Revitalizing Park Infrastructure: A Prescription for Aging and Outdated Parks
Many parks across the country are showing their age. With outdated equipment and programming, cracked pavement and safety issues, and inaccessible facilities, these once-vibrant places can feel more like liabilities than community assets. Just like a doctor will diagnose and prescribe treatment to heal a patient, McGill’s landscape architects can help your community develop a site-specific park master plan to revitalize your park. We tailor these plans to your park’s unique needs, symptoms, and community desires.
Diagnosing the Symptoms: Assessing Aging Infrastructure
To identify a “sick” park, we look for signs of aging and broken equipment, inaccessible design, hazardous trees, cracked pavement, underused space, and outdated park programming. Our team will inventory your park’s existing features and resources (physical assets, natural features, environmental conditions, existing use patterns, and input from the community). Then, we will conduct a site analysis and needs assessment, which helps us identify specific needs. In our analysis, we look at the park’s current capacity for future user groups and activities, and we assess the potential for expansion.
Writing the Prescription: Crafting a Site-Specific Park Master Plan
Just like each patient has their own individual needs, each site-specific park master plan provides a specific treatment. Writing the prescription for park revitalization requires inventory, analysis, and community input. With these items, we can develop a conceptual design and layout process for that park’s revitalization. If funding is required to develop the park, McGill will identify the most effective way to secure funding. We know how to talk with funding agencies to make sure they will be more willing to fill your prescription.
Treatment Plan: Prioritizing Upgrades and Focusing on What Matters Most to Your Community
We recognize that some issues may be more urgent than others, and in the site-specific park master plan, we can outline a multi-phased approach for implementation. To get the most out of PARTF and other funding sources, we often develop site-specific park master plans with two to three phases, which allows the client to apply for multiple funding rounds. The more we engage with our communities, the more we able to get a sense of what is most important to address in the initial phases of the project. For example, when McGill designed Alexander County’s Courthouse Park, we moved up the addition of a splash pad to phase 1 of the project because the County Commissioners strongly believed that the splashpad was a much-needed addition to the park. This small but mighty park has become an important community gathering space.
Innovative Therapies: New Trends in Park Design
Our treatment plans also introduce modern, inclusive, and durable designs. We are constantly engaging with vendors and national associations to identify new and innovative trends in park design. Some of the new trends we are following include:
Heat and Sun Protection
From solar-paneled shades on picnic tables to misters and sun sails, heat and sun protection is becoming more important in all climates. Traditional shade structures are more durable and customizable compared to the integrated shade systems that are built into playground equipment. At McGill’s Ocean Isle Beach Park, we integrated small pergolas with bench seating throughout the walking path and shade sails on playground equipment, as well as a traditional shelter and an amphitheater. Users bring their own pop-up tents during community events to create shade on the lawn.
We love to put splashpads in our parks because they are a great way to cool off; however, the newest trend is installing misters, as they bring cooling without getting the user wet. Misting systems work by spraying a fine mist of water into the air, and you will not get wet if the air is above 82 degrees and you are at least 3 feet from the mist nozzles. The water evaporates quickly as it absorbs heat from the surrounding area and cools it down. A misting system can cool outdoor temperatures by as much as 35 degrees Fahrenheit in the right condition. This can make a significant difference in the temperature of an outdoor space, even on hot, humid days.
Misters are a great addition in a school setting where there may be a high risk of heat-related illness. 200,000 children require medical help each year from playground injuries. Most of these are from falls, but a large percentage also come from sun and heat exposure. Misting systems can be less expensive than building an outdoor shelter, and they do not use as much water as you would think (each misting head uses about a half-gallon of water per hour). Additionally, they are low maintenance.
Inclusive Play
Just as a good prescription considers the whole patient, not just a single symptom, a well-designed park must serve the whole community. This includes children with sensory sensitivities, adults with mobility challenges, grandparents supervising from the sidelines, and everyone in between. Accessibility and inclusivity are no longer nice-to-haves; they are essential ingredients in a truly revitalized park.
Inclusive play goes beyond ADA accessible ramps. Inclusivity is about creating spaces where kids of all abilities can play side by side. That might mean playgrounds with sensory panels, quiet zones for neurodivergent children, ground level components and transfer platforms. In our site-specific park master plans, we are seeing more communities embrace intergenerational fitness zones, like placing adult workout equipment near playgrounds so caregivers can stay active while keeping a close eye on little ones.
We are currently working on an Accessible Parks (AP) Grant project in Granite Falls, a small town in North Carolina, which includes an ADA-compliant paths and surfacing and furnishings designed to support a diverse range of needs. The AP grant is a matching grant available to North Carolina municipalities who are constructing new special facilities or adapting existing facilities to meet the unique needs of all people.
Playgrounds with sensory-friendly features and neurodivergent friendly equipment are a positive trend in the parks and recreation industry.
Sustainable Surfaces
When thoughtfully chosen, the right surface can extend a park’s usefulness, reduce maintenance, and even support sustainability goals. Specifically, artificial turf is gaining traction in parks—not just athletic fields—for its durability and low upkeep. Unlike natural grass, it does not require mowing, watering, or chemical treatments, which reduces emissions and long-term maintenance costs.
In high-traffic areas like playgrounds, dog parks, or multi-use fields, turf offers a consistent, clean, and mud-free surface that stays green year-round. It also improves accessibility, which creates smoother transitions for wheelchairs, strollers, and other mobility devices.
Artificial turf should be treated as impervious surface. If adding artificial turf, you need to properly address stormwater control as you would treat any paved area.
Social Programming
A healthy park does not just offer things to do—it creates spaces to connect. Just like prescribing rest and social support can aid recovery, revitalized parks thrive when we intentionally plan for gathering, conversation, and community.
Incorporating social programming and well-placed seating areas near popular amenities can activate a park in powerful ways. Think shaded benches beside a splashpad, picnic tables near a playground, or a small plaza with seating outside a pickleball court. These are not just resting spots—they are social hubs that encourage lingering, chatting, and bonding across generations.
Our site-specific park master plans carefully plan these social zones for where they will be most used—where parents can relax while watching their kids play, where friends can meet after a walk, or where neighbors can enjoy a concert in the park together. Designing with intentional proximity between active amenities and passive comfort spaces creates synergy, which boosts usage and makes parks feel vibrant, safe, and welcoming.
By programming events like outdoor movie nights, fitness classes, and food truck Fridays into these well-designed spaces, we turn passive features into dynamic community assets. In a revitalized park, benches are not just benches — they are invitations to connect.
We are currently working on Haywood County’s Raccoon Bike Park, which will feature a food truck area with utilities. This park is made possible with Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) and Recreation Trails Program (RTP) funding. McGill has worked on this park from the time it was a landfill through conception and into construction.
Themed Parks and Playgrounds
Themed playgrounds are such a fun and impactful way to blend play, storytelling, and public art—they draw people in, create lasting memories, and often reflect the unique character of a place. McGill has developed many nature-inspired playgrounds that are designed to mimic the natural environment. We have worked with beanstalk builders to create nature-based playgrounds. Other themes that are becoming popular include transportation and adventure themes, prehistoric or dinosaur playgrounds, fantasy and storybook themes, or local culture and landmark inspired playgrounds. We have even seen sculpture-like playgrounds in the shapes of owls, cardinals, foxes, lighthouses. At River Park, in Lillington, North Carolina, McGill designed a play space with a nautical theme, which is aligned with the canoe portage on the site and Lillington’s access to the Cape Fear River — a crucial transportation route. The Town’s founding is centered around a ferry crossing.
Ready for a Prescription? Let’s Revitalize Your Park
Every park has its own story, and its own set of challenges. Whether you are dealing with outdated equipment, lack of accessibility, or underused spaces, the right site-specific park master plan can diagnose the issues and chart a clear path to healing.
At McGill, we specialize in creating tailored, actionable master plans that unlock funding, prioritize smart investments, and transform parks into vibrant, inclusive community spaces. From securing grants like PARTF and the Accessible Parks to designing features that reflect your community’s identity, we are here to help every step of the way.
Let’s work together to write the next chapter of your park’s story — one filled with energy, inclusion, and lasting impact.
Reach out to McGill today, and let’s get started on your park’s prescription for revitalization.
