Peace Mound Park

The impetus for the project lied in addressing existing ADA accessibility issues and bringing the park up to the same high standards of other parks in the city. Another major concern during the design of the project was the preservation of the existing tree canopy and the shaded, passive feeling of the park. Due to the significant amount of re-grading that was necessary in order to make the park ADA accessible, 85 of the nearly 500 existing trees had to be removed, and another 120 trees were relocated on site. To offset this loss, however, 150 new trees have been planted, including 18 specimen Live Oak trees. All of the walkways throughout the park are now accessible by wheelchair, and in many cases, this is made possible through the use of decorative stone retaining walls, which allowed for the preservation of the many existing mature trees within the park. The existing tot lot and swings have been replaced with a new play area that includes play equipment for children of all ages and physical abilities. The main play structure is completely accessible by children in wheelchairs, with a ramp leading up to the main platforms. Another major feature of the park is that it contains a significant archeological site with artifacts from the Tequesta Indians. Throughout the course of the project, care was taken not to disturb this area, and 8 new bronze plaques with information on the history of the area have been inlaid in the walkways that surround it.