A Walk in the Park & A Silver Maple

Sunlight filters through the lush canopy of a sprawling tree, casting dappled shadows on the verdant park landscape below.

As with many design projects, plans sometimes shift when unexpected conditions arise. That’s exactly what happened during a recent site walk through Dormont Park with the Committee. The team was reviewing the proposed layout for the northern section of the park near the Memorial Drive entrance—where the new “Walk in the Park” accessible pathway will wind its way toward the future playground. The design team marked key design features with flags, including the pathway.

We discovered that the planned path was getting a little too close to a beautiful, mature Silver Maple. This particular tree has been part of the park landscape since before the original playground was built. To preserve the tree and protect its critical root zone, the design team promptly adjusted the path layout.

The revised route will continue to offer an accessible and scenic approach to the playground—

now with a thoughtful curve around one of the park’s most iconic trees.