Mackin completed the Slippery Rock Community Park Master Plan as part of the Northwestern Butler County Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan. Two additional properties, both undeveloped pieces of land, were designed to provide safe route connections to the park and places for recreation and leisure near neighborhoods.
The Community Park is a 57 acre property that included existing recreational fields, a park office and library, playgrounds, pavilions and a pond. The Mackin team worked with the Park Administrative and Maintenance personnel to maximize the use of the remaining steep slopes and connect the park to the community. The planning process began with an understanding of the issues and opportunities and needs of the community. Mackin and the project committee crafted design recommendations for both short term and long range improvements. Pedestrian and vehicular conflicts were resolved with the inclusion of a complete redesign of the park’s entrance and parking lot to allow users to travel and park at the perimeter, while establishing a purely pedestrian ‘safe zone’ in the interior of the property.
A unique opportunity was capitalized on; the park became a pedestrian link between the adjacent Slippery Rock Elementary School and neighboring residential homes. The Master Plan incorporated a system of accessible routes to establish connections, and took advantage of an existing wetlands and provided a boardwalk and overlook gazebo for the children to utilize as an outdoor classroom and learning space. Outdoor spaces and educational supports were designed to support environmentally based learning programs within the park.
