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February 15, 2021
Brooklyn Bridge Park Ecological Design
August 26, 2019

La Lomita Park Ecological Design

Denver, CO

Client: Denver Parks & Recreation

3.95

Acre Park

12.3

Acre Ft. Detention Capacity


Project Summary:

Great Ecology led the design team to provide a full redesign of Asbury & Tejon Park in southwest Denver, which has since been renamed La Lomita Park. The former small neighborhood park provided a recreational grass area and contained a concrete swale stormwater detention facility. The park needed extensive playground updates and did not offer the desired water quality treatment levels.
The La Lomita redesign creates more playable space for park users, including nature play features, and improves the functionality of the trickle channels and basins by replacing the existing concrete swale with native vegetation. Designed to capture water during rain events, the trickle channels and basins improve water quality before entering the South Platte River and provides a natural aesthetic for the neighborhood.
The emphasis of the design focused on creating a space residents feel connected to, while still providing much needed stormwater management - an important feature of urban parks across the country. By improving sightlines and lighting throughout the park, upgrading play spaces, and installing water quality monitoring stations, Great Ecology helped create a public space that meets multiple, sometimes competing objectives.

Awards:

  • 2021 APWA Colorado Chapter Award, Sustainability Category
  • 2019 Toro Urban Park Innovation Award, City Parks Alliance and The Toro Company



Ecological Design with Stormwater in Mind

Great Ecology designed a plant palette of native vegetation that improves water quality of runoff and can withstand significant water collection in the stormwater detention basin.
The redesign also improves the park's aesthetics compared to the former stormwater system, providing the local community with an ehnanced green space.

More Ways to Play

The addition of nature play features and expanded play structure areas was an important component of La Lomita's redesign. Not only does it encourage increased park usage by the local community, but it demonstrates the effectiveness of resilient, low-maintenance park design in urban areas.
Nature play encourages park users to enliven their senses and promotes exploration and imagination. La Lomita's nature play features include a rock pathway across the main trickle channel, log stairs, "ghost grove" log mound, and a bear cub climbing sculpture.



Design & Oversight through an Ecological Lens

Great Ecology provided extensive support for park design and construction monitoring to ensure the ecological goals of the project were met.


Aerial photo of a park from google imagesaerial rendering of park in neighborhood