Parks and recreation planning is an area of special emphasis for Wirth & Associates. We take great pride in the recreation and open space facilities that we have participated in planning over 26 years of experience and look forward to a continuing dedication to this area of practice in the future. At Wirth & Associates, we base our parks and recreational planning on the following principals:
Emphasizing Environmental Awareness & Balancing the Use and Careful Management of Sensitive Environmental Areas:
Environmentally sensitive areas are being utilized as recreation areas by many communities striving to improve their quality of life. The careful use and management of these areas is a product of careful planning and proper environmental assessment at the beginning of each project. At Wirth & Associates, special care is taken in the planning process when dealing with certain elements such as wetlands, preservation/buffer zones, and environmentally sensitive areas such as Watershed Overlay Districts. Through proper environmental assessment and careful implementation, sensitive areas can successfully be utilized for a variety of recreation facilities such as greenway trails, interpretive & educational facilities, sports and athletic facilities, and waterfront parks.
Meeting Recreational Needs for Diverse Populations:
The intense demand for passive and active outdoor recreation has resulted in parks and recreation planning becoming a national priority. To help these demands, Wirth & Associates can work with the Park & Recreation Department and the public to determine these diverse recreation needs through the use of community surveys, needs assessments, public planning events such as workshops or charettes, and the formation of master plans, capitol improvement plans and/or budgets both system wide and on individual sites.
It is most important that park plans reflect the desires and concerns of the communities and direct users that they will serve. Incorporating the public’s ideas into the programming of the park facilities not only builds consensus but also builds community pride that affects the way the public uses the proposed facilities. With the amount of new facilities currently being programmed for all parts of the County, it is essential that a balance of recreational opportunities is provided and that duplication of facilities be avoided.
Responding to Programs and Budgets:
W&A provides the same level of attention to meeting project schedules and budgets whether the project is a neighborhood park or a system of parks for an entire region. Wirth & Associates can assist with the development of park programs, revenue generating activities, cost estimates, and project phasing.
The success of our past planning efforts is a result of our ability, and desire, to provide creative, responsible design solutions that are functional and fiscally sound as well as environmentally responsible. With over 60 years of combined experience in the Charlotte and Piedmont region, Wirth & Associates brings national, and international, experience to these types of planning assignments. Wirth & Associates and our design team has the skills and professional abilities to balance the desired program elements with budget and site constraints while concurrently garnishing consensus and approval of the plans from all concerned parties.
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• Mazeppa Park (Mooresville, NC)
• Rock Springs Nature Preserve Park (Lincoln County, NC)
• Queens University Tennis Complex (Charlotte, NC)
• Yadkinville Community Park (Yadkinville, NC)
• Cornelius Road Park (Mooresville, NC)
• North Mecklenburg Park (Huntersville, NC)
• Clanton Park Phase II (Charlotte, NC)
• Mallard Creek Community Park Phase IV (Mecklenburg County, NC)
• Magla Park (Mooresville, NC)
• Fisher Farm Park (Davidson, NC)
• Bessemer City Park (Bessemer City, NC)
• Bellingham Park (Mooresville, NC)
• Heritage Nature Park (Blacksburg, VA)
• Revolution Rec Center (Charlotte, NC)
• Huntersville Rec Center (Huntersville, NC)
• Mazeppa Park (Mooresville, NC)
• Rock Springs Nature Preserve Park (Lincoln County, NC)
• Queens University Tennis Complex (Charlotte, NC)
• Yadkinville Community Park (Yadkinville, NC)
• Cornelius Road Park (Mooresville, NC)
Greenway Planning and Trail Design
Greenway trails have become a vital part of each community's open space planning and recreational needs. It is known that access to greenways increase adjacent property values and provide a transportation alternative to getting in the car and driving to a destination. To this end, the federal and state governments have funding programs and award grants to communities that can demonstrate that their greenway trail systems can provide an alternative transportation mode.
• West Branch Rocky River Park (Davidson, NC)
• Dye Creek Greenway Master Plan (Mooresville, NC)
• Wesley Heights Greenway (Charlotte, NC)
• Mallard Creek Greenway Master Plans and Phases 1-4 Implementation (Charlotte, NC)
• Torrence Creek Greenway (Huntersville, NC)
• Four Mile Creek Greenway (Charlotte, NC)
• Village Greenway (Concord, NC)
• Lower McAlpine Greenway & Riparian Zone Corridor Enhancements
• West Branch Rocky River Park (Davidson, NC)
• Dye Creek Greenway Master Plan (Mooresville, NC) |
