Recreation - DHM Design

NATIONAL PARKS 01-10 STATE & REGIONAL PARKS 11-12 TRAILS & GREENWAYS 13-16 RESERVOIRS 17-20 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 21-28 BENEFITS OF RECREATION 29-40 THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY 41-44 RECREATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT 45-46

We have worked to create quality recreational experiences since 1975. The knowledge we have gained through our diverse portfolio of projects informs every subsequent project that we do. Lessons in stormwater management at the Grand Canyon become tools along the South Platte River right here in Denver, our own ventures into the great outdoors become recipes for fun at adventure parks like the Frisco Peninsula Recreation Area.

We have come to understand that recreation is not just recreation anymore.

It is interconnected with a myriad of issues, from public health and local economies to the protection of fragile ecosystems and the preservation of national treasures. Our knowledge of this mosaic has matured and deepened, fostering a sensitivity to the many interests at stake. The future of recreation depends on the widespread understanding of these complex relationships and their potential impact on our quality of life. As landscape architects, we have the opportunity to encourage this understanding and transcend perceived boundaries of what recreation is and what it can be.

established

Wild + Sce Rivers A Wilderness Act

1968 Land + Water Conservation Fund Act

1964

1939-1945

mid-1950s

is founded to oversee all existing parks

WWII

Dry Tortugas Everglades Saguaro Olympic Great Basin Great Sand Dunes Isle Royal Arches Badlands Grand Teton Mammoth Cave Great Smoky Mountains Shenandoah Glacier Bay Carlsbad Caverns Bryce Canyon Grand Canyon Katmai Denali Hawaii Volcanoes

Glacier Zion Lassen Volcanic Montezuma Castle Petrified Forest Mesa Verde Acadia Wind Cave Crater Lake Kings Canyon Sequoia Mount Rainier Yosemite Rocky Mountain

Visitorship of National Parks skyrockets

National Park Service 1872

14 National Parks 21 Monuments

The first National Park is established

Yellowstone

1916

1965

Biscayne Redwood North Cascades Guadalupe Mountains Canyonlands Haleakala VIrgin Islands Theodore Roosevelt Channel Islands Capitol Reef Joshua Tree Big Bend

National Environmental Policy Act

1969

enic Act

National Trails System Act

1968

NATIONAL PARKS HISTORY The trajectory of recreation in the United States has closely mirrored that of our population...growing steadily in popularity and diversity and providing whatever outlet is needed to balance the work lives of the American people. Rest and relaxation for hard laborers, adventure and challenge for the deskbound, and rejuvenation for all.

Recreation saw a significant shift following WWII. With improved transportation, spreading affluence, and institutionalized holidays, family vacations and destination travel to the National Parks became very popular. By the mid 1950s, the National Parks were overwhelmed with congestion, leading to a flurry of legislation in the 1960s that supported the NPS in its mission to preserve and protect the health and beauty of these national treasures.

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BEFORE

NATIONAL PARKS DHM began working with the National Park Service in the 1980s at a time when park policy had shifted from a purely aesthetic and logistical planning focus to an environmentally based attitude of regulation and preservation.

One of our earliest projects with the National Park Service was the Giant Forest Restoration in Sequoia National Park. Years before, in the 40s and 50s, it was discovered that rampant development - concessions, overnight accommodations, and other services were severely endangering the health of the Giant Forest.

The process of removing visitor facilities from the grove was initiated in 1952 by Colonel White but was stalled in an endless series of public meetings and planning documents, only to be approved 28 years later in 1980.

Despite its uncertain beginnings, the restoration of Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park became a 21st Century model of resource protection and visitor understanding. This would not have been possible without comprehensive planning every step of the way and solid understanding of priceless resources, careful analysis, public involvement and support, Park Service determination solutions.

and

environmentally

responsible

The new visitor lodging, relocated all

overnight accommodations to a gently sloping site in a fir/pine forest with great views of the Sierras. The facilities demolition phase removed 282 buildings and over a million square feet of asphalt roads.

AFTER

Sequoia National Park . California

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Lake Mead National Recreation Area . Nevada

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This project provided an opportunity to implement various interpretive elements. Stormwater management strategies implemented throughout the site simulate natural hydrologic processes, utilizing infiltration basins and low grade water quality swales to reduce the flow of pollutants and control erosion. Interpretive signage educates visitors on how and why these sustainable elements were incorporated into the landscape. The new visitor center and adjacent plaza provide educational opportunities that explore the flora and fauna found in different microclimates throughout the canyon.

Mather Point Overlook. Grand Canyon, Arizona

DHM has been fortunate to provide landscape architecture and planning services for the National Park Service throughout the country for decades.

As the knowledge and policies of the Park Service have evolved, so has our professional practice. While our work still addresses the concerns of visitor circulation and experience, the preservation of place remains our primary intention, and in supporting this, there is a growing focus on public education. Environmental interpretation of a site includes, not only the local ecological systems (flora, fauna, and geology), but the methods of mitigating any interventions into the landscape - architecture, stormwater management, invasive species management, waste, and energy use.

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Mount Rushmore National Memorial . South Dakota

“Maybe you weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but like every American, you carry a deed to 635 million acres of public lands. That’s right. Even if you don’t own a house or the latest computer on the market, you own Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and many other natural treasures.”

-John Garamendi

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Located just northwest of Denver, this park provides a quick daytime escape from the city and is popular with fishermen and boaters. The challenging aspect of managing this park is that it is also a wildlife refuge and is home to a healthy population of eagles, great blue herons, and a variety of other birds. DHM worked with park managers to plan for and accommodate these overlapping needs.

Bear Creek Lake Park . Lakewood, Colorado

STATE & REGIONAL PARKS Regional and State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service areas have all seen a significant increase in attendance over the last 2 decades. As with the National Parks, there are similar dangers of overuse resulting in the degradation of these resources. Parks officials have recognized the necessity to plan for and manage this larger volume of visitation.

State parks differ in their levels of programming and amenities, but they are united by a shared mission to connect people to the outdoors by providing quality recreation opportunities and settings. State parks seek a balance between conserving and managing natural, cultural and scenic resources while providing various forms of recreation and interpretation.

Unlike National Parks which draw visitors from around the world, visitors to state parks typically live less than 50 miles away. They use them regularly on the weekends for hiking, biking, hunting, fishing and a number of other activities.

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TRAILS & GREENWAYS Trails and greenways have been hugely successful in repurposing underutilized public spaces for recreation.

They not only provide recreation opportunities, but connect neighborhoods and provide safe alternative transportation options.

Many of the Trails and greenways that we enjoy today are part of The National Trails System. Since its inception in 1968, over 1,000 national recreation trails have been created across the country. Countless more trails have been created with the help of other organizations, such as the Greenway Foundation, American Trails, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy, which all contribute to an impressive network of trails in urban, rural, and wild areas.

In many cases, the creation of greenways has effectively reduced local greenhouse gas emissions, decreased air pollution, and reclaimed previously polluted urban rivers and tributaries. Businesses, municipalities, and nonprofits are joining forces to restore these priceless urban corridors and the result is energized communities, increased property values, and healthier people.

DHM Design & the Greenway Team, planned, raised funds, and worked with numerous public agencies, corporate partners and volunteers in the design and development of the Mary Carter Greenway. This $4 million, 8-mile corridor follows the South Platte River through the cities of Littleton, Sheridan, and Englewood, linking Denver’s South Platte River Greenway to Chatfield State Park. In addition to a state-of-art, multi-use trail, the greenway offers rest areas, interpretive sites, a nature center and boating facilities. Along with the recreational improvements, the effort included major revegetation and renovation of an abused river corridor engaging over 3000 volunteers to plant 10,000 trees.

Mary Carter Greenway . Littleton, Sheridan, Englewood Colorado

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The greenway provides an important link between the city’s newest town center, schools, businesses, neighborhoods and the “Tom” Sawyer State Park to the west. DHM Design worked with The Greenway Team to prepare a master plan for the trail that addresses the needs of cyclists, pedestrians, and equestrians.

Anchorage Trail and Greenway.. Anchorage, Anchorage Trail + Greenway Anchorage,Kentucky Kentucky Mary Carter Greenway . Denver, CO 16

RESERVOIRS Creating a vision for the future of a reservoir or lake often begins with the question, “Can you agree to share?�. As a limited and valuable resource, water is often a source of contention between different types of recreation, multiple agency interests, and environmental, economic and cultural interests. These conflicts will only continue to grow as western populations increase.

Our job as planners is to protect the health of our valuable water resources while facilitating shared access and enjoyment by various user groups. The balancing of activities and protections can be achieved through thoughtful planning of proposed improvements, along with regulations and policies for management.

The planning process is inclusive and collaborative, engaging review and input from agencies, local municipalities, interest groups and citizens. It reflects solutions that are assembled with consensus-building workshops. A strong recreation master plan provides for outdoor recreation, protects biodiversity, improves the health and safety of visitors and preserves the environmental resources and cultural values of historical places.

Alcova, Pathfinder, Gray Reef Reservoir . Natrona County, Wyoming

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Alcova, Pathfinder, Gray Reef Reservoir . Natrona County, Wyoming

DHM led a team of consultants working for the Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy District to develop a recreation master plan for this 1,500 surface acre reservoir. A market study, economic impact study, site analysis and preliminary design workshop were completed in 2010.

DHM coordinated with the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program to facilitate input from project stakeholders, agencies, interest groups and the greater community to shape the plan.

Lake Nighthorse . Durango, Colorado

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Moore Fields . Aspen, Colorado

“If bread is the first necessity of life, recreation is a close second.�

-Edward Bellamy

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Creating healthy communities means providing access to a variety of recreational opportunities - active and passive, social and secluded - that engage all ages.

Recent park development offers much more than playing fields and picnic tables. Trends in sports and play are continually evolving as successive generations discover and improve upon the ideas of their parents. In addition to traditional ball fields, parks have begun to expand their offerings to include skate parks, spray parks, climbing walls, and more. Embracing and responding to these changing trends and emerging forms of recreation will ensure an engaged community and a cherished recreational amenity.

Margaret Carpenter Park . Thornton, Colorado

DHM Design worked with the relatively new and growing population of Commerce City to create the 20-acre Reunion Park. Offering trails, lakes, waterfalls, multi-use athletic fields, and some of the most magnificent views of Longs Peak, the park has provided a much needed gathering space for residents.

Reunion Park . Commerce City, Colorado

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Collaborating with a dedicated group of skaters, neighborhood residents and City staff, DHM helped the City of Arvada to produce one of the largest and best regional skate park facilities in the State of Colorado. Through a series of public meetings, DHM teamed with a world-renowned skate park design/build company, Team Pain, to integrate flowing landscape forms and site amenities with world-class skating terrain.

Arvada Skate Park . Arvada, Colorado

The process of building relationships with stakeholders can play a transformative role and contribute greatly to the long-term success of a project. As insight into the value and needs of a place is shared, support and confidence grows between user groups, and the result is a place that is cherished and enjoyed by all.

Skyline Park . Arvada, Colorado

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BENEFITS OF RECREATION Parks, playing fields and other forms of recreation have long been incorporated into our city planning, but the vast benefits they contribute to a community’s health are just beginning to be understood. They are no longer an afterthought, they are a necessity.

Health Benefits There are countless health benefits of regular physical activity including reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and diabetes. Regular participation in physical activity can improve mental health as well, by reducing depression and anxiety.

The mental and physical benefits of recreational spaces in urban settings can be translated into huge savings on health care. Currently, the US spends more on health care than any other nation on earth. Each year, we spend over $147 billion on the medical costs of obesity alone. Parks have begun collaborating with health care professionals in efforts to address and prevent various medical conditions.

Health Impact Assessments (HIA) have become valuable tools for communities seeking ways to improve the health of their citizens. HIA is a systematic process that determines the potential effects of a proposed policy, plan, program, or project on the health of a community. HIA views health through a broad lens that takes into account the health impacts of various sectors, from transportation and housing to energy and agriculture.

Through a combination of scientific data, health expertise and public input, policymakers are able to identify potential impacts and make informed decisions that preserve and improve people’s quality of life.

Christopher Fields . Westminster, Colorado

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Team sports are more than just good exercise; they are builders of society, they are teachers of respect and sportsmanship, and they are facilitators of community. Through participating in team sports we become engaged with others and gain a sense of belonging.

Crown Mountain Park . Basalt , Colorado

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“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.�

-John Muir

Audubon Nature Center-Chatfield State Park . Jefferson County, Colorado

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Social Benefits - Childhood Development Research suggests that there is a “moment” between the ages of 6 and 12 years old when nature imprints on a child. This developmental window of opportunity creates a lasting impression which helps to shape the way a child sees nature for the rest of their life. In previous generations a connection with nature was inevitable. That’s not the case anymore, particularly for urban families. With the increased use of television, computers, and video games, children are more inclined to stay indoors than to go outside and develop connections with nature.

Bringing children to nature affects development in numerous ways, including a boost in self-esteem, confidence, and creativity. Kids who play outside also show a significant increase in motor fitness, balance and coordination.

As designers and planners, we are uniquely equipped to make a significant change in the lives of children by creating avenues of nature through urban spaces and giving them the chance to interact with trees, plants, rivers, wildlife, bugs and birds. Maybe just as important, there is a “ripple effect” when children tell family and friends about their experiences.

We are thrilled for the chance to help parks and recreation agencies bring kids out into the world to play and discover what can’t be replicated in the built environment where the skills and experiences can have crucial impacts on the adult each child will become.

DHM was excited to be a part of the team to assist the City of Denver, The Greenway Foundation, and The Trust for Public Land in winning a $4.6 million GOCO/ Lottery Grant to help remake three Denver parks along the South Platte River into wilderness-in-the-city spaces. This GOCO grant will be leveraged with partner contributions including the EPA and UDFCD for more than $13 million in river improvements. These projects as identified in Denver’s South Platte River Vision Implementation Plan will create an environmental education hub for urban children, families and outdoor enthusiasts.

Urban children will have the opportunity to learn about and explore nature through camping, fishing, boating, and playing outdoors in a safe way.

Johnson Habitat . Denver, Colorado

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Crown Mountain Park . Basalt, Colorado

Great Plains Park . Aurora, Colorado

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We have great need for passive recreation opportunities in our neighborhoods as well.

Walking or sitting in natural areas gives us space for peace, rejuvenation, and reflection.

Croke Mountain Reservoir Park . Northglenn, Colorado Crown . Basalt, Colorado

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THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY Park and recreation lands, facilities, and services generate jobs and expenditures that support the local economy.

A growing and diverse economic sector, outdoor recreation brings in over $646 billion each year in spending and $80 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue.

Outdoor recreation creates and sustains approximately 6.1 million diverse jobs, from product development that requires highly skilled designers, technicians and business strategists, to professional guides and outfitters, park managers, rangers, writers, photographers, small business owners and many more.

The United States is the globally recognized leader in outdoor recreation. The backbone of the outdoor recreation economy is our extensive system of public lands, trails and waterways. Managing and investing in this system, supporting its ecological health, and preserving access to quality places to play outside creates an economically sustainable model for communities to leverage their amenities and support growth for decades to come.

Frisco Adventure Park . Frisco, Colorado

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“6.1 million American livelihoods directly depend on outdoor recreation, making it a critical economic sector in the US, and the outdoor recreation industry pumps $646 billion into the American economy each year.�

-Outdoor Industry Association

The Town of Frisco has created an exciting new recreation facility that features a bmx/mountain bike park, and a winter tubing hill/jib park with magic carpet access. The planning process for this and many other recreation projects includes a series of Town staff and public meetings to define a comprehensive program for current and future improvements. DHM prepared financial analysis for construction costs, yearly staffing and maintenance costs, and projections for revenue generated by the proposed ‘payfor-use’ activities.

Frisco Adventure Park . Frisco, Colorado 44

RECREATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT Urban and suburban parks are predicted to become increasingly important for ecological reasons. Urban areas facing various challenges such as increasing air pollution and temperature, are beginning to see the potential of recreation areas as multi-functional components of the urban system.

Parks, open space, and wetlands can be utilized as low-cost stormwater management areas, capable of reducing water runoff and erosion, and retaining nutrients and groundwater. Riparian corridors can significantly improve water quality and absorb flood events.

Green, vegetated

corridors and parks can be instrumental in pollution abatement, oxygen production, noise reduction and cooling.

Successful sustainable design requires a coordinated collaborative effort among all design members. It is a comprehensive, synergistic approach that balances energy and resource efficiency, pollution mitigation, materials selection, and water management.

“Imagine if trees gave off wifi signals. We would be planting so many trees and we’d probably save the planet too. Too bad they only produce the oxygen we breathe.”

–Anonymous

For years Sand Creek, a major drainage way running through Commerce City, was associated with heavy industrial dumping and pollution. Few knew of its historical and regional significance along with the Creek’s diverse wildlife and natural resources. The goal of the project was to transform Sand Creek into a major recreational and natural resource amenity for the people of Commerce City, as well as work with other communities along Sand Creek to create an outstanding regional asset.

Sand Creek Greenway . Commerce City , Colorado

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THE FUTURE OF RECREATION As recreation continues to evolve, planners will have the opportunity to think about how recreation areas can improve environmental and social conditions beyond their borders. Trails and greenways integrated into urban areas have already demonstrated the farreaching and positive impact of recreation on our quality of life, and as understanding of the overlapping systems of exercise, health, economics, and nature grow, we will surely discover more and better ways to connect, protect, and celebrate them.

Rocky Mountain National Park. Colorado

The projects in this book could not have been accomplished without the vision and initiative of countless municipalities and organizations, the dedication and expertise of our specialized consultants, and the support and valued input of the communities for which they are built.

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