At Ontario (Calif.) Town Square, an attractive walkway of interlocking pavers (Ackerstone) leads past the west courtyard, which is dominated by large Medjool date plams and Chinese elms. Ontario became a city in 1891. Images of the city's past are presented on the brick (Belden) History Wall (right). Quick Response codes (two dimensional barcodes) allow smartphone users via the free Wi-Fi to scan them and learn the history behind each image. Energy efficient LEDs and ceramic metal halide pedestrian light fixtures with acorn-style luminaires (poles by King Luminaire) emulate Ontario's historic street lighting. There are also in-grade accent lights, recessed wall washers, recessed downlights (Omega) and palm tree ring lights.
Photo: Brad Nelson

Ontario Town Square brings life and energy in a natural setting to the urban fabric of the downtown. It's "Ontario's outdoor community living room," where residents come together as a community to enjoy each other's company and to be part of the city's vision for the area. A number of events and festivals are already programmed for Town Square, making this a special place and asset for the community. Ontario, Calif. (pop. 163,924) is in San Bernardino County, about 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The city is in the western section of what's known locally as the Inland Empire. The city's major employer is Ontario International Airport, the 15th busiest U.S. airport by cargo carried.

Ontario celebrated the grand opening of Ontario Town Square in September 2014 to correspond with the annual Route 66 Cruisin' Reunion on historic Euclid Avenue. Route 66 Cruisin' Reunion is a three-day classic car show that draw some 200,000 visitors.

Town Square is organized on a diagonal view corridor and pedestrian promenade from the southwest corner of the site at Euclid on axis to the existing library, with a pedestrian connection to Ontario City Hall. Town Square is designed to be a flexible space, capable of holding a number of different events and activities throughout the year, while creating a park-like retreat for downtown shoppers, workers and residents. Spaces of different scale and atmosphere are developed along the central promenade, spiraling away from the central iconic clock tower, a symbol of the city's pride.

Amphitheater and Band Shell
The amphitheater and band shell are located on the east side of the square with a large grassy area for amphitheater seating and large open space that is flexible for various community events. The spaces that make up Town Square include a pedestrian promenade, an open-air amphitheater, palm courts, children's play garden, picnic area, a wedding gazebo and a rose garden. There's room for future restaurants and outdoor patio spaces on the square.

Promenade and Palm Courts
The pedestrian promenade and palm courts provide flexible spaces for outdoor events and programs. In the short period that Town Square has been open to the community, a number of events have been scheduled that include the Fall Fest and weekly Market Nights with live performances, pumpkin patch and corn maze.

The upcoming holiday tradition of "Christmas on Euclid Avenue Experience," an arts and craft fair, will feature the Inland Conservatory for the Performing Arts, and include "12 historic and recently refurbished nativity scenes" that have been part of Christmas on Euclid for more than 50 years.

History Wall
The city's past is documented on the History Wall, located in the center of the square and on the art mural on the south-facing wall of the band shell. A Quick Response (QR) code provides a convenient means for smartphone users to get instant historical descriptions of each image. Both of these works of art commissioned by local artists reflect Ontario's roots, accomplishments and major events, relating the story of the city to remind those who have lived in the city during those times and inform future generations of past events that have shaped the city.

Infiltration Basin
Sustainable elements are incorporated into the project to help preserve natural resources. For example, an infiltration basin captures and retains storm water onsite and doubles as a turf-covered green amphitheater for outdoor concerts and performances. Rain gardens capture and retain rainwater for reuse to be made available to help care for California native and drought tolerant plants. Permeable surfaces throughout the development help to reduce the rate and quantity of stormwater runoff and improve stormwater quality by allowing it to filter into the ground. Energy efficient lighting sources such as LED and ceramic metal pedestrian light fixtures are used throughout the project to help offset energy consumption, while providing a safe, night time ambiance. The Town Square project serves as a model for preserving open space and reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while promoting an increased quality of life.

Ontario's two-acre Town Square Park at the southeast corner of Holt Boulevard and Euclid Avenue was 10 years in the making. The project provides the city's oldest, most densely populated and economically underserved neighborhood with its first dedicated green space. Sustainable elements include drought tolerant and California native landscaping; permeable walkways; a California native plant rain garden with educational interpretive signage; an infiltration basin beneath the amphitheater; vegetated bioswales to capture stormwater and improve water quality; a smart irrigation system; and energy-efficient lighting.

Neighborhood's First Dedicated Green Space
Town Square is a next generation concept born out of the city's effort over the past eight years to transform and revitalize downtown Ontario into a model of sustainable living. The project provides the city's oldest, most densely populated and economically underserved neighborhood with its first dedicated green space. The city has worked diligently to create a destination in the downtown area that will provide multiple benefits for residents and area merchants. Some of the first steps in the planning were to make way for the Town Square Apartments and Townhomes, and Senior Housing adjacent to Town Square. These developments comprise just under 400 housing units in close proximity to city transit. The renovated library and LEED Silver City Hall have also helped to enhance the downtown core. The creation of Town Square will be another stepping stone to the revitalization of a livable, walkable downtown, which aligns with the state's priorities to encourage resource efficient development and exemplifies "smart growth." It is another stepping-stone in a series of revitalization projects that help make downtown Ontario a better sustainable place for residents to live, work and play.

In 2010, the Ontario City Council unanimously approved the filing of an application for local assistance funds from the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Act of 2008. The city underwent an extensive effort to accommodate a broad representation of residents and business owners by inviting them to five neighborhood gatherings to solicit their input related to program/activities design elements, park beautification, and safety/security issues. Prior to the opening of the project, downtown residents had only 0.86 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents (according to the California State Parks Fact Finder Report), none of which was "useable" park or green space, because it was located on the Euclid Avenue median, hardly an accessible space. This green space allotment was significantly less than the state recommended three park acres per 1,000 residents. Town Square has increased livability for the residents in the neighborhood by providing a place with green landscape and trees, a place for children to play, a place to enjoy a picnic, a place to listen to a concert, and a place to spend time with family and friends in a natural setting in the middle of downtown.

Community Outreach
The community outreach included mailers/flyers seeking input for successful results, encouraging residents and businesses to write down their ideas and bring them to the neighborhood gathering. The invitation was open to the district's school board faculty and student population, Ontario business community and Hispanic business community. To receive ideas from the children of the neighborhood, the workshop went to classrooms. The consensus results from the community outreach were incorporated into the plan. Under "program/activities," the participants expressed the desire for concerts, theater, and temporary restrooms; under "park beautification," the consensus was for landscaping, trash/recycle bins, play gardens and water elements; and under "safety/security," security cameras and security presence were requested.

Town Square is a park-like retreat for downtown shoppers, workers and residents (400 apartment units at The Colony at Ontario Square). Town Square is organized on a diagonal corridor and pedestrian promenade, from the southwest corner of the site at Euclid on axis to the existing library, with a pedestrian connection to Ontario City Hall, a block over to the east.

 

On the east side of the square is the band shell, a venue for outdoor festivals and cultural, recreational, educational and social events. The amphitheater and lawn of "Bull's Eye' Bermuda turfgrass can accommodate upwards of 800 people. Low concrete seatwalls offer an alternative to sitting on the grass. The handrail motifs are the design of the landscape architects.

The wavy fence rails enclosing the play space designed by RJM. The play area offers safety surfacing (Surface America), "Leaf' benches (Cre8 Play), rock, log (Landscape Structures) and frogs, turtle and mushroom climbers.

The West Courtyard has herringbone, and parquet hardscape patterns, separated by bands and squares of precast architectural concrete (Quickcrete). The benches are from Landscape Structures.

Sustainable Communities Grant
In 2011, the city submitted the project to seek funds from the Urban Greening Project for Sustainable Communities grant to transform the 1.77 acres of downtown storefront property and paved parking lot into a sustainable "green" community park with multiple conservation benefits. In 2012, the city of Ontario was awarded $933,694 from the Strategic Growth Council's urban greening grant program. The project sets an example of best practices in sustainability by increasing green space in a community that is highly deficient in park space and easily accessible. Town Square will be a model for other California cities. Town Square is not only an effort to revitalize the downtown area, but is a project that along with its obvious beautification connects various segments of the multicultural and multigenerational community. It provides a venue for outdoor festivals and cultural, recreational, educational and social events. In response to the Urban Greening grant, the project will foresee multiple measurable environmental benefits to improve the quality of life for the Ontario residents. By creating a central destination located in the heart of the civic center area, Town Square has provided accessibility to the most densely populated areas in the city, and has promoted walking, bicycling and use of public transit. The landscape will improve air and water quality, conserve natural resources, energy and reduce water consumption. The mission for Town Square has been accomplished: to bring green open space to the downtown, allowing the community a place for education, leisure and entertainment, and simply to make life better for the community. It is a project that demonstrates conservation through beautification.

The tile mural on the back of the bandshell wall is by artist Andrea Benitez. It depicts imagery pertinent to Ontario: a "Charlotte' Armstrong rose; Euclid Ave. (Route 83); an orange; an airplane (Ontario International Airport); and shopping bags (Ontario Mills, outlet stores).

Town Square was designed to deliver multiple functions. One staple is Market day, every Sunday, Nov. to Feb., with retail street vendors, arts and crafts, food trucks and live entertainment.

Design Team Collaborators
Owner: City of Ontario
Project Construction Management: City of Ontario
Landscape Architect and Lead Design Consultant: RJM Design Group, Inc.
Architectural Lighting Design Consultant: tk1sc (parent company of Studio K1)
Architect (clock tower an band shell): James Mickartz Architects, Irvine, Calif.
Civil Engineer: MCE Consultants
Irrigation Consultant: Water Concern
Artists: Mary Winters, Andrea Benitez

Contractors
General Contractor (also erected clock tower): W.D. Gott Construction Co.
Electrical Contractor: ACE Electric, Inc.
Masonry Contractor: Winegardner Masonry
Steel Contractor: SCW Contracting Corporation
Carpentry Contractor: Tomahawk Builders, Inc.
Sheet Metal: United Contractors
Industrial Coatings: Bithell
Plumbing: Dan Worley Plumbing
Landscape: Marina Landscape, Inc.
Metal Specialties: Ampersand Contract Signing Group
Interlocking Pavers: Alpha & Omega Pavers, Inc.
Earthwork & Asphalt: Laird Construction Co, Inc
Ceramic Tile: Continental Marble & Tile Co.
Toilet Accessories: Multiscope
Metal framing, Plaster and Drywall: Caston, Inc.
Reinforcing Steel: Upland Contracting, Inc
Door, Frames and Hardware: B&F Supply, Inc.

Vendors/Materials and Site Amenities
Lighting
Pedestrian post top lights: Phillips-Lumec
Electrical pedestal: Cole Lighting
Pedestrian decorative poles: King Luminaire
Palm tree rings: Heri-Lite
Ingrade accent lights: Allscape
Recessed wall washer: Lightolier
Recessed downlights: Omega
Site Furnishings
Climbing Play Elements/Log Benches: Landscape Structures, Inc.
Climbing Play Creatures: UPC Parks
Trash and Recycling Receptacles: Wakefield Companies
Bike Racks: Graeber
Leaf Benches: Cre8 Play
Decorative Metal Covers: Park Pacific
Metal Fences and Handrails: Alcorn Fence Company
Signage: Bravo Sign & Design, Inc.
Pavements
Interlocking Pavers: Ackerstone
Children's Rubber Play Surface: Surface America
Pre-Cast Architectural Concrete: Quickcrete