Photo Credit: Thadd Fiala
Community parks have never been needed as much as in recent times. Meeting other people while taking a stroll or stopping to watch water flow from a fountain has helped offer meaningful connections in this time of such isolation. That’s why it is so important to offer the spaces and elements that can help cultivate community and make a park a great public place.
Designers and urban planners refer to the concept of “placemaking” when attempting to foster pedestrian-friendly spaces that attract people and create social activity. Placemaking is a combination of factors that can draw the public into a gathering place—accessibility, cleanliness, safety, and more. These elements also point to a single, unique draw to any place: the inclusion of water.
Park operators who are fortunate enough to manage a natural body of water—ponds, lakes, or riverfronts—can attest to the attraction of water. However, what’s missing from these types of parks (and why they aren’t automatically considered great public places) is the ability to touch the water. Consider the redevelopment of the Cincinnati Riverfront at Smale Park: while the banks of the Ohio River offered a beautiful backdrop for the park, the project still included numerous staircase water features, impressive two-story, rain curtain fountains, and multiple interactive water features. Because of the water-feature additions that Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering completed in 2012, the park continues to be a major draw for residents and visitors who enjoy splashing in the water or watching the colorful fountains—all in an accessible, clean, and safe way.