Biscuit Run Behavioral Design

Second Phase of Development for Biscuit Run Park

Designing for Everyone

"The aim of public spaces, such as parks, is to protect what is seen as an asset — diversity in all its manifestations — and to reduce fears of difference and exclusion... in order to enhance the empowerment of the citizenry."

Sauri, D., Parés, M., & Domene, E. (2009). Changing Conceptions of Sustainability in Barcelona’s Public Parks. Geographical Review, 99(1), 23–36. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40377364

Ridgetop Activity Area

Parking Lot

Athletic Fields

Main Entrance

Trails & Historical Interpretation

Pavilions & Picnic Area

Dog Park

Native Plant Garden

Water Play

Amphitheater

Playground

Pavilions & Picnic Area

Dog Park

• Fenced perimeter so dogs can run free
• Different play elements such logs and tunnels for running, climbing
• Trees for sufficient shade
• Seating and tables for owners, also located close enough to playground for parents to watch boths kids and dogs
• Dog waste station with sign about the harms of not picking up after your pet
• Dog washing station & water for drinking

Back to Map

Native Plant Garden

• In the center of the ridgetop activity area, with connecting paths
• Wildflowers, groundcovers, grasses, vines, ferns, and shrubs native to the northern piedmont region of Virginia
• Attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators
• Stormwater management, erosion & sediment control
• Educational opportunity for kids to learn about plants, gardening

Back to Map

Trails & History

• Biscuit Run is home to the ruins of an old stagecoach road, which borders the ridgetop activity area
• Believed to have been used by Thomas Jefferson, the road was constructed in the 1730s and connected Charlottesville to Scottsville on the James River, a major trading and transportation hub at the time
• Signs explaining the historical significance and telling the story of Charlottesville's origins could attract school field trips & history buffs
• Accessible trails and more primitive hiking paths will branch away from the ridgetop activity area into the forested region of the park

Back to Map

Water Play

• Natural looking & accessible
• Connected to playground area, perhaps a stream could run to the proposed bioretention pond
• Educational opportunity for kids to learn about aquatic habitats, watersheds, etc.
• Improve motor skills, social development

Back to Map

Playground

• Playgrounds inspired by nature have been found to increase physical activity, imagination, and appreciation for the environment
• Within eyesight of the water play area, dog park, and picnic areas / pavilions so that guardians can feel comfortable leaving their kids to play

• Sustainable materials
• Safe & accessible
• Socialization for kids & guardians alike!

Back to Map

Amphitheater

• This area of the ridgetop naturally slopes downward towards a forested area, making it the perfect place to add some terraced seating
• Amphitheatre structure doesn't need to be anything fancy, just somewhere people could gather for music, performances, festivals, sermons, educational lectures, & student field trips
• Situated near the pavilions and picnicking areas so those users can listen and enjoy, but far enough away from play areas that children and barking dogs won't be a disruption

Back to Map

Picnic Area & Pavilions

• Resting place to eat, craft, read, socialize, and host events
• Covered pavilions can serve as shelter in case of rain and provide relief from sun
• Within listening distance of amphitheater
• Option to install grills, firepits
• Bear-proof waste disposal containers (Biscuit Run is home to some black bears!)

Back to Map