OJB’s Chip Trageser explains how the Adventure Path will be woven through the children’s play area. Immediately behind the team is the building which houses restrooms and offices. Park visitors will be able to sit atop the building on the rooftop sky terrace to enjoy a performance under the pavilion or watch their children at play.
Westchase District staff members were accompanied by Board Chairman Harry Greenblatt on a recent construction tour of Camden Park. Led by two members of the design team from OJB, staff walked through and around the park, enjoying a sneak peek of the park features taking shape as construction clears the 15-month mark. “It’s rewarding to see all the features that were created in our minds, coming to life within the park,” said Westchase District President Irma Sanchez, who oversaw the park’s design.
The 3.4-acre park is located at 2951 Wilcrest Drive, immediately north of Richmond Avenue. The walking tour offered a glimpse of what is being built behind the construction fencing.
The dog park, which is divided into separate areas for large and small dogs, is taking shape with berms and trees. The tunnel in the small dog portion of the park has been installed, while construction stakes mark the location of where the exterior fence will be located. Several Cypress trees have been relocated from the Beltway (where they were scheduled to be removed due to a planned roadway project) to the dog park. OJB’s Justin Seale said the trees were moved in early, because a giant spade was required to move the mature trees and their 100-inch root ball. The dog park features moss rock boulders, hand-picked and sourced in Texas.
The exterior walls for the 2,800-square-foot restaurant that will be home to Sunday Press are built. The restaurant will have indoor seating, a walk-up service window and outdoor, movable seating. Diners will enjoy the large glass windows and natural light throughout the building.
The recently-installed Corten steel bridge features planting boxes at the bottom of the arches. Climbing vines will be planted in the boxes, allowing them to grow up and over the trellised archways. The bridge is ADA-compliant and allows visitors to access the park from Library Loop Trail.
The recently-installed bridge is one of three major entrances to Camden Park.
Both the slide and the climbing wall have been installed in the children’s play area, along with a lit tunnel for children to crawl through. Two family restrooms and an outdoor hand-washing station are adjacent to the children’s play area.
OJB’s Chip Trageser, who was on the OJB design team that envisioned the park, said, “Camden Park is going to have the best playground in town.”
It’s still too soon to predict when Camden Park might open to the public. Construction is currently ahead of schedule, but much will depend on whether the construction is delayed by summer rains.
It’s not too soon for Westchase District staff to be working on plans for the formal opening of the park and it’s year-round programming. Stay tuned for updates.
The steel beams in the ceiling of Sunday Press are designed in the shape of a leaf.
Floor-to-ceiling windows will offer diners at Sunday Press a great view of the antics in the dog park.
Mature Cypress trees have already found their home in the dog park.
