Jefferson City Fulfills Promise to Residents with Community Park Updates

Jefferson City, Missouri’s population was rising, and they saw the need for parks and recreation facilities to grow alongside those numbers. With many parks and facilities out-of-date, they needed a plan to prioritize renovations and identify the costs associated. 

Three years ago, Landworks Studio was selected to assist the city in those efforts. Together, we partnered on the development of a city-wide Parks, Recreation and Forestry Master Plan with the goal of creating a road map to 2030. To pinpoint Jefferson City’s needs, we conducted a thorough investigation and analysis of the entire city and used the data collected to not only master plan each of their parks, but to create a multi-faceted strategy for updating, implementing, and maintaining their parks and recreation facilities.

One goal of this master plan was to provide all residents with equal access to quality outdoor spaces. The neighborhoods surrounding Community Park were historically left without as much access to park space and facilities than other parts of the city. In 1985, the city council had promised residents they would update Community Park and begin correcting the inequitable distribution of park and recreation funding. Because of this, it was selected as the first site for improvements. Located in the heart of a highly populated and under-served area, our plans outlined it needed to fit within the community and provide a wide range of amenities for all age groups. This ensures the park will be a community asset for all surrounding residents and not just a few.

The Landworks Studio design team provided master planning and construction documentation services, as part of the complete renovation of this 3.5-acre neighborhood park. We partnered with Hydro Dramatics, Engineering Surveys & Services and WNB Architects on this project. Program elements in this $2.5 million park rehabilitation include art, upgrades to the adjacent community center, playgrounds for all ages, two splashpads, restrooms, shelters and improved vehicular circulation.

The completed park meets the city’s goal to create an inclusive outdoor space. As one Jefferson City park maintenance worker said, “This really is a park for all.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.