2018 Annual WASLA Conference

Motif Seattle, March 16, 2018

 

 

3:00 - 4:00 pm
Wellness through Community Based Design

Description:

This story telling session will describe a community-driven renovation of a neighborhood park in South Wenatchee, a dense majority-Latino community. Both community members and city officials highlight community health as the neighborhood's top priority, and in turn, the park renovation has created a space for new conversations around the role of local parks in creating stronger ties to the neighborhood's anchor institutions for health.

The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with Site Workshop and South Wenatchee artist, Terry Valdez, will share their roles in using art, culture, and design to give voice to a community's vision for their local green space, engaging non-traditional partners ranging from doctors and social workers to ministers and mariachis. As our profession strives to increase wellness through access to nature, cultural destinations, and improved community cohesion, this project presents a prototype for community engagement useful to all landscape architects working in the public realm.

Lead Speaker:

Vinita Sidhu, PLA ASLA

Speaker Bios:

Vinita Sidhu, PLA ASLA, Principal, Site Workshop
Vinita Sidhu, PLA ASLA is a Principal at Site Workshop. Her professional practice has been rooted in the Pacific Northwest with projects ranging in scale from small play area renovations to multi-acre campuses. Her recent work has had a strong focus on public parks and school grounds, working with community groups and non-profits to create enduring landscapes through meaningful engagement.

Cary Simmons, Northwest Program Manager, The Trust for Public Land
Cary Simmons is the Northwest Director for The Trust for Public Land's Parks for People Program. Cary's approach to park-making is rooted in community, with the belief that the process of community members coming together to create a park is just as transformational as the park itself. His built work includes memorials, rain gardens, playgrounds, urban plazas, and public parks.

Terry Valdez, Owner, Terry Valdez Studios
Terry Valdez is the owner of Terry Valdez Studios. A practicing professional artist, he has a strong hands-on belief in the positive approach of advocating for creative chaos in using the arts to build community from the inside out. He has been instrumental in creating the successful K-Art curriculum for the Wenatchee Public Schools now in its fifth year.

Learning Objectives:
  • Learn how to tailor a meaningful community engagement process to the specific needs of local residents, stakeholders, and governments.
  • Acquire an understanding of methods and metrics used for park planning in underserved, marginalized communities.
  • Understand how park planning and design can create stronger ties to healthcare and other public health outcomes.