Located on the northeastern edge of Castle Rock, Colorado, Cobblestone Ranch Park originated as a 12-acre parcel selected by the town council for development as a park based on community feedback and following the town's guidelines for minimizing water use in new projects. Castle Rock allocated $5.6 million to develop the park as part of Phase 1 in a larger master plan for the 168-acre open space area.

Neighborhood Partnership
An open house in August 2019 marked the beginning of the master planning process, during which Castle Rock's park planning staff and Denver-based Landscape Architects at Norris Design presented opportunities, constraints, and potential design elements to residents. This collaboration was an essential reflection of the project's goals to ensure that the master plan incorporated current resident's needs, input, and interests.

At the hands-on discussion with around 120 residents, two design concepts were presented to help attendees brainstorm potential ideas. An online survey was also available to gather additional feedback. Norris Design integrated these responses, along with the open house feedback and Castle Rock's staff input, to develop the design for the entire parcel.

Master Plan Considerations
The overall objective was to integrate the park into the community and the existing network of trails that surround the area, set in the beautiful Cherry Creek locale. Castle Rock staff and residents identified the importance of linking the community to the Colorado Front Range Trail, allowing for regional pedestrian connections to and through the park and beautiful terrain of Castle Rock.

From a regional perspective, the 168-acre parcel is somewhat isolated within a natural area. Tucked into a steep slope on its western side, the site abuts the existing Cobblestone Ranch Community and retains amazing 180-degree, unimpeded views of Cherry Creek to the east. The site also provides access to the Cherry Creek Trail and includes connections to the McMurdo Trail, Bayou Gulch Open Space, Hidden Mesa Open Space, and beyond.

 

In addition to regional connectivity, the project also aimed to address stakeholder desires for the Phase 1 park. Goals for the project included options for sports courts and turf fields, areas for passive and active use, accessibility to all park components, and minimizing water use with a native-inspired plant palette while telling the story of the natural ecology of the site and its surrounding area.

Inclusive Design and Optionality
The Landscape Architects sought to create play spaces and opportunities for all ages and interests. The 'big idea' incorporates unique elements that reflect native flora and the area's rich heritage, enhancing the sense of place and sustainability of the park, as well as the identity of the overall Castle Rock Parks and open space system. Nestled within the park's traditional play space are custom structures and play areas designed for 2-5-year-olds, 5-12-year-olds, and people of all age groups. These play zones are delineated from other areas through hierarchical walkways and enhanced by water-wise native plantings.

Coupled with perennial playground favorites like swings and slides, more adventurous equipment components were chosen to highlight the active recreation that many Coloradans seek. The Berliner structures in the 5-12-year-old play area are predominantly cable and rope environments, allowing children to climb peak-like structures, investigate a tree-top fort, and challenge themselves while crossing the expansive play area. The rope features also provide high visibility across the primary play area and beyond the site, maintaining the aesthetics of the surrounding landscape that includes a riparian corridor. The 2-5-year-old play area offers similar activities - albeit within a more traditional structure - and provides smaller children with the same opportunities for exploration and physical challenges.

Beyond the layout of the play features, the color schemes at Cobblestone Ranch Park were chosen to complement the blue sky that is common - thanks to Colorado's claimed "300 days of sunshine" - by providing pops of color reminiscent of local plant species. The purposeful color choices also help separate areas of the park through green or orange furnishings, encouraging a sense of distinct zones. These color zones are a nod to the future, as they are intended to be carried throughout the master plan, contributing to wayfinding through color while maintaining cohesion through consistent furnishing models.

Alongside the structured playgrounds, Cobblestone Ranch Park also features a bike park that offers a variety of features requiring different skill levels. Textured paving sections and a somewhat flat course provide less experienced riders with the opportunity to interact with other riders and gain introductory experience in navigating the flow of a bike course. For more experienced riders, a series of bike ramps and uniquely colored poles for weaving through provide greater challenges in a visible-yet-approachable setting. The park also offers other sports facilities, with a half-court for basketball and a six-court pickleball complex.

The inclusion of outdoor access and a variety of opportunities for a wide range of users was the direct result of vested community input and Castle Rock's desires and goals. The Landscape Architects helped bring these visions to life through intentional design decisions based on an understanding of the local community and environment.

Ecological Sensitivity and Storytelling
While functionality and play opportunities were foremost on the list of design objectives, the design team also recognized the town's aspiration to integrate Cobblestone Ranch Park into its native surroundings, creating a foundation for the area's future. With a native-heavy plant palette and a deep understanding of Castle Rock's water sensitivity, the Landscape Architects created a park with a vibrant-yet-responsible landscape that exposes users to a less traditional plant palette and organization - relying on naturalistic plant layout, targeted irrigation practices, and proximity of plant material to user areas.

Instead of high-water-use turf bounding all the park's pedestrian-accessible regions, the park's turf allocation was reserved for a formal lawn. Meanwhile, throughout the active areas of the park, native seed and planted landscape beds blend seamlessly along the edges. Though the playgrounds are located within proximity to the traditional sod lawn, they are enclosed with tall shrubs and trees that will mature to provide screening.

More subtle nods to the area's ecology are present throughout the park, such as paving etched with patterns of local tree species and an entry plaza highlighting the Peachleaf Willow (Salix amygdaloides), one of the few native prairie tree species found along the adjacent Cherry Creek trail system. Benches at the entry plaza also highlight local plant and animal species. Even the hopscotch court - featuring the form of a native sunflower - reflects the regional ecosystem.

Reflecting and Looking Forward
Guided by the local environment, water responsibility, and planting for seasonal interest, Norris Design and the town of Castle Rock created a modern, ecologically sensitive park experience with educational elements that allow opportunities to educate residents and visitors. Phase 1 of Cobblestone Ranch Park was completed in 2023, and the town celebrated with a grand opening ceremony featuring carnival games, acrobatics, live music, food trucks, a 5K run, and a pickleball tournament.

The park has become an essential asset to the Cobblestone Ranch community and Castle Rock as a whole, providing a much-needed recreation opportunity for residents and visitors alike, all while being ensconced in ecologically sensitive surroundings. Cobblestone Ranch Park is the central catalyst for future park and open space improvements on the rest of the 168-acre site.