Roswell River Parks—Riverside

Riverside Park, a gem in Roswell’s Park system, is well-loved and utilized for large community events, small family gatherings, and everyday recreation. The site is part of a system of riverfront open spaces, known as Roswell River Parks, that Starr Whitehouse is designing for the City of Roswell, Georgia. Consisting of four parks whose separate ecologies, geologies and histories of use shape site-specific programs, the park system aims to increase access to the Chattahoochee for local families while also protecting and expanding native riverine habitats. The design for Riverside Park is organized around a central axis that visually connects a new entry plaza to the bandstand. The park’s two active use zones – a sprayground on the east and a destination playground on the west – flank the entry plaza, providing exciting opportunities for water play, nature play, and active and passive recreation. On the east of the central axis, the sprayground evokes Roswell’s historic mill history with a water wheel feature and play elements that channel water through embedded rock features. On the west, the universally accessible destination playground takes advantage of the natural floodplain of the site, creating an “upper bank” with swings and an iconic play tower. The “floodplain” is demarcated by an accessible path, with embankment slides and play elements that cascade down the “riparian embankment” to a lower level with oversized leaf climbers, giving children imaginative fodder for pretend play.