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CCS f \ccsadmn\share\staffrep\dougplay
Council Meetmg 2/10/98
MAR 0 3 .'
Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and Councllmembers
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT RecommendatIon to Approve Concept Designs for the Renovation of
Douglas Park and the Playgrounds In Clover, Joslyn, Manne, and
Ozone Parks and Direct Staff to Develop Plans for a Play Area for
Older Children In Los Amlgos Park
I ntrod uctlon
This report recommends approval of the concept deSigns for the renovatIon of
Douglas Park and playgrounds In Clover, Joslyn, Manne, and Ozone Parks. The
report also recommends that the City Council direct staff to develop plans for a
play area for older children In Los Amlgos Park
Backaround
Douglas Park. BUilt In 1916, Douglas Park IS one of the oldest and most revered
parks In Santa MOnica The four-acre park was bUilt on the site of the onglnal
Douglas Aircraft Company, and Includes two tenniS courts, a children's playground,
three ponds, a concrete pool area, a lawn bowlIng green and clubhouse, restroom
building, pICniC tables and open lawn areas By 1994, the ponds were emptied
because of leaks and chroniC filtration problems In addition, the park's
deteriorating Irrigation system and playground area was In need of repair. In
response, a technical team was hired to complete a needs assessment for
reconstructIon of the ponds and deSign gUIdelines were adopted to proVIde a
framework for the entIre park renovation The Douglas Park DeSign GUIdelines
(adopted by the Recreation and Parks Commission In January, 199B) were the
result of a publiC Input process which Involved a walking tour of the park, a user
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MAR 0 3 1998
survey, and several meetings to allow neighborhood and community members an
opportunity to help develop and review gUidelines for the renovation The events
were attended by a wide range of park users, Including park neighbors. children,
parents, skaters, fly fishers, and the community at-large
In 1996, previously allocated funds to replace the playground equipment and
Irrigation, and to repair the ponds were combined for an Integrated park proJect.
Additional funds were subsequently secured to renovate the pathways, replace the
restroom bUilding, and Improve the park's landscaping In 1997, the City Council
awarded a contract to Rlos Associates, a multi-dIsciplinary design firm based In Los
Angeles, to complete the project Two additional community meetings were held
on November 1 9, 1 997 and December 7, 1 997 to present deSign concepts for the
park and gather additional community Input and preferences. Staff also held two
meetings with the Wilderness Fly Fishers Club to Identify and address the possible
inclusion of flycastlng In the renovated park
Playgrounds. In addition to Douglas Park, thiS project Includes the renovation of
the main playground area In Clover Park, one of the most heaVily used parks In the
City, the two small playground areas In Ozone Park, and the playgrounds In Joslyn
and Manne Parks. To assess community needs and gather Input from children and
their parents, a survey was distributed to all public elementary school children and
also families of children In the community's preschools. Over 160 responses were
received and presented at a playgrounds workshop on October 26, 1997 The
survey found that 56% of respondents VISit a park playground at least 25 times a
year, SWings, cIImbmg fixtures, and slides were the three most favorite play
structures, and the parks needed new, safer, multi-use structures, more slides.
Imaginative play areas, and separate play areas for younger and older chIldren.
Staff also VISited the parks to gather Input on user play equipment preferences,
Involved a consulting child development speCialist In the deSign review process,
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attended a Borderline neighborhood group meeting concerning the Ozone Park
playground renovation, and held a second design workshop on December 7, 1997.
This workshop presented preliminary design concepts Including the range of play
equipment options and new playground site plans Public Input was addressed and
modifications were made to the proposed conceptual plans for each playground
(see Exhibit D).
Recently, staff met With students from Santa Monica Alternative School House
(third through eighth grades) to discuss their recent proposal for a playground at
Los Amlgos Park and get general Input on play equipment for older chIldren. The
SMASH students, who attended the City CounCil's January 13, 1998 meeting on
budget pnontles, prOVided Input to the project's deSign consultants and reviewed
the proposed conceptual plans at the vanous parks.
Art Integration As part of the City's percent-for-arts program, two artist teams
collaborated With RIDS ASSOCiates In the Douglas Park and Clover playground
renovations The artist teams were selected from a list approved by a selection
panel established In May, 1997 by the Arts Commission The art components,
descnbed In the "DIScussion" section of thiS report, were reviewed by the Arts
Commission's Public Art Committee at their January 12, 1998 meeting The
Committee unanimously recommended approval of the conceptual deSigns The
Arts Commission approved the plans on January 26, 1998
The Recreation & Parks Commission reviewed the conceptual deSign plans for
Douglas Park and the playgrounds In Clover, Joslyn, Manne, and Ozone Parks at ItS
January 15, 1998 meetmg and took public input. After public comment and
diSCUSSion r the Recreation and Parks CommIssion unanimously recommended
approval of the Concept DeSigns as presented Upon approval by the City CounCil,
plans for the play structures and equipment will be fmallzed and reviewed by the
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Architectural Review Board.
DISCUSSion
Douglas Park The attached site plan (ExhibIt A) depicts the proposed renovations
In Douglas Park The project Includes renovation of the ponds and children's
playground, as well as installation of a new Irrigation system, new pathways, and
replacement of the eXisting restroom A water feature for children r S play IS also
proposed, and would link the playground area with the ponds The feature consists
of a few water "Jets" which spray very small amounts of water Into the air
penodlcally, and would be operated on a limited baSIS dunng the summer months
and several weekends dunng the remainder of the year
Artists Ellen and Allan Wexler collaborated wIth RIOS ASSOCiates on the Douglas
Park renovation The Wexlers have deSigned numerous furniture pieces which
blend sculpture and architecture and m 1992, deSigned an Interactive children's
environment at the Delaware Children's Museum entitled Shapes and Other
Awesome Stuff The proposal In Douglas Park IS a senes of functional piCniC
tables, each with a dlstmct deSign to physically and emotionally engage the park
VIsitor The piCniC table concepts are depicted In Exhibit F
The renovation plans were Informed by the Douglas Park DeSign GUidelines and
community preferences The park's ponds will be renovated to resemble the
onglnal deSign. and will Include an accessible Island and bndge, water plantlngs and
fiSh, and vegetation, boulders, and other natural materials to define and protect the
pond edges At the southwestern edge of the main pond, a multi-use area has
been deSigned to accommodate vanous activities, including fly casting, miniature
boat launching, and other uses which reqUire direct access to the water's edge.
SpeCial hours may be established to adequately accommodate certain uses, such as
fly casting, which may require controlled access In this area of the park
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The children's play area has been completely renovated and with the water featurer
expanded Into the oval pool area. In keepIng with the Input from the park
community design process partIcipants The Douglas Park Design GUldellnesr as
well as the park user survey (see Exhibit GL Indicate that the most popular use of
the oval pool area IS for exclusive use by children AlternatIve uses for the oval
pool area were Investlgatedr including a multi-use option In which the pool could be
filled with water periodically for use by fly casters A feaSibility study of thiS option
Identified Significant Issues associated with use of the pool for casting actlvltYr
including high construction and maintenance costs, programming Issues, water
conservation, and safety and operational conSiderations The deSign team found
that the parkrs treesr for Instance, have grown to matunty and In some cases
overshadow the pool. The trees, In combination wIth the close proximIty of the
playground, tenniS courtsr restroomr and streetsr would limit casting activity to Just
a few areas around the pool.
New play equipment deSigned to enhance and reflect the park's unique characterr
comply With disability and safety standards, address dIfferent age groups. and
replace eXIsting deteriorating play structures are proposed (see Exhibit B) The oval
pool area WIll be resurfaced and renovated With a new edge and a ramp to prOVide
access for persons With disabilitIes It Will continue to serve toddlers and young
children on small bikes and wheeled toys.
The proposed restroom bUilding Will replace the eXisting one and Will be Sited In the
same general location The building has been deSigned to complement the eXisting
park atmosphere and structures and also accommodate persons WIth dIsabilities
and young children An elevation of the restroom bUilding IS attached (see Exhibit
Cj.
Playgrounds The plans for the playgrounds In Clover, Manne, Joslyn. and Ozone
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Parks bUild upon and reflect each park's unique character Play equipment has
been selected to offer a variety of active and social play opportunities, and to
accommodate different age groups and persons with disabilities Matenals for the
play structures Include wood, recycled plastics, and steel, and the play surfaces
include sand, decomposed granite, lawn, and poured-in-place rubber for safety and
accessibility The conceptual designs for each playground are depicted on Exhibit
D
Artists Bill and Mary Buchen collaborated With RIOS Associates on the Clover Park
playground renovation The Buchens have previously designed interactive sound
sculptures in a New York City playground where children can explore acoustic and
visual phenomena At the Arizona SCience Center in PhoeniX, they created
sculptures which create harmonic musIcal sounds Responding to the aeronautical
themes of the adjacent Santa MOnica Airport and nearby Museum of FlYing, the
design team proposes a playground With a tower and a paved walk evoking an
airport control tower and runway The Clover Park art element IS depicted In
Exhibit E.
Los Amlgos Play Area. Staff recommends that the proposal for a play area for
older children In Los Amlgos Park be Included WIth the playgrounds portion of thiS
project Crty staff and the design team would work directly With the students to
develop conceptual plans which could then be Included In the project as It enters
the design development and construction stages With the other playgrounds. When
construction documents are completed, a cost estimate Will be made and brought
to the City Council for conSideration
Budgetarv/Flscal Impact
Funds have already been appropriated for the design and construction of the
Douglas Park and Clover, Marine, Joslyn, and Ozone Park playgrounds renovation
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prOject No budgetary actIons are reqUired at this time Adequate funds are
available In CIP account 01-740-511-20098-8900-99665 ($931,255) for Increased
design services by Rlos Associates (estimated at approximately $8,OOO) to develop
desIgn drawings for Los Amlgos Park. Additional funds for construction of a play
area at Los Amlgos Park Will be requested at the time the construction contract for
the playgrounds IS awarded.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City CouncIl approve the concept designs for Douglas
Park and the Clover, Manne, Joslyn, and Ozone Park playgrounds, and direct staff
to proceed with design of the Los Amlgos Park play area In conjunction with the
Santa Monrca-Mahbu Unrfled School Dlstnct and the SMASH Playground
CommIttee.
Prepared by:
Attachments
Barbara Stinchfield, Director
Brett Horner, Senror Admlnrstratlve Analyst
Department of Communrty & Cultural Services
Exhibit A - Douglas Park SIte Plan
Exhibit B - Douglas Park Playground
Exhibit C- Douglas Park Restroom
Exhibit D- Clover, Joslyn, Manne, and Ozone Park Playgrounds
Exhibit E - Clover Park Art Element
Exhibit F - Douglas Park PICniC Tables
Exhibit G - Douglas Park Design GUidelines (p. 6) and Survey
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