Project Details
Client: Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District
Location: Fresno, California
Type: Storm Water Basin / Park
Completion Date: 1995
Interesting Fact: Oso de Oro Lake Park doubles as a storm water retention facility and a recreation center. It is fully usable, not just accessible, to children and adults with a broad range of disabilities. It was also a 2003 finalist for the Innovations in American Government Award.
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This nine-acre park site is uniquie because it combines its primary function of storm water retention with secondary functions of groundwater recharge and recreation. Oso de Oro Lake Park is fully usable, not just accessible, to children and adults with a broad range of disabilities. Every feature of Oso de Oro has been designed to allow handicapped children to play without difficulty, while preserving the full functionality of the park for able-bodied children and their families.
The park features picnic pavillions, two main play structures, unique play-safe matting around play structures, wheelchair basbetball court, interpretive maze for visually impaired visitors, live steam and water flume, antique riverboat and mining town, old fort and tunnel, as well as observation docks over a lake that provides views of aquatic habitat and wildlife.
Since opening in 1995, the Sloan Johnson Oso de Oro Park has been the recipient of national and state awards to innovation and design excellence.