Davis-White Neighborhood Park Playscape Replacement
Austin Parks and Recreation replaced the existing play equipment at Davis-White Northeast Neighborhood Park. The goal of this project was to provide new playground equipment and surfacing while ensuring compliance with ADA standards for amenities and walkways. The project is complete and open to the public! City Council District 1.
Background
Davis-White Northeast Neighborhood Park, covering 19.694 acres, is located at 6705 Crystalbrook Dr. Austin, TX 78724. It was renamed in 2007 after two Austin heroes, Captain Willie Ray Davis and Captain Louie White, who broke racial barriers by becoming the first African Americans appointed to leadership positions in the City of Austin Fire and Police Departments, respectively. The park included a 2-5 year old play area, a swing set, and a 5-12 year old play area, among other amenities that foster community and enjoyment within the urban landscape.
Project Description
Davis-White Northeast Park is a beloved neighborhood park that includes three play equipment areas. The existing manufactured playscapes was identified by the Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) conditions assessment for playscape replacement. The project team requested feedback from park users to develop a playground replacement plan that aligned with the community’s preferences, park standards, and environmental features of the site.
Objectives
By replacing and improving the playground equipment, APR sought to accomplish the following objectives:
- Ensure that the new playground meets the needs and preferences of the community.
- Increase the variety of play equipment available to encourage physical activity, social interaction, and imaginative play.
- Create a welcoming environment accessible to children of all abilities.
- Integrate responsible landscaping practices in alignment with the environmental features of the site.
Project Schedule
- Spring 2024: Community Engagement and Design Development
- Summer 2024: Permitting and Bid Solicitations
- Fall 2024: Construction began
- Winter 2025: Construction complete and open to the public!
Community Engagement
APR worked with community members to identify values and priorities for the playscape improvements. Community engagement included a series of pop-ups and surveys. A summary of the two rounds of community engagement can be reviewed here.
- Round 1: Existing Play Features
Engagement focused on evaluating the existing play features with the community to determine priorities for the new equipment.
- Community Survey #1: Closed June 14, 2024
- Pop-Up Events:
- Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at Turner-Roberts Recreation Center
- Saturday, May 25, 2024 at Davis-White Northeast Park Playground
- Thursday, May 30 , 2024 at Davis-White Northeast Park Playground
- Round 2: Future Play Amenities
Engagement focused on determining preferences for the future equipment including theming, colors, and playscape elements. Pop-ups during this round allowed for in-person voting of the playscape options (with images) in order to facilitate the participation of the community.
In total, the project team compiled 8 online responses, and 94 in-person votes to determine the playscape improvements. See the in-person voting results here.
- Community Survey #2: Closed July 31, 2024
- Community Pop-Ups
- Thursday, July 18, 2024 at Turner-Roberts Recreation Center
- Sunday, July 21, 2024 at Davis-White Northeast Park Playground
- Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at University Hills Library
Funding and Resources
The project was funded by Certificates of Obligation (COs). COs are non-voter approved municipal bonds designed to finance public projects identified as essential for the community. Additional project funds provided by Austin Parks Foundation and Spurs Give.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact Leslie Perez, APR Project Coordinator by e-mail or at 512-974-9473.