Project
City Lake Park
The City of High Point purchased the land that would become City Lake Park in the 1920s and designated 26 acres to develop an amusement and recreation park modeled after the famed Luna Park at Coney Island, New York. Over the following decades, the park underwent numerous transformations, featuring the addition of a merry-go-round, a miniature train, a sightseeing boat; even pony rides were available. Amidst these attractions, the grand pool and pavilion stood as the iconic centerpiece, drawing enthusiastic crowds from across the region. By 2017, the park was due for a significant renovation. However, contemplating change was no small feat, as both the pool and its namesake park had become integral to the City of High Point’s cultural identity over the past century, making any transformation a challenge. a challenge that required a careful and comprehensive public engagement process, underscoring the profound connection the community had with this adored space.
- Location
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- High Point, NC
- Project Owner
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- City of High Point
- Project Size
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- 243.3 acres
- Teaming Partners
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- HH Architecture
- Services Leveraged
- Project Types
Public Engagement Process
Public engagement, when done well, builds trust and excitement; creates a shared vision; and provides the principles for complex design and tough financial decisions that, ultimately drive change. In 2017, McAdams led a system-wide planning effort to identify community needs and objectives across the jurisdiction. That planning effort formed the foundation for a community vision to maintain a diverse, inclusive and connected network of parks and amenities that meet current demands, while preserving the historic and natural character of the city’s park system.
Design + Construction
Following the adoption of the City Lake Park master plan, city leaders authorized the design and construction of a $10-million-dollar renovation to the pool, gymnasium building and adjacent greenspace. The renovation would also upgrade aging infrastructure and provide sufficient parking to accommodate the desired increase in visitation. This renovation aimed to breathe new life into the pool, gymnasium building and surrounding greenspace, restoring the facility to its former glory as a signature park and regional attraction.
The original pool, while impressive in size, was lacking in amenities. User expectations had moved beyond just a space to wade and swim laps. Water slides had been added some years ago, but they lacked the supporting amenities modern families demand. To overcome these shortcomings, the design team boldly proposed to downsize the pool to an Olympic lap size and create space for additional amenities. The Olympic-size pool now supports competitive events, swim lessons, and other fitness programs.
A central waterplay area was constructed in the space formerly occupied by the main pool. This includes an expansive zero-edge splash pad with a play structure that transitions to a lazy river and vortex feature. Large shade sails flank the water play area, providing excellent lounging opportunities. This has emerged as the most popular area on the pool deck, where groups of all ages and abilities consistently gather for summer fun.
The waterslide zone received upgrades as well. The existing water slides were refreshed with bold paint and a new slide was added. The new two-person, side-by-side slide includes a timing clock for “drag racing” fun, elevating the action and excitement.
Further site improvements increased the park’s multi-functional capacity. A broad entry plaza, constructed of heavy-duty pavers provides event space and food truck staging directly off the parking lot. The paving pattern is aquatically inspired and guides visitors to the main entrance. An outdoor stage and lawn support large events year-round. These improvements create a welcoming and highly visible entryway from the new parking area.
Challenge + Success
Overall, the renovation has proven to be a resounding success, providing the intended positive impacts to the community. This success was not without challenges. For example, several mature trees were removed to make space for the new event lawn and parking. This changed the character of the park and was alarming to some. Many unknown structural and infrastructure issues were revealed during demolition and required quick reassessment and redesign. Despite these challenges, the project continued to move steadily forward, partly thanks to the vision established by the robust public engagement process.
The project’s success is visible in the numbers. Despite an unseasonably cold and gloomy opening day in 2023, pool visitation leaped from 20,000 visitors prerenovation to 50,000 in its first season. 131 rentals and 76 events were hosted in its first summer. City Lake Pool is again a star-facility, boosting High Point’s rich social life and providing lifetime memories for generations to come.
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