The John F. Kennedy Park Community Build Project was selected by USA Today to receive one of three 2015 Make A Difference Day Community Awards and a $10,000 grant from Newman’s Own to support further programming at the park. This project mobilized over 650 volunteers last October, to work on renovation of the park. It was one of three projects chosen from hundreds of entries that were submitted by participants in Make A Difference Day, the nation’s largest day of volunteering. This national recognition would not have been possible without broad support and collaboration among neighborhood leaders, local nonprofit organizations, the Richmond Business Community, City staff, and the Trust for Public Lands. Vallier Design is happy to have been a part of this inspirational effort. http://makeadifferenceday.com/
The new Santa Fe Union Park at Second Street and Maine Avenue also received a nod of approval when the Northern California Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects recently recognized it with a Merit Award in the Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Spaces category. http://www.asla-ncc.org/kayaportfolio/santa-fe-union-park/. Work on this project continues. We are collaborating with the Santa Fe Neighborhood Council on signage for the park, creation of the “Friend of Santa Fe Union Park” to ensure long term stewardship, and additional fund raising to complete the shade structures.