Shelby Farms' $52M Heart of the Park Project

[VSRJ]

Shelby Farms will soon become even more awesome:

"Heart of the Park is a visionary reimagining of Patriot Lake - a well-loved but ecologically dysfunctional lake in the center of the Park, which was created when dirt was needed to cap a nearby landfill. From humble beginnings, the Heart of the Park will become a vibrant and diverse community hub, an environmental teaching tool, an important part of the business plan to sustain the Park, a gathering place for health and recreation, relaxation and big water adventure. It will be an exemplar for innovative urban landscape design, environmentally responsive architecture, and world class programming for health, happiness and inclusion for the Mid-South."

Shelby Farms Park breaks ground on $52M project

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2014/jun/13/paddles-up-shelby-farms-park-breaks-ground-on/

 

Dignitaries will use paddles instead of shovels Friday to ceremonially break ground on the big expansion of Patriot Lake, part of a two-year, $52 million improvement to Shelby Farms Park.

The work is designed not only to make Patriot Lake more ecologically sound and larger — expanding from 52 to 85 acres — the “Heart of the Park’’ project will also add recreational and educational opportunities and amenities.

Over the next two years, the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy will build: a new Visitor Center; more lakeside pavilions; a plug-and-play event pavilion/stage; a farm-to-table restaurant; a rustic retreat center; a wetland walk; a boat rental kiosk; and new trails. Also, more than 10,000 trees will be planted.

The work is part of a $70 million master plan. Already completed, for about $18 million, is a large playground, pedestrian bridge spanning the Wolf River, a new buffalo range, the planting of thousands of trees, new signs and other improvements...

Learn more here: http://www.shelbyfarmspark.org/heartofthepark