Years: 2011-2012
The Cultivate Cascades team chose the task of branding Cascades Park as a Tallahassee landmark by ensuring that visitors are drawn into the park through a variety of diverse activities. The team conducted research on Cascades Park, pushed for a more extensive amphitheater in Cascades Park and partnered with the local community to develop Discovery.
In 2011, the Cultivate Cascades team conducted a statistically relevant research report that included a comprehensive evaluation showcasing the range of potential activities to occur in the Park during year one, and made recommendations on how to best provide for long-term programming support. The findings of the report were presented to the City and County Commissions in 2012. The research led to the teams advocacy for amphitheatre improvements at Cascades Park and also led to the development of Discovery, a one-of-a-kind playscape in Cascades Park.
Discovery at Cascades Park, presented by First Commerce Credit Union, is a first-of-its kind family-oriented playscape in a public space in the North Florida region. Features include:
- Landscaping and playscape features by local artists, including the artistic unique steel gateway designed by Mike Bettinger of Bettinger Welding and artwork by artist Paul Tamanian.
- The overall concept was designed by Meghan Mick of From the Ground Up with design input from the KCCI Community Catalyst team
- Active, multi-sensory play elements including:
- TMH2O water feature (interactive with farm pump)
- Cypress Climb
- Steephead slide
- Log jump
- Beach sand area
- Outdoor classroom
- Handicap accessible
- Being located in Cascades Park, near the intersection of Myers Park Drive and Suwannee Street between Department of Transportation and the Amphitheater
For more information about Discovery at Cascades Park, visit www.discovercascades.com.
The Cultivate Cascades team expresses its appreciation to all the partners that made Discovery possible.
In addition to First Commerce Credit Union, Discovery project supporters include: Blueprint 2000; City of Tallahassee; Leon County; Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare; Tallahassee COPE Coalition; CSX; Hopping, Green and Sams; Sandco; Get Outdoors Florida!; Florida Wildflower Foundation; Berneice Cox; Betsy & Cory Couch; Friends of Three; North American Properties; Radey Law; Dantin Consulting, LLC; Allison Tant Richard; and St. John’s Episcopal Church.
In-kind sponsors are comprised of: From the Ground Up; Bettinger Welding; Jefferson County Quarry; Sandco; Esposito’s Lawn & Garden Center; BowStern Marketing; Tallahassee Democrat; Full Press Apparel; Genesis; Gary Yordon Governance, Inc.; Miller’s Tree Service; VancoreJones Communications; Miller’s Tree Service; Wilderness Graphics; Ziffer Stansberry.
“Discovery at Cascades Park is part of a vision for enriching and diversifying our everyday outdoor experiences. This generation of kids has a completely different experience than any previous generation. They are utilizing amazing technology in school and at home, but they still have the same needs to be outside, play, run, create games and interact with the natural world.”
– Meghan Mick, From the Ground Up
Community Catalysts
These are the people who helped make this project possible.
- Melanie Carr
- Betsy Couch
- Berneice Cox
- LaKendra Cunningham
- Rick Frazier
- Julz Graham
- William Gwaltney
- Debbie Huey
- Joshua Newman
- Paul Rutkovsky
- Carly Sinnadurai
- Robin Smith
- Carlos Torregrosa
- John Van Gieson
- Andrew Wilcox
- Brian Zettle