The three finalist teams for Riverfront Park’s redesign got to scope out their competition, Tuesday, during a park tour. The city of Spokane brought the teams for a site visit as part of the overall selection process.
The three finalists and Parks and Recreation Director Leroy Eadie spoke in front of the Rotary Foundation. Eadie says they each represent top-notch design firms and architects.
Eadie: “When there’s a mention of the greatest urban parks in American we want our Riverfront Park to be at the top of that list. Along the list of parks like Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Chicago’s Millennium Park, and Boston’s Post Office Square.”
The finalists are led by: Walker Macy, The Berger Partnership, and Hargreaves Associates. First, we heard from Douglas Macy of Portland-based Walker Macy.
Macy: “It’s a fantastic resource, it’s an iconic waterfall, its magnificent. We were here earlier in the spring when the flows were a little bit higher, it was fabulous. It is just a pleasure to be considered for this project.”
Next, Guy Michaelson of the Seattle-based Berger Partnership, speaking about his local partners.
Michaelson: “Dave Nelson from land expressions… did Huntington Park and city hall plaza… And the interesting this about Dave, too, is he’s got deep roots in this park. His father was the original contractor who built the majority of the park way back when.”
Finally, Gavin McMillan of Hargreaves Associates in San Francisco, who heard about Expo 74 as a child.
McMillan: “…Which led me into landscape architecture, which led me to working on an Expo in another place, which led me to working on the first green Olympic Games, and the most green games in London in 2012. So I kind of feel like I’ve come full circle.”
Parks and rec communications director Monique Cotton says the teams will present to the public June 3rd, then be interviewed June 4th. This week they toured three sites: South Rimrock Drive on Palisades Park, Upriver Drive near Avista’s headquarters, and an overlook on the confluence of Spokane River and Latah Creek.
The Riverfront Park Master Plan will be funded primarily through the park bond money approved by voters in fall 2014.
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