PARDALL GARDENS
Isla Vista, California

Project Background:
In efforts to supplement a constrained budget in this underserved community, Isla Vista Parks and Recreation Department depends on state funding sources to provide valuable updates to their special parks district. In 2021, IVRPD turned to PCLD to help prepare documentation needed for the Recreational Infrastructure Revenue Enhancement (RIRE) Program and Per Capita Program through California State Parks funding. Pardall Gardens had been identified through an IVRPD targeted community engagement campaign designed to prioritize which parks and what improvements the Isla Vista residents wanted to see within their district.

Design:
From inception of the project, PCLD worked in hand with IVRPD to create a strategy to fulfill application requirements while giving necessary weight and time for the community to weigh in on the design and budgetary implications for the district in the design of Pardall Gardens. Because of the parks unique location on one of the busiest cyclist and pedestrian streets in Isla Vista, PCLD created an in-person engagement installation which allowed residents to give feedback either digitally, or on a community chalkboard present on site. QR codes linked the designs posted on-site to surveys, that gave further feedback on the three prepared concepts for the park. Based on feedback from the district’s previous outreach, three design options were provided for voting and feedback that differently sought to capitalize on the unique under-utilized lot in the heart of Isla Vista’s bustling core: Social, Peaceful, or Playful Pardall. In alignment with IVRPD’s over-arching values of sustainability and low-impact design, ‘Peaceful Pardall’ was the top vote-getter and selected design solution submitted to the grantor. This application was submitted successfully and is expected to being construction documentation later in 2022.