GameTime Creates Majestic Play Space to Symbolize the Rich Heritage of the Queen City

The second oldest park in Cincinnati was recently revitalized through a unique partnership between the Cincinnati Park Board and the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC). Working together, the two organizations engaged in a community-based master planning process to create a civic space, which includes a beautiful, custom-themed GameTime playground.

Washington Park designers were committed to creating a play environment that reflected the community’s cultural and architectural heritage. David Williams and Associates from GameTime worked closely with the park’s planners to fully understand the history and significance of the project and to create a safe and imaginative play environment for children of all ages.

To deliver a one-of-a-kind destination play scape, leading design firms Human Nature, Inc. and Site Master, Inc. partnered with Landmark Design, the custom play division of GameTime, to create a themed playground with a canal boat for climbing and exploring, a tower with an internal spiral slide and a castle mound fit for all manner of heroic play.

“The process for designing the playground was fun,” said David Whittaker, ASLA , Associate Principal and LEED AP for Human Nature, Inc. “We are lucky that Cincinnati and the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood are rich in architectural and cultural history. We used these gifts of our community to inspire a playground that honors the Samuel Hannaford architectural legacy and echoes the once economically and culturally important Miami-Erie canal that used to flow nearby.”
The planning team for the park also took a unique approach to its design by holding a design charrette where neighborhood children proposed ideas for the playground. “Many of the ideas they shared with us became part of the final design,” said Whittaker.

The park has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the community, and many residents believe the park is playing a significant role in the revitalization of the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Residents also enjoy the wide array of events and activities now supported by the park.

David Williams and Associates representative Bob Greiwe has visited Washington Park many times since its completion, and is amazed to see the positive changes the park has brought to the community. “I really enjoyed seeing the entire culture of the neighborhood change.” said Greiwe, “From the outset, we knew this was a special project and were thrilled to be a part of it.”