ReBuilding Highland Park
How to ReBuild a park from the ground up.
When we stepped into Highland Park, located in the historic Highland neighborhood in the heart of Shreveport, it had been underutilized and under-maintained for decades. Some of the park's amenities were constructed years before and had contributed to serious erosion issues. During heavy rains soil is being washed away, keeping grass and plants from taking root and making the park less usable by the year.
Inspired by Chuck Marohn at Strong Towns, we identified Highland Park as a perfect place to put in motion the "next smallest thing" we can do to make our community better by assessing the damage, communicating with residents about their vision for the future of the park, and working with government to create an action plan. To complete our goals, ReForm has partnered with Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation (SPAR), Shreveport Green, and Caddo Parish which provide resources for the betterment of the park.
Project Partners
Mitigating erosion and creating fertile ground.
The first step in the rescue of Highland Park was to stop the erosion damage in order to create a better foundation for park improvements. In November 2016, Highland neighborhood residents and ReForm volunteers began implementing erosion control efforts led by John-Paul Young. Additional Highland Park Work Days were conducted on April 22, June 3, June 28, July 26, and October 28 of 2017. These events saw continued work on erosion abatement, litter collection, and conversation with citizen stakeholders about their hopes and dreams for the future of Highland Park.
During the cleanups, community members were engaged in discussion about what kinds of improvements they might like to see to the park. This casual conversation shaped the direction the park’s improvement process over the course of the coming years.
Over the following 18 months, incredible progress was documented in areas of the park where erosion controls have been implemented. In some places, as much as 12 inches of soil has been built up into terraces driven only by rain, collected behind obstacles we have created using discarded wood from partners like Figlio Tree Service. These terraces will become the beds where new plants can take root, which will help retain soil naturally.
Guiding capital improvements.
In the fall of 2017, ReForm’s board members met with representatives from SPAR to discuss the implementation of a 2011 bond issue that had allocated $200,000 for use in capital improvements for Highland Park. Up until that point, the funds hat sat unused for over half a decade. The reconstruction of the walking trail throughout the park had already been identified by the city, but remaining funds were unallocated. SPAR invited ReForm to conduct a survey of the surrounding community residents and nearby businesses and organizations to determine the desires of the community for the park.
Over two survey days, December 16, 2017 and January 27, 2018, ReForm volunteers conducted a door-to-door survey to determine the current use of, complaints about, and dreams for Highland Park. Additionally, an online survey was conducted in which participants were required to indicate their address to participate. The results have been compiled into our report (linked below).
What’s been accomplished and what’s left to do.
In the fall of 2018, the park received a new walking path finish which widened the path to accommodate more walkers. That winter, further erosion mitigation was installed as well as fixes to the park’s disc golf system. In the summer of 2019, the old playground was removed and a new playground was installed. Additionally, a new park sign was erected.
As of fall 2019, erosion mitigation efforts were placed on hold in order to observe the way the land responds to the large number of changes that have been implemented over the last three years. New lighting was installed throughout the park with help from SWEPCO. In 2020, a new water fountain, bike racks and repair station, as well as improvements to the recreation area were conducted.
In 2023, the Caddo Parish Commission funded additional improvements to bolster erosion mitigation through planting fruit trees and other methods. The trees will also provide a source of food for area residents. The Krewe of Highland and local Boy Scout Troop 15 along with ReForm members assisted with the planting.
