Roberto Clemente Park is located at 546 Rumsey St. SW, Grand Rapids MI 49503. The 12-acre community park on Grand Rapids' southwest side is situated between the Roosevelt Park and Black Hills neighborhoods, less than a mile from the Grand River. The community has the highest concentration Latinx population in the City. Adjacent to the park is Southwest Community Campus, a K-8 public school that offers a dual English-Spanish immersion experience, often using the park for school events or classes. As with many low-income communities in urban centers, the Roosevelt Park and Black Hills neighborhoods are within a part of the City that has been historically neglected in terms of infrastructure and socio-economic improvements. Sandwiched between an industrial waterfront and a major highway, the community suffers from poor air quality, soil contamination, and water quality degradation.
The Landscape Architect was retained by the Grand Rapids Parks Department to provide design services to revitalize a large portion of the park with a focus on green infrastructure and cultural identity. Prior to these improvements, the park was home to a well-loved full size soccer field, a deteriorating picnic shelter with public restrooms, a small parking lot, and a DIY skatepark. Southwest Community Campus sits on top of a 50-foot bluff east of the park, and the former connection to the park was a single set of failing concrete stairs-a link commonly used only by ambulatory students and park users.
DESIGN OUTCOME
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE: Focusing on stormwater sustainability, the design highlights the complexity of sensitive native micro-ecosystems. Treating parts of a watershed as distinct elements of original natural systems, rather than piping stormwater to one central pipe or holding facility, allowed for many on-site treatment improvements, specifically, using groundwater recharge as a means of allowing soils and native plantings to slow down, cleanse, and soak up stormwater. Bio-swales and rain gardens significantly reduce current pollutant loads being discharged to the Grand River. Removal of invasive species and restoration of native meadows has increased biodiversity and reduced run-off and traditional mowing practices.

 
PLAY AND DISCOVERY: The bioswales and raingardens at Roberto Clemente Park go beyond functionality-they are an invitation to learn and explore. The swales were intentionally integrated within the park space, delineating edges, and encouraging interaction through strategically placed boulders and logs for climbing and hopping. People of all ages and abilities can cross timber bridges, logs, and outcropping boulders within the bio-swales, exposing the public to the sights and sounds of the natural processes. Additionally, a spiraled outdoor classroom includes bilingual interpretive signage that tells the story of the local Plaster Creek Watershed and patterns found in nature. By learning about the ways that plants, animals, and other living things are interdependent, community members are inspired to consider the role of interconnectedness within their communities and see the value in strengthening those relationships by thinking and acting cooperatively.
The play area, a previously missing aspect of the park, offers parallel play opportunities using the repeated materiality of natural materials such as logs and boulders. New domino tables and seating, which are of particular significance to the Puerto Rican as well as the Hispanic community at large, were requested by the West Michigan Puerto Rican Cultural Committee. These new components encourage park visitors to stretch their physical and mental boundaries while building relationships with one another.
UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND INCLUSIVITY: The Landscape Architect and their architectural project partner worked together to design a new restroom that is universally accessible and inclusive for all genders. The facility has now become a design standard for new restrooms in the Grand Rapids Parks system. Three separate sections of men, women, and all gender (which also works well for families) use partition-like doors at the entrances and lock into place to maintain privacy and security with observation of feet and sound from outside. After hours, a sliding door locks into place to close and secure the restrooms. The bright colors of the new features are balanced with natural elements found throughout the park. The design of the building responds to the landscape by utilizing natural light, ventilation, and materials, and captures bright colors to create a warm aesthetic with durable materials. Recessed frames in each exterior wall of the restroom intentionally creates space to showcase public art, which the Parks Department is currently in collaboration with the local community for installation in late 2022.
Spaces for large family and community gatherings were requested consistently through community outreach, and therefore the picnic shelter became the focal point of design. It was intentionally placed with views of the soccer field, playground, and near the restroom building. Grills were provided for family events and reunions, as community members expressed the cultural importance to commune over food. The pavilion can host both large and small gatherings, such as the weekly Cesar Chavez Farmers Market. Additionally, the pavilion design functionally integrates with the surrounding landscape-the sloped roof captures rainwater and directs it into the adjacent rain garden that separates the pavilion and restroom building.
Universal accessibility is prevalent throughout the park space. A new foot and bike path with a running slope under 5% and energy efficient lighting connects the neighborhood and school to the park, creating a much-needed safe connection for all. New furnishings, including entry signage, bike racks, benches, drinking fountain, and waste receptacles enhance visitor experience and aid in creating a welcoming sense of place.
Merging green infrastructure techniques, universal design standards, and contemporary aesthetics, Roberto Clemente Park was designed using a regenerative ecological approach that integrates the cultural fabric of the surrounding community through art, language, and programming. The park serves as a multi-functional community greenspace that meets the needs and desires of neighbors while supporting the health of natural systems. The design generates resilience in the face of inevitable environmental disturbances and equity within a historically neglected community, lending dynamic stability to both neighboring residents and wildlife, quickly becoming a beloved greenspace asset within the neighborhood.
The 2023 Parks Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. This project was not chosen for a Feature in the issue, but we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought the project deserved to be showcased online . . .

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