Primrose Park

Flower-themed city playground refreshes “park poor” urban environment

Primrose Park in Southern California’s Temple City turned a block of city asphalt into a colorful flower-themed oasis, thanks to a collaborative effort by residents, city officials and landscape architecture firm, David Volz Design.

Previously offering a meagre quarter acre of green space per thousand residents compared to the national average of three acres per thousand, Temple City officially qualified as “park poor,” having installed no parks in the 60 years since the city’s incorporation and boasting very little open space to a large percentage of its population.

A collaborative vision

In order to plan this one-of-a-kind park, the landscape design team brought together local business owners, neighborhood residents, and city council members to help create a vision, asking them to “be landscape architects for a day” by drawing the park of their dreams on an empty map. The resulting green space boasts a garden-themed playground for 2- to 12-year-olds, a refreshing fountain, extensive shaded seating, HealthBeat® Outdoor Fitness Equipment for adults and teens, electric vehicle charging stations and a lush lawn. In other words, something for all members of the community to enjoy.

Bursting with blooms

The park’s extraordinary flower theme gains its inspiration from the pink, fuchsia and white camellia flowers that adorn Temple City’s logo and city seal, and nods to the adjacent street name, Primrose Ave. The motif suffuses the park in multiple creative ways—in the towering custom flower-shaped SkyWays® shade structures, the sprawling, red-petaled blossoms that make up the durable playground surfacing, and the flower-shaped fountain, to name just a few.

A play space for all to enjoy

The playground design at Primrose Park is a bouquet of options for children of all ages. Preschoolers can let their imaginations bloom at the Market Cafe playstructure, which offers multiple ways to play, including crawling, sliding, sensory and imaginative fun. Children ages 5 to 12 will work on their balance and motor skills through the various paths to climb the PlayOdyssey® Tower and decide what height of slide they want to descend. Playground spinners, crawl tunnels, swings and steppers offer fun opportunities for kids to practice balance and challenge their bodies in unique ways. Three shade structures offer relief from the hot California sun, and unitary safety surfacing offers the comfort, durability and safety children of all abilities need for uninhibited play. Best of all, caregivers and teens can watch from nearby petal-shaped seats or get a workout in on the HealthBeat® Outdoor Fitness Equipment.

From “park poor” to rich with opportunities for connection, the residents of Temple City turned a lack of green space into an opportunity to grow collaboration and health for years to come.