Springbrook Nature Center Master Plan
Fridley, Minnesota
Work in collaboration with HKGi | Image Source: Springbrook Nature Center Foundation
“My father-in-law grew up in a rural, heavily wooded area in northern Minnesota. Sadly, in his later years, he began suffering from dementia. My wife and I had to move him to a care facility near us in Fridley. His condition continued to deteriorate. Eventually, he didn’t recognize anyone in the family and rarely spoke. One day, I decided to take him to Springbrook. As we entered the Savannah Oaks, he suddenly asked how my wife was! We had 45 minutes of meaningful conversation. On the way back to the care facility, he again lapsed into his condition. But for a brief moment, I had him back, and I will always be grateful for that.”
— Fridley Resident
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: HKGi
Image Source: Springbrook Nature Center Foundation
Project Goals:
Encourage stewardship of natural resources by demonstrating and teaching the community the economic and practical aspects of “Green Technology.”
Be welcoming to the increasingly diverse cultural and ethnic population in the area.
Accommodate outdoor exercise and nurture the needs of those in medical recovery.
Conduct community events with minimal site impact.
Meet requests for larger school group programs, life celebrations, group retreats, etc.
Create a natural play area for children.
Accommodate increasing use without creating a “crowded “ feeling in visitors.
Preserve the park in its natural state.
Image source: Springbrook Nature Center Foundation
People Celebrating Life = Nurturing the Human Spirit
Access to natural spaces such as Springbrook Nature Center is essential for nurturing the human spirit. This park is a special place to learn, heal, grow, restore and be grateful for our natural world. The land around Springbrook Nature Center is intensely developed with residential, commercial, and industrial uses, and as a result of this, the park acts as an oasis of nature for the community, with use demands rising sharply. As a precious 127-acre park, Springbrook allows residents to develop a sense of place and a connection to the land providing opportunities for many people to spend time in nature improving their well-being and access to a diverse range of environmental education programs.
Ana started to collaborate with Springbrook’s Foundation volunteering her design services when she was in graduate school. Throughout the years she continued to be engaged with the development of the Foundation’s master plan vision including securing a funding grant from the State to implement various spaces and programs.
Ana was the project manager and lead landscape architect for the project while employed at HKGi.
Image source: Springbrook Nature Center Foundation
“When I was 13, a friend and I started volunteering at Springbrook Nature Center. We were at the nature center almost every week for a few years. I was running with a pretty wild group back then and starting to experiment with drugs. The time I spent doing interesting activities at Springbrook and the friends I made there kept me from getting in trouble. Now I’m in college and working as a nanny. Springbrook saved me from the wild crowd.”
— Former Teen Volunteer
“When my husband died suddenly, I was fortunate to have had lots of support from my family and friends. However, I realized I was trying to be strong for everyone else so they wouldn’t worry about me. My husband and I used to walk often at Springbrook. One day, I drove to the nature center and walked deep into the park, and had a good, long cry under a tree. It was exactly what my soul needed.”
— Springbrook Visitor
Services:
“A few years ago, my teenage son and I decided to volunteer for different activities at Springbrook. We were at a point where I was starting to worry about how to communicate with him. Once a week after our work ended at Springbrook, we’d talk about our experiences. These conversations would lead to discussions about important issues that seemed impossible to discuss before we had Springbrook in our lives.”
— Mom of a Teen
Master Planning
Site and Landscape Architecture Design
Capital and Grant Funding Writing/Materials
Stakeholder and Community Engagement Facilitation