Washington Park Activity Area Renovation

Transformation of the Heart of a Beloved Denver Park

Location: Denver, CO

Washington Park is one of Denver’s most loved and heavily utilized parks. It is popular for its open meadows, scenic lakes, and extensive hard surface and natural-surface trails. As a result of this popularity, some areas have been impacted by over-use. Stream was selected to design a renovation for a central area of the park and diagonal road that serves as a primary park access.

Design challenges included preserving the site’s historic character and its numerous mature trees and improving ADA accessibility. The completed project transformed the well-worn and poorly organized area of the park into an efficient, attractive activity hub. Stream accomplished this by completely reorganizing circulation facilities to increase parking, bike trails, and pedestrian trails, and by providing a complete renovation of the picnic areas and historic features. The project provides the framework and infrastructure for future improvements identified during the planning process, including a future regional-scale playground, additional sport courts, and updated restrooms.