211 - Storytelling Through Play
Eric Hornig, Principal, Hitchcock Design Group; Doug Fair, Senior Associate, Hitchcock Design Group; Eric Shutes, Director of Planning, Naperville Park District
In recent years, destination play has driven foot traffic to large and small communities alike throughout the United States. Destination play spaces, such as Morton Arboretum Children’s Garden, Bellaboos Imagination Garden, 95th Street Community Plaza, and Bison’s Bluff, have been catalysts for local economic influence because they bring in visitors from all over the region and country. What makes them special and worthy of being a destination? They each tell a story of local context, organizational mission, and shared resources. What stories does your community have to tell, and how might they be manifested in your parks?
Learning Outcomes:
- Define a storytelling destination play space and identify the key elements that make up this unique project type.
- Understand the importance of each element and the essential steps in the design process: budgeting, community input, pushing design boundaries, construction delivery methods, and approaches for this project type.
- Identify the potential effects of adding a destination play space in the community, including attendance, memberships, operations, maintenance, and long-term considerations.