the kid and seating areas, while the center is left with fewer trees to allow the sun in and open skies for play and viewing opportunities. 

The design is shown in 3 phases; Phase 1 will occur within the next few months, Phase 2 within the next year, Phase 3 possibilities for the future.

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The selected design respects the scope of the park, as described in the county staff report: “The approximately ¼-acre new park could be used to provide the kind of casual use space residents in the area have been asking for – a park that is open and available for a range of casual uses such as having a picnic, throwing a Frisbee, laying out on a blanket, reading or having small social gatherings.”

Nothing is certain because we may not have the funding to add things, we may not have the volunteers to install or maintain things and so on. For example with the pollinator/bird friendly/wildlife plantings, we will need experts in the neighborhood to help flesh out what plantings work best, how it will be funded, implemented and maintained. The same goes for any other elements like a path, trees, and so on. For things such as the bamboo, we will need to figure out best options and we may need to try to different things. This will definitely be an iterative process. We anticipate having further details shared with the Civic Association/community along the way for further feedback.

 

Additional discussion about elements in the space:

Mosaic: The idea was presented for a small “patio” area created by mosaic stepping stones. These would be made by neighborhood children, and would create an interactive, fun, and colorful, area.  There would also be the possibility of using additional stones to make a path through the bamboo.

Boulders: Boulders, placed near the mosaic patio, would add another interactive element to the park, giving children something to climb on.

Seating: Previously, it was suggested that some form of mobile seating would be purchased for the park. At Virginia Highlands Park, the community had plastic Adirondack chairs which worked well. Unfortunately, these simply did not last and broke. They were not stolen. We would not suggest the plastic Adirondack chairs types but instead IKEA type for durability. It would also be possible to use gently used or donated garden/outdoor chairs. One of the working group members has also kindly offered to donate a granite bench to the project.

Fence: There were suggestions to remove all the fence, as well as to keep all the fence for safety. How much fence remains is up to the county.

Dogs: “No dogs allowed” signage was suggested; though dogs are not allowed on playgrounds or sports fields, they are allowed in all Arlington parks. There are concerns about owners not cleaning up dog waste; a baggie station was added to the design of the park as an element to assist with keeping the park clean.

Funding: GoFundMe, bake sales and community yard sales were suggested as possible sources of funding for the park.

Water/birdbath: The addition of a small basin for wildlife to access water, especially in our hot summers, was proposed. Concerns for mosquitoes were voiced; the addition of a small solar fountain for $15 to move the water and thwart mosquitoes was proposed. It would be preferable to add a water basin when a water source can be identified, eg spigot.

Lighting: There is no electricity in the park and that would have to be something that the County would need to assess and install. If some solar path lights are desired, that could be accomplished possibly by the neighborhood.

Path : A path is included in the design for the future only as an optional/possible need. Natural toe paths (grass erosion) may start forming from regular usage to determine where a path may be placed.

 

There has also been discussion about what the park will not have:

Capital bike share, scooter docks, bike rack, car parking spaces: Typically pocket parks do not have these kinds of amenities since they are supposed to be walkable, not a destination for those from further away who would need transportation in order to reach it. Bike shares, racks and scooter docks could be assessed in the future. Concerns that it take up too much space and pavement or become a dumping ground for scooters, that it’s inappropriate for the type of park. The county would likely not allow for the installation.

Playground, tennis/basketball courts, recreational fields, bathroom: these are amenities found at larger parks, which have a different scope than do smaller pocket parks.

 

And finally, VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME! As soon as we gain access to the property, we will be looking for help with installing and maintaining the various elements. Please let us know if you would like to contribute to our new park, either with your time or with donations of plants, materials, or funding. Please email us at info@aurorahighlands.org

 

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Please share your thoughts on this design using the feedback survey before Monday, March 9.

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