Palm Springs' Downtown Park didn't need an award to win the heart of the community but its landscape design is drawing national recognition nonetheless.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has selected Palm Springs' Downtown Park for the "Award of Excellence" to be formally presented in San Francisco next month.
“The goal with this now much loved park was to create an inviting urban oasis for residents and visitors alike to enjoy. The City of Palm Springs is delighted the American Society of Landscape Architects recognizes the extraordinary design elements of this park," Interim City Manager Teresa Gallavan said on the city's website.
Gallavan went on to thank LA-based design firm RIOS and the city's own engineering staff for "their incredible work" in creating an award-winning park for Palm Springs and its visitors.
One of 28 winners chosen out of 508 entries nationwide, the Downtown Park will receive its award at ASLA's annual conference Nov. 11-14 in San Francisco, the website reports.
According to the city, the 1.5-acre Downtown Park was chosen by a panel of judges representing a broad cross-section of landscape architecture, including public and private sectors as well as academia.
"Many of this year’s winning projects were focused on reconnecting communities to landscapes, illustrating the important role landscape architects play in creating places for communities to live, work and play," ASLA President Eugenia Martin said. "From equitable community gathering spaces to addressing climate change, these winners represent the cutting edge of our industry.”
The park has been open to the public for approximately a year now, with hundreds of community members turning out to celebrate the official opening last October, according to an article in The Desert Sun. The park includes an event stage with seating, a water feature, palm trees, benches, public restrooms, a Palm Springs police substation and plaque dedicated to The Desert Inn—a historic hotel established by the "mother" of Palm Springs, Nellie Coffman, in 1909. The park is located on a portion of where the inn once stood.
The creation of this multifaceted recreation site was the result of a $7.6 million construction contract unanimously approved by the city council in October 2019.