What Have We Been Up To?

Breckon landdesign is proud of our recent work on a number of public projects.  If you visited the Western Idaho Fair this year, you may have noted the new entry plaza and landscape design we completed in conjunction with Hummel Architects.  

But the projects we’re most excited about involve conceptual designs for future parks in the Meridian and Boise areas.

Golda Harris Nature Preserve

Mayor Bieter presents the designs for the Golda Harris Nature Preserve

We recently completed a conceptual plan for this 3.6-acre future park on the Boise River near the Parkcenter Bridge and the new Marianne Williams Park in east Boise. Our landscape architects will continue to work with LeNir LTD and Boise Parks & Recreation staff to further refine this plan for development into a natural riverfront park.

Proposed amenities include walking paths and gathering places for education, wildlife observation, and meditation. The plan also calls for enhancements to existing vegetation to strengthen the landscape’s habitat value, as well as interpretive signage, and integration of art pieces that key into the history of the area and the significance of the Boise River to our community.

Our staff attended an on-site dedication ceremony on Monday, October 19 where plans for the park were shared with the public. Members of the Harris Family also spoke about the park’s namesake and her love of the area. Both the Boise Weekly and the Idaho Statesman covered the dedication.

Meridian Parks & Recreation Master Plan

Kim Warren of Breckon landdesign, alongside Meridian Parks and Recreation Director, Steve Siddoway, 
presents the design for the South Meridian Regional Park

For much of 2015, our staff has been working with GreenPlay LLC on a Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the City of Meridian. The project began with a thorough inventory and assessment of Meridian’s existing facilities along with a rigorous community input process involving interviews, stakeholder groups, and a community survey. This helped determine and prioritize need for Meridian’s Parks and Recreation Facilities and Programs. 

Our role focused on designing the preliminary master plans for three proposed regional parks: South Meridian Regional Park near South Eagle Road and Lake Hazel; West Meridian Regional Park at Cherry Lane and McDermott Road; and Margaret Aldape Park northwest of Linder Road and Chinden Blvd.

Margaret Aldape Park, a 60-acre parcel donated by Sherrie and John Ewing, will have the distinction of being Meridian's first riverfront park. It will be developed as a passive-use natural area with walking paths, ponds for non-motorized boats and water recreation, as well as areas for community and cultural events. Plans for the park will preserve and enhance habitat for a variety of wildlife species on site, including deer, elk, turkey, Great Blue Heron, and fox.

In additional to the three proposed park plans, our team also worked on an update to the 2010 Meridian Pathways Master Plan and developed strategic objectives for the Urban Forestry department to ensure the continued growth, health, and longevity of Meridian’s Urban Forest.