The City of Hartford, as part of their commitment to provide improved recreational opportunities for its residents, retained the services of TLBA to provide public outreach, planning and ultimately design of new aquatic facilities in three different neighborhoods throughout the City. In order to most effectively reach out to the varying neighborhoods, TLBA customized their approach to outreach, and as a result was able to get valuable feedback, leading to successful development of the three parks.
At Colt State Park in the City’s Sheldon Charter Oak Neighborhood, TLBA developed a new multipurpose swimming facility, inclusive of a recreational/leisure pool, lap pool and interactive water playground. The overall design took into consideration an historic bathhouse and ice house and included the complete renovation and restoration of these historically significant buildings within Colt Park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The residents of the City’s Northeast Neighborhood, requested the complete replacement of the existing swimming pool at Keney Park with a new multipurpose swimming facility, inclusive of a recreational / leisure pool, a lap pool and an interactive water playground. The project also included the complete renovation a 1960’s bathhouse and the integration of other active recreation amenities in the Park, including tennis, basketball and access to the existing Park House.
Pope Park in Hartford’s Frog Hollow Neighborhood required improved outdoor facilities adjacent to an existing community center which already had an indoor pool. Neighborhood requests and a time sensitive schedule resulted in the need to deliver this pool as a Design/Build project, so that the residents did not lose season of swimming. The solution at Pope Park included the complete removal of the existing outdoor pool, as well as a subterranean filter plant and the design and implementation of a new 50-meter swimming pool designed to accommodate the needs of recreational and non-sanctioned competitive swimming. A new filtration, recirculation and chemical control system was also included, housed in an addition to the existing bathhouse. The pool re-opened less than one year after design began.
