Revitalizing Galloway Lake Park: A Vision for a Thriving Urban Community Park
Galloway Lake Park is a sprawling 64-acre urban park located in Pontiac, Michigan, which has historically been underutilized and neglected. In 2022, the City of Pontiac embarked on a mission to revitalize the park and establish a new vision for its future.
PEA Group divided the project into four tasks: public engagement, a public design charrette, conceptual site planning, and preliminary cost estimation. Following a site visit, we launched an online survey accessible to the public to gather insights on the desired park amenities and aesthetics from the community. Subsequently, our team conducted focus groups with safety officials, non-profits, educators, and other community leaders to identify any potential limitations and gather suggestions regarding safety measures and programming for the park. We then organized a public design charrette, providing community members with comprehensive information about the site. With this information, the public was given the opportunity to engage in the design and provide their thoughts and feedback. Through this process, we gained an understanding of the community’s perception of urban parks and obtained valuable input on crucial park amenities.
The next step involved developing a conceptual site plan for the park. Due to its large size and the significant importance of safety and maintenance, we consolidated the active program elements into one area to create a central hub of activity. The program elements include a state-of-the-art play structure, picnic pavilions, walking trails, and new bathrooms. Lastly, we prepared a cost estimation for the park. Considering the scale of the project, we broke it down into smaller phases to effectively accomplish the Pontiac Community Foundation’s goals. Our team presented the final concept at a City Council meeting, and we received overwhelming support from both the Council members and the community.
Fun Fact:
- Galloway’s 64 acres make it the city’s second-largest park after Hawthorne, which has 77 acres.
Features:
- Pontiac’s Galloway Lake Park could get big facelift
- Galloway Lake Park’s future discussed Monday evening in Pontiac