Three possible design options for an expanded Drew Park ask respondents to prioritize between nature areas, gathering spaces and places to play and keep active.
Residents in and around Green Valley have until May 10 to submit feedback on draft concept designs for the park at 2310 S. Kenmore Street, next to Drew Elementary School. The online form asks for residents’ thoughts on each of the options — “Grow Together,” “Gather Together” and “Play Together” — along with a possible restroom facility.
County staff developed the concepts based on public input collected last fall, seeking direction for the $2.2 million project to unite existing facilities with land acquired from the YMCA, Arlington Public Schools and a duplex demolished last August.
These aren’t finished designs, but feedback will help shape a final draft concept this summer, to be followed by commission, advisory board and County Board consideration in the fall and winter.
‘Grow Together’
The first option “focuses on nature, on stewardship and living systems,” Adam Segel-Moss, community engagement manager for the Department of Parks and Recreation, said in an online presentation. Elements include the following.
- A community orchard and neighborhood garden beds in the middle terrace.
- Expanded meadow and woodland plantings throughout, prioritizing native species and pollinator habitats.
- A gateway trellis at the park entrance.
- A community kitchen with a covered outdoor cooking and prep space with grills and a demonstration area.
“The idea here is a park that grows with the community, where caring for the landscape becomes a way of gathering and really building shared ownership,” Segel-Moss said.
‘Gather Together’
The second option places emphasis on “connection and shared experiences.” It includes the following elements.
- A hillside seating area nestled into the park’s slope.
- An ADA-accessible path that becomes the spine of the whole park, connecting the upper and lower zones.
- A flexible performance stage at the base of the hill.
- A picnic pavilion with grills, tables, and shaded shelter.
- A flex lawn and bioswale meadow.
“The design responds most directly to the single most requested category in the first engagement. People want Drew Park to feel like a place where you can gather, stay and belong,” Segel-Moss said.
‘Play Together’
The final option builds on the popularity of the park’s current playground facilities, while also incorporating activity areas for visitors of all ages. It includes the following.
- STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] and climber play, expanding play opportunities for more age groups.
- A fitness loop and outdoor fitness equipment for adults throughout the upper grove and middle terrace.
- Game tables and a flex field for informal and unstructured play.
- A log walk and nature-play features that connect kids to a love of nature.
- Clear wayfinding and signage connecting the park, the school, and the community center.
Bathroom options
The feedback form also asks respondents about options for a possible bathroom. The choice is between a single-user bathroom, a larger but more expensive two-bathroom building, and no bathroom.
