Fish Creek, one of Canada’s largest urban parks, was faced with aging infrastructure that was unsafe and unsupportive in enhancing the user experience in the Park. Ground3 and GGA were initially engaged in an assessment to evaluate the numerous structures and pathways in the park. This assessment led to the redevelopment of the Glennfield group shelter area as an initial demonstration project of how the entire park could be redeveloped. GGA and G3 developed a design strategy of locating facilities and redesigning shelters to work in harmony with the circulation patterns and landscape of the park. The resulting designs provide a safer, more controlled user experience as well as a series of facilities that work together to create group use and more activation of the Glennfield sites. By consolidating remote and incompatible facilities within a master plan network of pathways and access points, the shelters provide better formal (bookings) and informal use. The team collaborated with RJC Engineering to design elegant simple spans using CLT panels to reflect the unique setting and also incorporate corrugated metal components to allude to the history of Fish Creek as the northern boundary of the Burns Ranch. Subtle theming was incorporated with the signage which involved an internal competition to rename the three shelters to the Crocus, Blackbird and Aspen. The masterplan for the park is to employ similar designs throughout to create a comprehensive redevelopment of the park for the future.
