To the casual observer, the dedication of McEuen Park in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on May 24, 2014 might not seem all that important, even though more than 1,000 people were there to witness it.

But this case might be a little different, if nothing else, because of the sheer size of the park "?u 22.5 acres "?u and the magnitude of the amenities Bernardo|Wills, the lead landscape architecture firm, designed and built into the project.

New features at McEuen Park included the Front Avenue-4th Street Promenade, an amphitheater, a Grand Plaza, an interactive playground and splash pad, a Waterfront Promenade, a Veterans Memorial, tennis and basketball courts, and a Donor Wall. There is also a covered parking facility, public art displays, a dog park and scenic paved trails at McEuen Park. The landscape architects also incorporated a new irrigation system, site furnishings and an extensive array of plants, trees and other greenery into the site.

In the way of background, Mullen Field was home to a lumber mill, military housing during World War II and the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Other amenities included three tennis courts, a small children's play area, and a small paved surface for basketball.

McEuen Playfield was developed as a city park in the late 1950s. It had two softball fields and a baseball diamond used by the local American Legion, and other amenities. About four acres of the then 18.5-acre park were used for parking to serve Tubbs Hill, a large natural park south of and adjacent to McEuen Playfield. The parking lot also served downtown Coeur D'Alene and a public boat launch on the fringe of Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"Recommendations for significant changes to McEuen Park were first suggested in 1997 through a citywide economic enhancement strategy," said Dell Hatch, ASLA, of Bernardo|Wills, who headed the design team for the firm.

"Also in 1997, the city of Coeur d'Alene established an Urban Renewal Agency (URA) that stated the redevelopment of McEuen Field was one of its three top priorities," Hatch said.

In 1999, the city sponsored a Downtown Public Places Master Plan that focused on redevelopment options for McEuen. Another master plan followed in 2002, this one developed by a committee comprised of citizens and professionals.

In 2010, with funding assistance from the URA, the vision for the McEuen Park redevelopment project began to take shape. The city hired Bernardo|Wills, Welch Comer Engineers, and Miller Stauffer Architects to prepare yet another master plan and construction documents. Then the McEuen redevelopment program was implemented in 2012-2013.

A 21-person steering committee was formed and worked alongside the design team, and together they developed a dynamic master plan, one that would allow the park to evolve into a destination site.

The revamped park should have "compelling and memorable features that serve the greatest number of uses for the greatest number of people," part of the mission statement for McEuen Park said. Moreover, the layout and amenities should be attractive to people of all ages and abilities, stimulate the local economy, support regional events, and recognize the legacy of the former McEuen Field.

Bernardo|Wills Architects' role included development of the park master plan and facilitation of the public participation process. "It was lead design consultant for the park planning and landscape architecture efforts, design and construction documents for all landscape and planting plans, hardscape plans, irrigation and site amenities, bid phase services for multiple bid packages, and construction administration," Hatch said. "Site furnishings and other amenities were carefully chosen to accommodate the park's multiple uses and were strategically placed so there were unobstructed views of the magnificent natural surroundings."

A key to the success of the design was expanding the park by approximately three acres. This was accomplished by reclaiming the space previously dedicated to surface parking by the former McEuen Playfield.

To make up for the loss of this parking area, some 50,000 cubic yards of soil was excavated and four blocks of Front Avenue were reconstructed to create a "street deck." Underneath this deck were created enough parking spaces for 220 vehicles and 20 boat trailers.

Doing this also allowed the Front Avenue-4th Street Promenade to be built at street level. This Promenade features public art, lighting, seating areas and green roofs. At the same time, traditional sidewalk widths and public activity space were expanded up to 26 feet.

The Front Avenue-4th Street Promenade also enhanced the physical connection to the downtown district. A 60-foot-wide bridge comprises the deck over the parking area and is the primary pedestrian route into and out of McEuen Park. The entryway is highlighted by the "Rainbow Arch," one of three major pieces of public art in the park.

On the east side sits the Grand Plaza, which features open spaces for gatherings, festivals and community events. Within the Grand Plaza is a waterfront walkway that connects McEuen Park to spectacular Lake Coeur d'Alene.

The Harbor House, which sits near the Tubbs Hill trailhead and is on the water's edge, features rooms to take in views of Lake Coeur d'Alene, concession booths, seating and year-round restrooms. In the center of the park is a natural grass amphitheater that seats over 3,000 people and is available for concerts and other special events. This open area is also used for free play and pick-up games of soccer, touch football and the like.

A pavilion for large group gatherings is adjacent to a playground and splash pad. Tennis, pickle ball and basketball courts are located east and south of the playground. A pocket dog park sits at the base of Tubbs Hill and is near an open area reserved for a skate park. A 48,000-gallon reservoir below the Harbor House stores water captured from the splash pad and is used for the park's irrigation of 168 trees, 3,600 shrubs and ground cover, and 12 acres of turf.

Part of the Centennial Trail "?u a 26-mile long regional, multi-modal pathway "?u was integrated into the site and runs the length of McEuen Park. This supplements other walking-running trails and paths in the park.

This part of the Centennial Trail had to be re-routed into McEuen Park, and required coordination with the State Parks and Recreation Department and other state and local agencies. All trails in McEuen Park were built to Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Project Team
McEuen Park, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
City of Coeur d'Alene, owner

Designers
Bernardo|Wills Architects, Spokane, Wash.
Dell Hatch, ASLA, lead landscape architect
Bill LaRue, ASLA, landscape architect
Welch Comer Engineers | Surveyors, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Miller Stauffer Architects, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Vendor List
Landscape Structures made the 2-5 year old play structure called Playshaper and the benches in the playground.
Water Odyssey manufactured the children's splash pad equipment.
Forms+Surfaces manufactured the Pacifica benches in the Veterans Memorial.
It also supplied the Bike Garden bike racks throughout McEuen Park.
Davis Colors supplied the colored concrete and sand play area for the splash pad.

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