Parks staff honored for landscape design
A pair of Aspen Parks Department projects have been chosen for recognition from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
The landscape work at the Snyder Park affordable-housing complex, featuring a waterfall, two wetland ponds and pedestrian walkways, received an honor for superior professional accomplishment. The John Denver Sanctuary along the Roaring Fork River earned a merit award for outstanding accomplishment in the design profession. The sanctuary was a collaborative effort between the Parks Department and Denver’s family.
The ASLA awards were created to recognize Colorado and Wyoming landscape architecture professionals and other affiliates in their pursuit to lead, educate and participate in the careful stewardship, planning and design of the cultural and natural environment. The submitted projects were judged for quality of design, functionalism, and relationship to context, environmental responsibility and overall relevance to landscape architecture.
“The Parks Department felt that we had completed four incredible projects,” said parks planner Scott Chism. “We submitted the John Denver Sanctuary, Rio Grande Skate Park, Snyder Park and Yellow Brick Park.”
“These projects were competing with some of the top projects in the state,” added Stephen Ellsperman, deputy parks director. “The fact that we planned, designed and constructed these projects all within our own office shows the professionalism of our staff.”
A year ago, the Parks Department was honored for the Moore Playing Fields with an ASLA merit award and a Landscape Stewardship Award. The department collaborated with DHM Design and American Civil Construction on the fields, next to the Aspen schools campus.
Foodstuff: What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?
It’s almost time to ring in the new year and if your holiday schedule is shaping up to be as packed as mine, I wish you a well-deserved rest in 2024. In the meantime, it’s our chance to party, and party we shall.
