The Playgrounds Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. Among several great projects, we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought Coachman Park deserved to be showcased online.

Located on 20 acres connecting downtown Clearwater to the waterfront, Imagine Clearwater is a redevelopment of Coachman Park, creating an expansive gathering space for the community. Anchored by an all-new covered amphitheater, the park also offers placemaking fountains and a family-friendly splashpad.

As a way to draw visitors into the park, a series of seven basins cascade down the main plaza's stairs, utilizing weir overflows to carry the water more than 130 feet to the lowest basin. The fountains can be illuminated at night with color changing lights, as the water drops 15 vertical feet from one end to the other.

 
Also at the park is an interactive water feature incorporating nearly 70 spraying nozzles and 4 tall vertical play elements that rain down water. This new oval space covers 1,500 square feet across a zero-depth deck. The nozzles are fitted with color-changing lights that can also be programmed.

Belgard Commercial's porcelain pavers by Mirage are used in the interactive fountain. The water jets cut through the porcelain and water flows freely through the porcelain joints, allowing the park to recapture the water. The Mirage Quarziti in the color Waterfall is an interpretation of stone that incorporates a gently shading effect to recreate the authentic diversity of natural elements. Benefits of this product include:
• Structured top textures create non-slip surfaces
• A variety of modular shapes offer ultimate design flexibility
• Incredibly high breakage loads, up to 3,000 pounds
• High density and ultra-low absorption rates creates a tight texture surface and fends off surface mold, moss, dirty and other types of stains
• Modular for fast installation
• Unaffected by alkalis, acids, chemical agents, salt and other de-icing materials
• Can be pressure-washed with a low-pressure device*

* It is important that all pressure washing of your porcelain pavers be done with a low-pressure washer with a maximum of 1600 psi and nothing more powerful. When pressure washing your installation, care should be taken to prevent damage to the grout (adhesive and grout installations) and some re-sanding will be necessary when power washing an installation with sand or polymeric sand joints.
See LASN's full-length feature on other aspects of Coachman Park in the March 2024 Parks Issue.

To see more Playgrounds projects, go to https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/lasns-playgrounds-issue-34717#article1
To have your project featured in LASN or on LandscapeArchitect.com please email editorial@landscapearchitect.com
For more information about submitting a project, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/research/editorial/editorial-submissions.php