Strathcona Park Renovation Vancouver BC


Strathcona Park Renovation, Vancouver BC

Traditionally, this east-side park had been a city mainstay as a venue for field sports.  In renovating the park, Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation wished to create a community-centred focus with more varied park elements to draw in a wider range of park users.  PD Group was appointed to lead the re-design of the park.  Earlier attempts to gain support for changes had stalled and it was essential to actively engage the community in the design process.  Early consultations with stakeholders via a workshop process resulted in broad agreement on an approach.  The new scheme inserted play features, a pathway network with new park entries, basketball court, skateboard spot and a focal point shelter at the heart of the park along with new planting.  The remaining play fields were reconfigured and upgraded with improved drainage and irrigation.  Throughout the revitalized park, storm drainage was handled by sustainable means, solving previous problem areas and maximizing infiltration using stone filled trenches and sumps with overflow connections only to the city storm sewer system.