Water Tower Park

The redesign of Water Tower Park, has revitalized a once-deteriorating neighborhood greenspace into an inclusive, vibrant, and accessible community hub. Previously home to aging playground equipment, cracked tennis courts, and underused ballfields, the park had lost its place as a center for local activity. Through a collaborative, equity-driven stakeholder engagement process, the project team reimagined the park to better serve youth, families, and individuals with disabilities — restoring its role as a vital gathering space within a dense residential neighborhood.

Key design strategies prioritized accessibility, sustainability, and community identity. One standout innovation was the adaptive reuse of the park’s deteriorated tennis courts: rather than removing the old asphalt, it was retained as a base for new poured-in-place playground surfacing — reducing waste and construction costs. Portions of the remaining court area were repurposed as space for blacktop games and community-created murals.

The existing playground was carefully relocated and renovated with a series of ramps and additional play panels. Free-standing play equipment was added including a wheelchair accessible merry-go-round and glider, cozy cocoon, dual person slides, and a zipline. The existing walkway, connecting the east and west halves of the park, was also expanded to become an ADA accessible path.  

Strategic spatial reorganization improved visibility, safety, and social interaction, while ecological sensitivity was maintained by preserving mature trees and incorporating passive shade and circulation strategies. The result is a welcoming, multi-generational space that celebrates local identity while advancing health equity and inclusive recreation.

The Master Plan was completed in early 2023, and the park officially opened to the public in 2025. JPR provided services from the conceptual design phase through construction administration.