Greensboro Plan2Play Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019

92 - FEBRUARY 2019

Case Study: Imagine Pear St. Park Pear Street Park is a one-acre neighborhood park at the intersection of English Street and Pear Street in southeast Greensboro. This illustrated example provides guidance and a “kit of parts” for consideration for basic upgrades to many existing parks. The park is typical of most neighborhood parks in Greensboro: it includes a small playground and benches, but lacks an accessible path or bridge over the creek and into the neighborhood on the west edge of the park. Pear Street Park is also proximate to a large neighborhood of families and several religious institutions; yet, it lacks safe ways to the cross the street to these destinations. The plan envisions a variety of potential updates to Pear Street Park, or parks like it, to enhance its attraction to and usability for neighbors, create identity through programs and amenities tailored to the local neighborhoods, and ensure ways to make the park inviting for all ages and abilities.

• Increase shade trees around playgrounds and seating areas.

• Include community-designed artwork to brighten up the parks in all seasons. • Install accessible park paths and retrofit playgrounds with universal / inclusive design.

• Reduce need for mowing around floodways and along creeks and streams through more native plantings. • Install updated lounge chairs, benches, and solar charging stations - oriented to encourage reading, socializing, and people watching. • Assess community interest in partnerships serving identified needs and desires for example, food access / distribution, public health, & wellness programs, etc.

• Improve walking and bicycling

connections between the park and neighborhood amenities.

• Introduce mobile recreation opportunities (e.g. ecobus) that offer unique and pop-up programming on site. Options could include outdoor games such as giant checkers, jenga, or chess for all ages.

Potential improvements include:

• Install new signage and wayfinding close to primary park entrances.

Figure 59. Pear Street Park as it appears today.