hawthorne park meeting #1 wrap up

1Hawthorne Park Master Plan

Medford, OregonGM #2120100.00Meeting #1April 2012

Multi-Use Lawn

Baseball Field

Pool

Parking Area

Parking Area

Path

Bear Creek

Hawthorne Park : Station #

Key Words

Playground

Rest Rooms

Rose Garden

E. Jackson St.

E. Main St.

I 5

Haw

thorne St.Hawthorne Park : Meeting #1 Wrap Up

1: Hawthorne Park Site Analysis - Explaining existing site conditions.

2: Hawthorne Park Goals - Phrases and ideas that will help drive the vision.

3: Hawthorne Park Program - What goes in the park.



Site Analysis : Existing Conditions

The following pages explain results generated from the “Dot” exercise as well as a map of the site noting some existing park areas/elements thought to be positive or negative by the workshop participants. Both of these exercises were completed at the Site Analysis station and sincerely helped Group Mackenzie understand some of the existing site conditions and how/where we should focus our energy with regard to design.

Total’s were tallied for both the Physical Features and Social Features/Activities listed during the exercise. The top performers for each category were highlighted in Green to call attention to the elements most impor-tant to the workshops participants.



Total4

Top Priorities

6

2

1

7

0

0

1

6

2

6

15

7

2

0

8

0

1

2

0

0

3

0

0

2

8

8

Comments and Notes from the Exercise:

Of the existing conditions the top priorities or elements that people appreciated and felt needed to be addressed in the park masterplan were the Pool and Building, Tree’s, and the Greenway Corridor Trail. Safety along with Walking and Jogging were noted as important Social Features and Activities that currently exist within the park and should be built upon.



Safety issues - Gathering place for large groups of

transient populations. Eyesore - Bringing down the value of the

park

Not safe to park a vehicle or return to a

vehicle after dark.

Safety issues - Gathering place for large groups of

transient populations.

Safety issues - Not enough people around to bring children to playground

Wasted and unsafe space un the I-5 Free-

way Overpass.

A defined park entrance is needed - Current entrance

is not working.

Good edge parking.

Bicycle path and drink-ing fountains are im-

portant elements of the park.

Utilized lawn area - Impor-tant element of current

park design.

Existing Conditions

What is important to know about Hawthorne park’s history?Woman and children say they do not want to use the park because they do not feel safe.We need a year round pool! Something that is permanent and can be used year round.

What Works? What Does Not Work?Green space in the middle. Limited ParkingGreat tree’s! Under the viaduct - Not enough lighting!Children, family, sports could all work! Plants (Blackberry) along Greenway cleared Playground is too old - Poor equipment.Who Uses The Park?Vagrants!Rats!Sports Enthusiasts.



Hawthorne Park Goals

The following pages explain results generated from the “Dot” exercise as well as a “Word Cloud” which took the written comments and high-lighted standout words to help isolate some key ideas for the designers. These exercises were completed at the Hawthorne Park Goals station and sincerely helped Group Mackenzie identify trends and patterns in the participants goals and expectations for the park.

Totals were tallied and top performers for each category were highlight-ed in Green to call attention to the elements most important to the work-shops participants.



Total

1

17

18

8

2

7

4

3

7

1

3

7

10


Safety and Activity stand out as clear goals from the community. While several other goals received interest and support including “Serving and appealing to all ages,” “Developing a distinct identity for the park,” and “Respecting current successful uses” it was clear that goals including use and activity as well as safety were the key components of the com-munities perceptions of what should drive the park design.

One notable addition to the park goals was the suggestion to re-locate a Victorian mansion that was dilapidated and located in the nearby neighborhood, and turn it into a Medford History museum. While an intriguing idea it should be noted that the person who wrote in this suggestion used a bulk of there allotted green dots to help build support for this suggestion. This was noted during the process and should also be noted when beginning to develop a vision for this park. The clear message from this addition is that a link to the history of Medford is important to the community and will help in generating a sense of identity for the park and the community as a whole.

17



Key Words:

Using the notes taken from Group Mackenzie along with the comment sheets left behind it becomes clear that Safety, Attractive, Clean, and the cities identity play a key role in what members of the community are interested in. Some pro-grammatic elements such as Volleyball Courts, Water Park, and Special Events were included in this discussion but each of these elements reinforce the general consensus around the need for Hawthorne park to become an active and safe place for people of all ages.

Key Word Study



Program : What goes in the Park

The following pages explain results generated from the “Dot” exercise as well as a “Word Cloud” which took the written comments and high-lighted standout words to help isolate some key ideas for the designers. These exercises were completed at the Hawthorne Park Program station and sincerely helped Group Mackenzie identify trends and patterns in the participants desires concerning what they would like to see in the park.

Total’s were tallied on both the word list and the photographs presented at this station. It is important to note that general sentiments toward a programmatic element varied between these two presentations. To-tals for both exercises were combined and presented in the final page where top performers were highlighted to help the designers understand which programmatic elements were most important to the workshops participants.




While Goals and Site Analysis seemed to produce some distinct trends, the Program station produced a number of options for the park. The stand out was clearly the Aquatic/Swimming Pool, it was apparent that between the words posted on the above sheet and the images presented on the “Existing” board, the community was very interested in seeing the revival of the Aquatic Center. Other notable park components were “Loop Path,” “Lighting,” “Public Art,” “Restrooms,” “Playground,” and very importantly the elements found in the Bear Creek master Plan were commented on throughout the workshop.

A very important factor during this activity was the use of Photographs and Words to assist people in the decision making process. It became clear that people have pre-conceived notions of what a “Dog Park” is or what and “Ice Rink” should look like. In many cases a red dot would be placed on a word, only to be replaced a moment later by a green dot after the image of the described element was shown to the community member.

Total

183235269

10

-410121

28-11-51

717553301

0

-2216

1



Existing Programmatic Elements:

• Restrooms, Walking Paths, and the outdoor swimming pool were noted as important elements found on this board.

• Stong interest in the loop path with request for distance markers.

• Interest in fields as multi-use rather than serving a specific sport.

• People are not aware that there are bocce and horse shoe pits existing on the site.

• Negative input on gardens reflects the idea that they require too much maintenance.

• People were attracted to a nicely designed restroom that was safe and well-lit.

1 1

6 4

2 0 2

1 4 0



Programmatic Elements From The Leisure Services Plan:

• The Splash Pad was a huge hit on this board with community members rallying behind this example project located in Wilsonville.

• Interest was shown in locating the skeate park under the interstate.

• People thought that the ice rink would be too expensive and preferred many smaller improvements rather than one expensive feature.

1 2

1 0

1 1 0

1

10

2



Additional Programmatic Elements:

• Sand Volleyball Courts, Water Feature, Loop path, Community Art, and the Open Flexible Lawn were all given positive feedback.

• The dog park images received a much better response on this image board by comparison to the word board; it became clear that precedent images can strongly influence a person’s opinion.

• Additionally, the dog park received positive votes for its ability to attract more people into the park and the resulting safety. Concerns were voiced about aesthetics (chainlink fence), size (over 2 acres), and placement that may divide the park.

• Sand volleyball was positive due to the heavy use at Fichtner. The courts are often full at this site.

0 3

33

2 6 1

3 36



Bear Creek Masterplan:

It was clear from both the comments and the feedback that the Bear Creek masterplan was greatly appreciated and valued by the community. Many people asked about the plan during both the Site Analysis station and the Goals sta-tion making it clear that the elements that make up much of this plan should be included in the final vision for Haw-thorne park.

8



Key Words:

Using the notes taken from Group Mackenzie along with the comment sheets left behind it becomes clear that a Pool, Volleyball Courts, Sports Activities, Picnics, Lights, Playground, and a general family friendly, community based, safe environment was very important to the residents of Medford. Activity is clearly the defining characteristic, where people feel can be active and comfortable in this downtown park.

Key Word Study



ACTIVITIES + USES -/+ Total Existing Aquatic / Swimming Pool ................. Ball Field .............................................. Gardens .............................................. Horseshoes / Bocce Ball .................... Parking ................................................ Pathways ............................................ Playground ......................................... Restrooms ...........................................

From the Leisure Services Plan Ice Rink ................................................ Lighting ................................................ Picnic Shelter ...................................... Signage ............................................... Skate Park ...........................................

Additional Basketball Courts ............................... Bear Creek Master Plan Elements .... Community Gardens ......................... Community Plaza ............................... Dog Park ............................................. Exercise Stations ................................. Lawn Space (open/flexible) ............. Loop Path ........................................... Picnic Areas (small) ............................ Public Art ............................................. Sand Volleyball Courts ...................... Splash Pad .......................................... Stage / Amphitheater ....................... Water Feature .................................... Big Water slide .................................... Water Park .......................................... Concessions ........................................ Tennis Courts ....................................... Victorian Mansion .............................. Spray Park...........................................

8

1

224183

101112

-211

42

215

1113

102

10115361-22161

Final conclusions and notes regarding the Program:

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hawthorne park meeting #1 wrap up

Documents